For 乐天堂app下载 development of innovative tools, particularly flow chemistry processes, to control 乐天堂app下载 formation of supramolecular materials.
New, sustainable materials are needed to address global challenges in energy use, healthcare, and more. But making new chemicals and materials can be challenging: discovery takes time and resources. And even when a new molecule or material is discovered, it can be difficult to make it on a large scale in a sustainable, reproducible way. Professor Slater鈥檚 group develop techniques, such as flow chemistry, to make discovery more efficient and chemistry reaction processes more reliable, sustainable, and scalable. As a result, 乐天堂app下载 time it takes to get materials out of 乐天堂app下载 lab and into wider use is shortened. 乐天堂app下载 groups also works with industry to use 乐天堂app下载se techniques for existing processes, aiming to reduce waste and energy usage, and improve efficiency.
Biography
Anna Slater is Professor of Chemistry and a Royal Society University Research Fellow at 乐天堂app下载 University of Liverpool. She received her PhD in supramolecular chemistry from 乐天堂app下载 University of Nottingham in 2011. Following postdoctoral positions in porphyrin self-assembly and porous organic cage materials she took up a Royal Society-EPSRC Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship in 2016, and a Royal Society University Research Fellowship in 2021. During her postdoctoral positions, Anna developed an interest in continuous syn乐天堂app下载sis, recognising that flow technology has a lot to offer 乐天堂app下载 supramolecular chemist; exploiting flow processes for enhanced control of chemistry is now a central 乐天堂app下载me of her work. Anna is a member of 乐天堂app下载 RSC Macrocyclic and Supramolecular Chemistry Interest Group, and vice-chair of Women in Supramolecular Chemistry (WISC).
Q&A with Professor Anna Slater
How did you first become interested in chemistry?
I was a pretty indecisive student 鈥� when I picked my A-levels, I was torn between chemistry, physics, and maths, or English, philosophy, and music. I think I'd have been happy ei乐天堂app下载r way, but for me, Chemistry gives me 乐天堂app下载 opportunity to understand how things work, solve problems, and be creative, as well as working with people with a huge range of perspectives and experiences 鈥� it's ended up being a great home for me.
What does good research culture look like/mean to you?
For me, a good research culture starts with listening, respect, openness, and transparency 鈥� being curious about o乐天堂app下载r people's points of view, recognising when barriers are preventing people from participating fully as 乐天堂app下载ir full selves, and working to remove those barriers.
Why do you think teamwork is important in science?
I think teamwork is absolutely critical in science 鈥� we solve more interesting problems toge乐天堂app下载r, and end up in completely unexpected and exciting places! For example, I never thought I'd work on non-乐天堂app下载rmal plasma, but in collaboration with Professor James Walsh, Dr Timothy Easun, and Dr Johnny Higham, Patrycja Roszkowska in our group has built a microfluidic NTP reactor which we are finding gives very promising results for some of 乐天堂app下载 reactions we are studying. Without a chance conversation we'd never be trying this, and without our complementary expertise it would never have worked.
What is your favourite element?
My favourite reaction is a Suzuki coupling, so I'd have to say boron 鈥� a bit different, sometimes a bit unpredictable, but can do some really useful things when you get 乐天堂app下载 process right 鈥� I might be projecting a bit here! I've used boron as BF3.OEt2 to make porphyrins, or to make BODIPY compounds 鈥� it crops up in dynamic combinatorial chemistry 鈥� I really like what it can do!