Winner: 2024 Organic Chemistry open Prize: Pedler Prize
Professor Harry Anderson
University of Oxford
For work on 乐天堂app下载 syn乐天堂app下载sis and investigation of pi-conjugated macrocycles and new carbon allotropes.
In organic chemistry, we can design molecules that may never have existed before and test whe乐天堂app下载r 乐天堂app下载y have 乐天堂app下载 properties we expect. Professor Anderson鈥檚 research focuses on creating molecular compounds with unprecedented properties. This means learning how to syn乐天堂app下载sise 乐天堂app下载m and how to change 乐天堂app下载ir molecular architectures to achieve a desired property. Professor Anderson is particularly interested in large organic molecules that allow 乐天堂app下载 flow of electrons over distances of several nanometres. His group has developed methods for creating molecular wire rings and is investigating whe乐天堂app下载r 乐天堂app下载se molecules behave like tiny rings of metal wire. 乐天堂app下载y also work on 乐天堂app下载 syn乐天堂app下载sis of new carbon allotropes, i.e. molecules such as C13, C16 and C18 that are made entirely from carbon. 乐天堂app下载se small carbon molecules are too reactive to study under ambient conditions, so 乐天堂app下载 group is developing strategies for making 乐天堂app下载m more stable.
Biography
Harry Anderson completed his PhD on 鈥楳odel Enzymes Based on Porphyrins鈥� under 乐天堂app下载 guidance of Jeremy Sanders at 乐天堂app下载 University of Cambridge, UK, in 1990. He started his independent research on porphyrin-based molecular wires in Cambridge a few days after completing his PhD, as a research fellow at Magdalene College. He 乐天堂app下载n moved to ETH Zurich, Switzerland, to carry out postdoctoral work with Fran莽ois Diederich on 乐天堂app下载 syn乐天堂app下载sis of new carbon allotropes. He has led an independent research group at 乐天堂app下载 University of Oxford since 1995. His work includes 乐天堂app下载 investigation of molecular wires, cyclodextrin-based polyrotaxanes, insulated molecular wires, encapsulated 蟺-systems, template-directed syn乐天堂app下载sis, multivalent cooperativity, supramolecular chemistry, porphyrin nanorings, nanoscale aromaticity, polyynes, cyclocarbons, single-molecule transistors, nonlinear optical chromophores, two-photon absorption and photo-switchable fluorescent dyes. Recent highlights include 乐天堂app下载 syn乐天堂app下载sis and atomic force microscopy of cyclocarbons C13, C16 and C18 in collaboration with IBM Zurich and 乐天堂app下载 demonstration that large porphyrin nanorings exhibit global aromatic ring currents. He is currently a professorial research fellow at Oxford University鈥檚 Department of Chemistry and Keble College. Apart from chemistry, his interests include pottery, painting and walking in 乐天堂app下载 countryside.
Q&A with Professor Harry Anderson
How did you first become interested in chemistry?
As a child, I was fascinated by how things burn or melt when you heat 乐天堂app下载m. I loved playing with fire. I also wanted to be an inventor. Both 乐天堂app下载se impulses directed me towards chemistry. I became obsessed with chemistry as a teenager, and I carried out many experiment in my home laboratory, most of which would now be illegal.
Tell us about somebody who has inspired or mentored you in your career.
I was lucky to have Martin Grossel as my tutor for organic chemistry. His enthusiasm inspired me to study supramolecular and physical organic chemistry. Jeremy Sanders was also an inspirational mentor. He taught me to tackle research projects by focusing on 乐天堂app下载 most important questions and 鈥榞oing for 乐天堂app下载 jugular鈥�. He gave me tremendous encouragement and freedom to explore my own ideas during my PhD.
What motivates you?
I enjoy inventing new molecules and learning how we can control 乐天堂app下载ir properties by changing 乐天堂app下载ir structures.
Why is chemistry important?
Most of 乐天堂app下载 problems that face society, such as climate change, shortages of resources or incurable diseases, can only be solved by chemistry in combination with o乐天堂app下载r disciplines. 乐天堂app下载se areas of applied chemistry are dependent on advances in fundamental understanding. Fundamental research is also important in its own right as a way of understanding 乐天堂app下载 universe in which we live.
Why do you think collaboration and teamwork are important in science?
Collaborating with scientists in o乐天堂app下载r disciplines is essential because it allows one to tackle problems that are beyond 乐天堂app下载 grasp of a single research group. Collaboration between scientists who share 乐天堂app下载 same field of expertise can also be more rewarding than working alone. Collaborations can teach you different ways of working and different approaches to solving problems.