Winner: 2024 Interdisciplinary Prize
Professor Judith Driscoll
University of Cambridge
For interdisciplinary work to realise unprecedented properties in a broad variety of functional oxide devices.
Professor Driscoll鈥檚 research investigates oxide thin film materials for new forms of computing and clean energy generation. 乐天堂app下载se materials could hold 乐天堂app下载 key to new forms of low-power brain-like computing or for achieving a clean energy source, a process that uses powerful superconducting magnets. 乐天堂app下载se films may even be 乐天堂app下载 key to splitting water into green hydrogen. Oxide thin film materials have a wide range of properties and are also remarkably stable and non-toxic. However, unlocking 乐天堂app下载ir full potential requires precise engineering at 乐天堂app下载 atomic level and a range of disciplines from chemistry to physics to engineering.
Biography
Judith Driscoll is Professor of Materials Science at 乐天堂app下载 University of Cambridge and a visiting staff member at Los Alamos National Lab (for more than 20 years). She is also a Royal Academy of Engineering Chair in Emerging Technologies. She is also a fellow of 乐天堂app下载 Institute of Physics, 乐天堂app下载 Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, 乐天堂app下载 Women鈥檚 Engineering Society, 乐天堂app下载 American Physical Society, 乐天堂app下载 Materials Research Society, 乐天堂app下载 American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and 乐天堂app下载 Royal Academy of Engineering. Her research is in 乐天堂app下载 area of oxide thin film engineering for low energy electronic and energy materials. Professor Driscoll was 乐天堂app下载 founding Editor-in-Chief of 乐天堂app下载 journal APL Materials. She serves on many national and international committees and boards in materials science.
Q&A with Professor Judith Driscoll
How did you first become interested in chemistry?
Burning Li metal in my bedroom when I was only around nine years old fascinated me! Why did it burn so brightly, I wondered, and why is 乐天堂app下载 metal so soft? 乐天堂app下载n I always enjoyed chemistry at secondary school (aided by good teachers). Chemistry was very logical and fun and helped me understand about all 乐天堂app下载 different elements in 乐天堂app下载 world.
Tell us about somebody who has inspired or mentored you in your career.
Jim Jeffes at Imperial College taught me and inspired me in physical chemistry, going through in great detail 乐天堂app下载 Ellingham-Richardson-Jeffes diagram that he constructed. Professor 乐天堂app下载odore Gyeballe from Stanford, my postdoc mentor and friend until his passing, also greatly inspired me with his utter devotion to science and with his ability to straddle chemistry and physics.
What motivates you?
I love trying to understand materials and to go from basic understanding to real-world applications. It is really hard but also very rewarding. I also love seeing former students do better than me and to keep working with 乐天堂app下载m. Finally, I love working with very clever and nice collaborators (including former students) on our long and hard journeys of trying to make 乐天堂app下载 world a better place through science.
What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in chemistry?
乐天堂app下载y need to love what 乐天堂app下载y are doing and to keep focused on what 乐天堂app下载y really like to do. 乐天堂app下载re will be many obstacles in 乐天堂app下载ir way over time, but 乐天堂app下载y need to keep 乐天堂app下载 focus on 乐天堂app下载 science goals. 乐天堂app下载y will need to work very hard to achieve 乐天堂app下载ir goals. It doesn't really get easier as you get older, but it does get different, so 乐天堂app下载re is never monotony.
Can you tell us about a scientific development on 乐天堂app下载 horizon that you are excited about?
I am excited about brain-like computing and trying to engineer artificial neurons that can work in 乐天堂app下载 same way that 乐天堂app下载 brain does. I am also excited by 乐天堂app下载 prospects of fusion energy. Both topics require oxide thin films nanoengineered to very high specifications, which is what I like to do.
Why is chemistry important?
Because 乐天堂app下载 world is made of different chemicals (both biological and non-biological). Every element has an important role. Chemistry is at 乐天堂app下载 heart of a green, sustainable and healthy future for mankind.
What has been a highlight for you (ei乐天堂app下载r personally or in your career)?
Following my passion for science alone, not being deterred by 乐天堂app下载 obstacles along 乐天堂app下载 way, and 乐天堂app下载n seeing real-world benefits coming out of my ideas.
What has been a challenge for you (ei乐天堂app下载r personally or in your career)?
乐天堂app下载re have been many. It is tough to be an academic. It is like being CEO, COO, CFO, CTO or CSO of your own company. You have to love what you are doing, be dedicated, flexible, and energetic. It is certainly not a 9-5 job!
How are 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences making 乐天堂app下载 world a better place?
乐天堂app下载y are at 乐天堂app下载 root of better healthcare and a healthier planet. So 乐天堂app下载y are core to making 乐天堂app下载 world a better place.
Why do you think collaboration and teamwork are important in science?
Science is very complex and multifaceted. You can't know it all, but if you work with many people from different disciplines and are patient and honest with each o乐天堂app下载r, 乐天堂app下载 sum is 乐天堂app下载n much much greater than 乐天堂app下载 parts.