How do you describe your job when you meet people at a party?
I am a University Professor in UK and am “Visiting Professor” to universities in China and Portugal too
What is ‘cutting-edge’ about your work?
My research team is in the forefront of nanotechnology research making plastics tougher, stronger, and harder!
What are the biggest implications your work will/could have in the future?
My new materials are being used in as diverse applications as aerospace, boats, medical appliances, and helping the world’s poorest people to make cheap affordable building materials from waste fibres
Describe some of the highlights of your average day.
Interacting and inspiring students, and making breakthroughs in research.
Describe briefly how your career has progressed to date.
From working in a humble industrial laboratory to being a young university lecturer and finally being appointed a Professor and Director of Research
How is your job cross-disciplinary?
I interact daily with physicists, chemists, engineers, designers and businessmen
How well is your job compensated? What is the starting salary for your field, and how much can this be expected to rise?
Currently a lecturer starts around £25,000 pa and rises to around £70,000 pa as a professor (+ extra consultancy fees)
How do you see your field developing over the next 5-10 years?
Nanotechnology is one of the most exciting scientific areas currently available. Quote: Nicholas Hartley (Director EU Research)“…nanotechnology is the flagship of the next industrial revolution….”
What’s the most unexpected thing about your job?
The freedom to pursue hugely interesting research topics and travel the world meeting other scientists. Also in applying my technology to help poor people in the mountains I was awarded an MBE by the Queen and an Honorary Citizenship of China!!
What’s the biggest achievement of your career so far?
Creating groundbreaking new nano-enhanced plastic materials that will help both the developed and the undeveloped world
