Courtesy Royal Society of Chemistry
Three department researchers have been honoured with Royal Society of Chemistry 2018 awards.
Professor Erwin Reisner has won one of only three Corday-Morgan Prizes awarded by the Royal Society each year for "the most meritorious contributions to Chemistry." Erwin received the award for his development of solar-driven catalysis with molecularly engineered semiconductors and semi-artificial photosynthesis. Erwin's work focuses on advancing the fundamental science of sunlight-driven chemistry, which could help solve the challenge of sustainable energy.
Professor Oren Scherman has also won a Corday-Morgan Prize, awarded for his ground-breaking discoveries in supramolecular chemistry. Oren's work focuses on bringing long chains of molecules called polymers together ina controlled way in water to make hydrogels. These gels can be used for a wide range of applications, including slow, controlled release of therapeutics for treatment of diseases such as brain cancer.
Dr Silvia Vignolini has won the Royal Society of Chemistry Gibson-Fawcett Award for 2018, which recognises original and independent contributions to materials chemistry. The award was given for her highly original contributions to the fields of bio-materials and bio-mimetic photonic nanostructures. Silvia studies how optical structures - such as the iridescence used by many animals for mating or camouflage, or the complex systems that plants use to boost photosynthesis - are made in nature. She uses this to design manufacturing methods for synthetic materials with similar properties.