Simon

Experienced Organic Chemist (PhD) working on the devlopment of new chemical reactions in postdoctoral study at the University of Nottingham.

I conducted my PhD in Chemistry at the University of Bristol, working in the area of carbohydrate chemistry and moved back to my home area to work in the the pharmaceutical industry on early-stage drug research in 2022.

I have since moved to the University of Nottingham in 2024 to conduct further academic research.

My PhD work was around developing new reactions on difficult-to-make complex sugar molecules, which are important for a variety of biological reasons.

My professional/chemical background focuses on organic chemistry, notably with medicinal or biological purposes as the end goal.

I obtained my undergraduate degree (MSci, Class 1 with honours, 84% overall for MSci project) from the University of Birmingham, graduating in July 2018. During my first year of study, I was the recipient of the school's Harding Prize for the undergraduate with the highest overall score in the laboratory-based modules. I then spent the third year of my degree programme working in the pharmaceutical industry at Roche in Basel, Switzerland, making new pharmaceutical compounds which have since been included in an international patent. My fourth year MSci project was based on using chemistry to improve the effect of a drug on the body's immune system, by attempting to achieve a targeted delivery of the drug in a particular organ.

I studied Chemistry, Economics, Business and Maths at A-Level (A,A,A,B), very much enjoying Economics and Chemistry. I benefited greatly from private maths tuition, which really helped to boost my confidence come exam time.

Tutoring Experience

I am teaching 2 students for the academic year 2023/24 (GCSE and A2 Chemistry), both of whom carried on from last year.

I taught 3 students across the academic year 2022/23, (GCSE and AS/A2 Chemistry), all of which have been online sessions and have worked well in a digital format. I have a car and would be willing to travel around NE Derbyshire and a short distance into the surrounding areas. I can come to you, you can come to me or we can meet somewhere convenient to you.

Face-to-face experience encompasses the teaching of two students in the academic year 2018/19, with A2 level and IB chemistry respectively. Both students have spoken positively about their experiences and have both enjoyed and learned lots from their tutoring sessions. I taught another student briefly for 2019/20 before the COVID lockdown.

In addition, I have plenty of experience of explaining and communicating science with a younger audience. I have been involved with our professional body - the Royal Society of Chemistry - for some time now, representing the department as a member of the West Midlands Local Section Committee and the Bristol and District Section Committee. I was involved in various outreach activities, conducting careers talks from Sixth Forms, running the “Spectroscopy in a Suitcase” visiting workshop to colleges and assisting in the organisation of the regional final for the Top of the Bench competition for secondary school pupils.

I was always the student that my peers came to for an explanation with organic chemistry during my degree, and I would be the first to offer help with the organic tutorials for the lower years in the common room!

Tutoring Approach

My approach is one of enthusiasm - I have followed chemistry as a career because I love what I do everyday (most of the time!) and I find science in general a fascinating subject, and would love to encourage more people into chemistry. I would try and pass on my enthusiasm, knowledge and hopefully improve a student's confidence -when I was at school I would never have believed I'd be where I am now, it's a confidence thing as much as anything.