I have been asked to contribute to GlamBlog by writing about chemistry. In this first post, I'd like to take some time to introduce myself and go over what I'll be writing about in the coming months. I'm a PhD student at the University of Sussex, in my second year. I'm an astrochemist, which means I study and try to understand the chemical processes that happen in space. In particular in interstellar space (the bit between star systems) but others in my field look at planetary atmospheres and the the composition of bodies like comets and meteorites. Before I arrived in Sussex, I graduated from the University of Bath with a Master's degree and I've also studied at L'Univeristé de Bordeaux in France (studied/spent a year eating cheese).
An unashamed selfie (I promise the first and last) in my lab, somewhere I'll talk about more in future posts.
As a researcher I'm quite specialised and I'm very passionate about my field. So expect a few posts on astrochemistry! That said, it won't be all I'll write about. In the coming months I'll be sharing with you posts on a range of topics to do with chemistry and they'll be focused on a variety of themes.
Some will be reviews or reports on recent chemistry news. These will cover some cutting edge research and discuss the societal impacts the story. Smart wound dressings, green energy technologies and big pharma are just some examples.
I'll also be sharing "day in the life" style posts, where you'll be able to see what chemists from different areas do. These will look at people who do chemistry every day and others who, despite having a chemistry degree, never set foot inside a lab. The point of these posts will be to show the versatility of a chemist, and that science is as much about developing transferable skills as it is discovering new catalysts or drug candidates.
Chemistry is such an important part of everything we do, and many people don't realise it. Another theme will be everyday chemistry, or chemistry in context. I'll look at items we take for granted on a molecular level. How does detergent get stains out of our clothes? What actually goes into our cars? These are the kind of questions that a bit of chemistry knowledge can answer.
I hope this has been enough to draw you in. I'm new to blog writing so as we go on my posts will get better (fingers crossed!). If you're interested in hearing about my work, you can follow me on Twitter @StubbingScience and the work of GlamSci can be found @GlamSci. I look forward to writing in the new year, merry Christmas!
