Profile
Don Clark
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About Me:
I’m a retired Analytical Chemist and now have my own business giving guided walking tours in and around Canterbury. I like progressive rock music, walking and beer!
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My pronouns are:
He/Him
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My Work:
I’m a recently retired Analytical Chemist spending over 40 years in the Pharmaceutical Industry, specialising in vibrational spectroscopy and “Industrial CSI”.
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What I'd do with the prize money:
I’d put it into Community Lab, a project I started that allows students the opportunity to work in a lab and do practical chemistry that they are unable to do in their own lab due to safety, resource or financial constraints.
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Education:
Grammar school – I was at school as Comprehensive schools started.
University of Aston In Birmingham with a year in Industry. I worked at the Atomic Research Establishment at Harwell. I would encourage students today to do a degree with a year in industry or study through an apprenticeship.
Did a M.Sc. part-time whilst working in my first job (Upjohn Ltd – a pharmaceutical company.
In reality my real learning was when I started work, applying what I’d learnt at college to my day job, and learning new skills and techniques for the job I needed to do. That lead to publishing papers and delivering lectures at International Conferences.
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Qualifications:
8 O levels
1 OA Level
2 A levels
Degree in Chemistry
Masters in Analytical Chemistry
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Work History:
ARE – Harwell – work on colloids with focus on making the nuclear fuel rod coatings
Upjohn – QC analyst, then Analytical Development devising analytical methods for new products. Developed an aptitude for IR spectroscopy
Pfizer – Many jobs in Pharmaceutical product development including analytical support of organic chemists synthesising new molecules, Analytical Development, Material Science and then my final job in Manufacturing in Materials Characterisation Team supporting the Pfizer Portfolio when solid form issues arose. That was the best job I ever had. Throughout that time I developed in to a vibrational spectroscopy subject matter expert and did some thermal analysis too. Things I was proud of was having the first FTIR microscope in the UK pharmaceutical industry and introducing Raman mapping to understand the fine composition of pharmaceutical tablets. Also producing novel STEM outreach resources for students.
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Current Job:
I’m now retired, but still get approached to review scientific publications. I still run and develop STEM activities.
I have started by own business running historical beer walks in Canterbury and East Kent
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Employer:
TrAles of the Unexpected Ltd
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My Interview
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What did you want to be after you left school?
An Analytical Chemist
Were you ever in trouble at school?
Rarely - was too scared of authority.
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
After over 40yrs doing Analytical Chemistry I'm now running historical walking beer tours.
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Anything Progressive, but Yes were my first love.
What's your favourite food?
Slow cooked lamb
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
1. To get funding and resources for my STEM projects 2. To have a long healthy life with my wife and see new places 3. See Portsmouth Football Club promoted back to the Premiership./
Tell us a joke.
There are 10 sorts of people in the world: those that understand binary numbers and those that don't.
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