Profile
Richard Collins
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About Me:
I am a chemistry lecturer based in Norwich at the University of East Anglia. I am originally from Wakefield in West Yorkshire. I went to university in Manchester then moved down South to Brighton, then further north to London, working at Imperial College London before moving to King’s College London, and recently moved to the University of Easy Anglia in Norwich.
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Started my 4-year integrated Masters course at University of Manchester in 2012. graduated in 2016. Started a PhD at University of Manchester in 2016 and completed it in summer 2021. PhD was completed at the University of Sussex in Brighton, but awarded through University of Manchester. I am a keen cyclist, and a keen reader (fiction and non-fiction) and I am a big fan of cooking and learning new recipes (probably why I like chemistry!).
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My pronouns are:
He/Him
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My Work:
I currently work on trying to use bismuth to replace expensive and toxic metals (like palladium, platinum, iridium) in reactions that are used in big industries.
I have made small molecules that have positive and negative charges to try to make the connection very weak. These can then be used to as a catalyst in reactions. Research Scientist at a University, working in a chemistry lab.
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I am a research scientist working in a chemistry laboratory. My PhD was focussed on harnessing the inherent magnetic properties of the lanthanide metals (bottom part of the periodic table, just above uranium and things). At the moment, the highest temperature these work as “functioning magnets” is -197 C. A “functioning magnet” ones that can be put into a magnetic field and then keep the directional preference forced by the field at high temperatures (>100 C). The work is trying to use carbon-based structures (chemistry called “organometallic”) to try to force the magnetic properties into a system that works as a magnet.
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My Typical Day:
I get up and listen to BBC Radio 6 while I have breakfast of toast, yogurt and honey, apple juice and a coffee (the same breakfast every day). I then cycle to work, about 45 minutes. Once arrived, I check all equipment to make sure nothing has failed and everything is safe. After that I continue working on experiments either on the lab bench or in the glovebox. In between experiments, I will read any scientific papers to make sure I am keeping up to date with other peoples research. Work ends between 5-7pm.
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What I'd do with the prize money:
Use it to speak to low-attainment schools in West Yorkshire because I went to a state comprehensive, which usually does not do well and I would like to show them that they can too.
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Education:
Rodillian High School
Wakefield College
University of Manchester
University of Sussex
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Qualifications:
GCSE 7As (Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, D.T. Resistant Materials, English Literature, History), Bs (ICT, Business, English Language), Cs (Spanish, Music)
AS Level History (C)
A Level Physics (A) Chemistry (B) Mathematics (B)
Degree 2:1 (Hons) MChem Chemistry
PhD Chemistry
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Work History:
Sales Assistant, Next Plc (2009-2012)
Event Coordinator, North West Wedding & Baby Fair (2013-2016)
GTA (Graduate Teaching Assistant) University of Manchester (2017-2019)
Doctoral Tutor, University of Sussex (2019-2021)
Post Doctoral Research Fellow, University of Sussex (2021)
Post Doctoral Research Assistant, Imperial College London (2021-2023)
Post Doctoral Research Assistant, King’s College London (2023-2024)
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Current Job:
Lecturer in Inorganic Chemistry
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Employer:
University of East Anglia
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Magnets, chemistry, reader
What did you want to be after you left school?
Scientist or engineer
Were you ever in trouble at school?
A couple of times. But my good behaviour the rest of the time showed my teachers it was a bad day.
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
Civil service
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Public Service Broadcasting
What's your favourite food?
Cheese on toast
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
To have enough money to research anything I wanted, to have a pet dog, to have a process named after me
Tell us a joke.
Why are there no good chemistry jokes? Because the good ones Argon
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