Profile
Thomas Swift
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About Me:
I live in South Leeds, but I grew up south of Birmingham. I’ve been running a research group in Polymer chemistry for 7 years now, working with brilliant people to solve big problems. I’ve always liked writing and talking – I used to run a radio show at University (heavy metal music for the masses) and write my own science fiction stories (I have a letter from the BBC from around 2002 saying they didn’t need a 12 year old to write any Dr Who stories). Now I write scientific papers and talk about them at conferences.
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My pronouns are:
Dr
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My Work:
I’m an associate professor in Polymer Chemistry – meaning I teach at a University and run a research group. My work focuses on Polymer Materials which means I am interested in plastics (and pollution!), medical implants (stickers for your skin and contact lenses), drug delivery (preventing infections) and materials (self cleaning paints).
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I also used to run an Apprenticeship scheme training scientists who went straight into the workplace avoiding college and university – but who still need training to do their jobs.
Running an apprenticeship programme means I’ve been working with students who chose to work instead of going to university, to provide on the job training in Chemistry thats as good as what they would have got if they went to University and studied full time. It’s difficult managing that kind of curriculum but also very rewarding.
In my lab I make functional plastics – i.e. smart polymers.
I also think recycling plastics is going to be really bad for the planet! We need new (better) plastics that aren’t bad for the environment. Don’t settle for what we have – make better materials that do less damage.
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My Typical Day:
I split my day between meetings to discuss and plan research projects and spending time in the laboratory. I only go to the laboratory 2 or 3 days a week – as I manage a small team who actually do the majority of the work – but when I do go in to spend time with them those are the best days.
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The most exciting part of this job is talking to people you like and breaking down problems or discussing new findings. The best projects are exciting not just because the science is interesting but because I have colleagues who find it just as exciting as I do. We all know different things and it takes a strong team to do the best research. So my typical day is spending time talking to loads of great people.
So – from 10 am to 4 pm – I can typically be found running from meeting to meeting, talking about excellent science or looking at data coming out of our laboratory. I go to companies and talk to them about what they want that they cannot do at the moment – whether its help training their scientists, help analysing some chemicals they don’t understand or suggest new materials they don’t have that they could try. At the end of the day I go into the lab and check how everyone in the team is doing and make sure they have a plan for what their going to do tomorrow.
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What I'd do with the prize money:
I’d build a campaign around ‘Chemistry Enables…’.
Because it does. Chemical science lies behind almost every industry in the world, if you can touch, smell, taste or feel it them a chemist worked on it somewhere in the product development!
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Education:
I went to Arden School, in Solihull, down south of Birmingham. I then went to Solihull Sixth Form College. My love for science started in school – although back then it wasn’t an ‘interest’ or a ‘hobby’ – just the one subject I was okay at whilst struggling at all the others.
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Qualifications:
I did 10 GCSEs including Maths, English, Double Science, IT, History and more. Science was the only one I got top marks in – the rest were okay (good probably) but not ‘great’.
I went to college and studied Chemistry, Physics, Maths and History. One year in I planned to drop Chemistry but when I failed my History exams plans changed. I studied hard at Chemistry and focused on that.
I studied as masters degree in Chemistry at York University.
After leaving University I worked for a year and a bit for Dulux Paints researching self cleaning paints.
Then I did a PhD in Polymer Chemistry at the University of Sheffield!
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Work History:
My first ‘proper job’ (as in a step beyond corner shop work, newspaper delivery rounds, or running the gift shop at Warwick Castle as a summer job – which was great, as amongst the postcards I actually got to sell a real full size broadsword to an American businessman) was working for the research department at Dulux Paints after getting my Batchelors degree in Chemistry.
I loved working for Dulux (the real company name – AkzoNobel, but you’ll know them from the paint brand) I spent a year and a half developing self cleaning paint, doing analytical testing and formulation work to look into new products we could sell. The worst part of that job was when out and about telling people my job ‘I watch paint dry for a living’ doesn’t get you very far.
I left to do a PhD because more senior people in Dulux had one, and I wanted to grow and be more competitive. I went to Sheffield to get my PhD and haven’t left academia since
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Current Job:
Assistant Professor of Polymer Chemistry
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Employer:
University of Bradford
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
making smarter materials
What did you want to be after you left school?
A writer. I loved books (fantasy and science fiction) and I wanted to be a writer. My career advisor told me it would be a difficult career and I needed a backup 'main' job in case it didn't take off.
Were you ever in trouble at school?
Yes - but mainly for speaking back when I should have shut my mouth. It took a long time to realise thing's aren't fair, but the way to resolve things is to be patient.
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
Either writing or consulting. The 'bit' of my job I love the most is going to meet new people, they tell me their (scientific) problem, I think about it, suggest a load of solutions, then saunter off into the sunset. I feel like a detective or a 'fixer' - someone you call on when you need help
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Nightwish. Synthetic heavy metal opera pop music. You have to be in the mood but it's one of the best ways to let off steam.
What's your favourite food?
alternatives between Fish and chips or Chicken Madras Curry.
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
1) For people to understand me. There's nothing I used to find more frustrating than being misunderstood. 2) Money. 3) Health.
Tell us a joke.
I know a really good one about Sherlock Holmes, Watson when they went out camping. But you need to give me 5 minutes to tell it....
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