Research
In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise the School of Chemistry was placed 8th in the UK ranking of all chemistry departments with a Grade Point Average of 2.9 and 70% of its work rated world leading or internationally excellent. Chemistry is a core science and we recognise and value the importance of fundamental chemical research. Such advances underpin the exciting and innovative developments which take place at the boundaries between disciplines, and the School collaborates widely with disciplines including the Biological Sciences, Chemical Engineering, Environment, Mathematics, Medicine and Physics.
The School has 38 research-active staff, including two Fellows of the Royal Society, and one Commander of the British Empire, supervising ~ 120 postgraduate and over ~ 40 postdoctoral workers. As well as PhD and MSc by Research degrees, we also offer taught MSc courses in Chemical Biology, Process Chemistry/Engineering and Nanotechnology. Click here for further information on postdoctoral positions available.
The total live grant portfolio in Chemistry is ~ £12M, with an annual research spend of ~ £5M. Research is conducted in newly refurbished laboratories (£17M spent since 2000) which are amongst the best-equipped for research in the UK . There are major refurbishments underway, including new laboratories to house Colour Science, the IPRD and the Wolfson CO2 Laboratory. Research facilities (many funded through JIF and SRIF initiatives) include a suite of four 500 MHz NMR machines, a state-of-the-art CCD-based X-ray diffractometer, femtosecond laser systems, a category 2 microbiological suite and an automated robotic synthesis and purification laboratory.
Research in the School is highly collaborative, and some of the major interdisciplinary centres with which we are closely involved are given below:
- Centre for Molecular Nanoscience
- Institute of Process Research and Development
- Biomedical and Health Research Centre
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology
- Institute for Climate and Atmospheric Science
- National Centre for Atmospheric Science