Schedule

Plenary Speakers

Dr Emma Smith, Nottingham Trent University

Dr Emma Smith received her Bachelor's degree (2003) and Ph.D. in Chemistry (2007) from Loughborough University. She joined the University of Leicester in 2006 as a post doctoral research associate to work on the EU funded project, IONMET which advanced the industrial application of Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs) for the electropolishing of metals and metal deposition, both electrolytically and via immersion (electroless) processes. She went on to be a teaching fellow and the Scientific Coordinator of another EU funded project developing a rechargeable battery for electric vehicles, utilising DESs and conducting polymers (PolyZion); before joining Nottingham Trent University in September, 2012 as a Senior Lecturer in Physical Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry and Forensics. Dr Smith’s research is focussed towards developing new sustainable syntheses or extraction methods that valorise waste products using DESs. In the health-care industry microbial adhesion and biofilm growth is a global issue causing life-threatening infections. Her groups work focusses on the development of antimicrobial coatings using DESs, they have developed a new sustainable synthesis method for silver metal nanoparticles using extracts from tea leaves. They are also investigating the extraction power of DESs to valorise waste from the medical industry and a further project using DESs to improve the solubility of APIs. There are thousands of possible DES formations, the problem is deciding which one will be suitable for your application, in addition to the applied research we are trying to understand how changing the components and ratios of DESs changes their physical properties.

Dr Andy Wain, NPL

Andy Wain received his Master’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Oxford in 2003 and was awarded his doctorate in 2006 for research on electrochemical electron spin resonance spectroscopy from the same institution. He then spent two years as a postdoctoral research associate at California State University Los Angeles, where he focused on novel electrochemical approaches to studying bio-molecule modified interfaces. In 2008 Andy moved to the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in the UK, where he now works as a Principal Scientist, leading the theme of Analytical Electrochemistry which focuses on development of electrochemical and combined spectroscopic techniques and their application to electroactive materials and interfaces. He holds chartered chemist (CChem) status and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC) and a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining (FIMMM). Andy has published over 70 peer-reviewed papers, 3 book chapters and one edited book volume.