Spring 2008

Teaching the chemists of the future Probing the properties of porphyrins Complex shapes from simple molecules What’s next for Cambridge ? As I see it...

facilities within the department. I would hope Bill Jones took over as head of department last year, and to be making an appointment here soon. That’s Sarah Houlton asks him how it’s going, what’s next for the a really positive step as we’re so dependent on IT and computing! department, and whether he still has time to do chemistry Sue Johnson’s retirement presents difficulties as she had been with us so long and was so important to us. She will be hard to replace, but Was the job of head of department tor) and the appointment of John Pyle to the I’m optimistic. Sue had a wide-ranging role what you were expecting? 1920 Chair of physical chemistry. These with responsibility for support staff, safety and Well, there’s a lot more paperwork and bureau - appointments have given us an additional security – a role that had evolved historically cracy than I’d anticipated! And the financial side impetus in terms of research in computational rather than necessarily logically. I’ve tried to is also quite complicated with regard to univer - chemistry and atmospheric science, recognis - redefine that role so that the new person can sity funding and how it impacts on the School ing our strengths in these two important areas. focus on working with support staff in terms of of Physical Sciences and the department. It’s And I’m hoping that we will soon be able to job development and progression and so on. important to make sure the department can do put the facilities together for the new Geoffrey As I see it, there are five important facets to the science that it wants to do, and that the Moorhouse Gibson professorship. We are also the smooth running of the Department and our tremendous work that’s going on receives the now, with the School of Clinical Medicine, look - ability to do good science – safety, finance, necessary support. We are a highly successful ing to appoint the Herchel Smith professor of teaching, buildings, and very importantly the department with very strong research groups medicinal chemistry. This is particularly exciting people. Howard Jones looks after the finance doing extremely well in terms of grant income as it will reinforce our already strong links with side and academic affairs, along with Christine and attracting good PhD students, postdocs and the Clinical School. Wilson; Andy the building; Mags Glendenning academic visitors. But the downside of this suc - safety (now with the assistance of a safety tech - cess is that there’s always the issue of space, and What about on the admin side? nician); James Keeler on the teaching side; and, being able to provide the facilities needed for We’ve been making some important changes to hopefully, we will soon have the new support the existing and future science. the way the department is administered. It’s staff person to replace Sue. It’s great to see the Melville lab getting an great that Andy Middleton is now formally the extension to develop polymer chemistry, and it’s buildings manager, and the university has just What else have you learnt in your good that we’ve been able to provide our new approved a senior computer officer post with new role? appointments (Matt Gaunt, David Spring, Stuart overall responsibility for computing and IT It’s been great to become more aware of the var - McKenzie, Oren Scherman) with good facilities ied science that’s going on in the department. and opportunities. It is also good that areas of the It’s all too easy to focus on your own area of

department t hat have not been refurbished for s research and not really know what everyone else many year are brought up to the modern stan - e is doing. Finding out about what goes on here n

dards required of today’s science, such as the sur - o has been rewarding because we’re a good face science labs where Stephen Jenkins and Dave J department and, by and large, people are toler -

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King have their groups has been recently l ant of the fact that there aren’t always instant i

upgraded, and the labs for David Spring. B solutions to problems. Very often taking the time to make a decision rather than rushing it means What’s the next phase of development you can come to a better solution. I think most going to be? V people understand that, and realise that instant We are working very hard to get the necessary C gratification isn’t always the best way! resources to develop the old radiochemistry labs in the south basement. There’s a lot of space So do you still have time to do chemistry? down there we could use, but it can’t be used at My work in the Pfizer Institute for Pharma- the moment because of radiochemical and ceutical is still going well. We asbestos contamination. The university is trying continue to look at ways of developing new to help us on that, and things are promising. It methods to produce drug products, and the key will be a major job, but the result will be a space driver here is to decrease the time it takes that we’ll be proud of, and where people will be between identifying a good drug molecule and happy to work. It takes a lot of effort as it involves getting it into the marketplace to the benefit not so many different people – the university has a Born: Mold in North . ‘It’s Yr Wyddgrug only of the pharmaceutical industry but also the big financial input, Estates Management because in Welsh, and that sounds a lot better!’ patients who need the drugs. I think Pfizer of the need for building works and contractors, Status : Daughter, Sarah, who after a appreciate the quality of the work that’s come and of course there’s the safety aspect, particu - psychology degree at UCL, has started as a out of the institute, and the work that we’ve larly because of our asbestos legacy. graduate management consultant trainee in done. The strong links between my group and I think it’s important we continue to main - London with Capgemini Consulting and a both the Cambridge Crystallographic Data tain and develop the building as there is lot of son, Matthew, studying Music Technology Centre and the department of materials science good science going on and more we want to at De Montfort, a course that Bill find really are also very important. In just over four years, do. There is a steady stream of people coming to interesting and makes him envious! we have produced 100+ first-rate publications. me saying they need more space as they’ve been Education: First degree at Aberystwyth, I’m also still teaching – this year I’ve given given another major grant. It’s a problem – but followed by a PhD there with John Meurig lecture courses at Part II and Part III level, and a good problem as it’s a sign of a healthy and Thomas and John O. Williams I’m still supervising my own courses as well as thriving department. Career: After a year at the Weizmann basic first year physical chemistry. It’s great at Institute in Israel, Bill returned to Aberys- the end of a busy day talking about finance and How’s academic recruitment going? twyth, where he was on the academic staff buildings and so on to sit down with enthusi - We have made important appointments of for two years. He then moved to Cambridge astic young undergraduates and talk about young staff. More recently it’s been interesting with John Meurig Thomas in 1978 chemistry! I hope I will be able to continue to be part of the recruitment of Daan Frenkel as Interests: Reading, music, Goss china, and doing that as it reminds me what the depart - head of theoretical, (replacing Jean-Pierre who Dewi – the family black Labrador. ment is actually about – doing great science, contributed so much to the health of the sec - and developing the chemists of the future.

2 Chem@Cam Spring 2008 Reluctant reactions Letters

Less familiar well, both being members of Emmanuel College, and I’ve been referring to an Dear Editor obit by Brian in the college magazine to Thank you for another interesting issue. check my dates. In my first year, 1952, I was particularly glad to find among when he was a graduate student, Brian the 1950s faces a number of familiar was my supervisor in organic chemistry! faces from my generation. Now back to the puzzle section. I’m Sandy Ashmore would be one whom still fretting over dubnium. They you describe as ‘rather less familiar’, a shouldn’t go changing the names of fair comment since he left Cambridge the elements! in 1963, but generations of Emmanuel All good wishes, Christopher Willis men will remember him with affection 107 Runnymede Crescent, London, and gratitude, and I am one of your Ontario N6G 1Z7, Canada readers with fairly clear recollections of the Cambridge of 50 or 55 years ago! Intensive study For myself, as for many other nervous schoolboys, he was the first contact Dear Editor with Cambridge, interviewing me Re Portraits of the 1950s: Dr Ashmore when I came up to write the scholar - was very helpful to me at Emmanuel in ship exams, and subsequently being my a challenging task. Going up in 1957, I tutor during my undergraduate years had undertaken, under the ICI Bursary (1952-55). scheme (about which I wrote to Sandy (as he was universally known) Chem@Cam some years ago), with only had come up to Emma in 1934 and after O-level maths, a year’s intensive course completing his BA he began research on in maths, physics and chemistry, gas kinetics with Norrish (also an Emma admin istered by the university. This was man). His research was interrupted by to qualify for the natural sciences tripos service in the RAF, but he returned after in 1958, instead of the modern lan - the war to complete his PhD. guages tripos for which I had originally He was elected a of his college gained admission. in 1949 and, in 1953, was appointed I completed Part I in two years and lecturer in physical chemistry, where graduated in 1960, then Part II chem - he continued research on gas kinetics istry in 1961 with the help of his suc - and . cessor as director of studies in chem - In 1959, Sandy moved from istry at Emmanuel, Brian Thrush. Emmanuel to newly founded Churchill During this time, I attended lectures College as tutor to advanced students, from Sir Alexander Todd (later, after then in 1963 he left Cambridge to being ennobled, sometimes called Lord become professor of physical chemistry Todd Almighty), Professor Longuet- at the Institute Higgins and Professor Norrish. of Science and Technology, serving Subsequently, I joined Shell and came some time as head of department. On across Morris Sugden. Many familiar his retirement in 1981, he returned to names in your articles! live in Cambridge, where he died in Yours sincerely, Basil South 2002. Unfortunately, he was a victim of (Emmanuel 1957) Alzheimer’s disease in his last years. 9/69-74 North Steyne, Manly, NSW Brian Thrush will have known him 2095, Australia

Cover This newsletter is published three times a year by the Chemistry Department. Opinions are not necessarily those of the editor, the department, or the university. Editor-in-Chief: Steve Ley Editor: Sarah Houlton Photographers: John Holman, Nathan Pitt, Caroline Hancox Contents Editorial Board: News 4 Brian Crysell, Bill Jones, Jonathan Goodman, Research 7 Rosemary Ley, Jeremy Sanders Jo Hayward, who works for Address: Alumni 12 Dominic Wright, using the new Chem@Cam , Department of Chemistry, glovebox in the third floor lab. University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road Chat lines 16 Luckily for us, it’s see-through! Cambridge CB2 1EW Phone: 01223 763865 Puzzle corner 18 Photograph: email: [email protected] Nathan Pitt and Caroline Hancox website: www.ch.cam.ac.uk

Chem@Cam Spring 2008 3 News Symposium wows the crowds Solid state collaboration Back at the end of November, the Melinda Duer is part of an EPSRC-funded consortium to department hosted a pilot postgraduate install a national 850MHz solid state NMR facility at Warwick. symposium for the Royal Society of The collaboration also involves scientists from Warwick, Chemistry’s biological and medicinal Nottingham, St Andrews and Glasgow, and while the lion’s chemistry sector. Nine students gave share of the money for the £4.2 million project comes talks on their work, along with three from EPSRC, money is also being put in by BBSRC and guest speakers from industry. There Warwick University. were also 25 poster presentations. ‘It will make a huge difference to my science,’ says Melinda. The event was entirely sponsored by ‘For example, I will be able to observe 43 Ca in bone and syn - industry, and more than 150 students thetic bone materials – it’s just not possible to look at this dif - from a variety of universities and research ficult quadrupolar nucleus at lower fields. It will give us much institutes attended. Industrial talks were more detailed information on the nature and structure of the given by Trevor Perrior of Domainex, mineral in bone and, in particular, diseased bone such as Andy Barker from AstraZeneca, and in osteoporosis.’ GlaxoSmithKline’s Trevor Grinter. GSK’s Trevor Grinter She adds that the prospect of being able to do natural abun - The committee chose which students dance 17 O spectra is also very exciting. ‘This means we should were to give talks, and two of the nine Wascholowski, who works for Steve Ley. be able to study hydrogen bonding in biological and other were from Cambridge – Nicola Gardner The £250 prize for the best oral presen - systems directly, so we can really start to look at what holds from Ian Paterson’s group, and Veit tation went to Mandy Bolt of the some of these systems together.’ . ‘We felt that while traditional organic chemistry students were well catered for If you missed last year’s Science with events like this, there were far fewer Week lecture by opportunities for those working in , chemical biology and medicinal chem - don’t worry! A istry,’ explains Dave Alker, a consultant in DVD is now chemistry recruitment who was heavily available. Contact involved in the event’s organisation, Sheila Bateman on along with our own Rebecca Myers and reception, email t t i [email protected] P

Gordon Saxty of Astex. ‘We were over - n for more details a whelmed by support for the event, and h t a more than twice as many students came N

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o than we had anticipated!’ t o h The event was such a success that it’s P being repeated this year, and will again Trevor Perrior of Domainex be held here in Cambridge. Stop press: another Open Day triumph Double success at Pfizer poster bash This year’s open day, held on 15 March, was another resound - Winners Gemma ing success, with conservative estimates putting the number and Rob, flanked by head judges of visitors at 2500. Tony Barrett from From Pete Wother’s lecture, ‘Free range chemistry’ (pictured Imperial College below), the CAS/BAS climate change and the RSC fuelling the (left) and Pfizer’s future activities, to the slime pond, the plated coins and the Mark Bunnage crystal growing, there was something stimulating on offer to all of them, young and old. Thanks to everyone in the department who helped out – and look out for a full report on the day and loads more pic - tures in the next issue of Chem@Cam ! And pencil in next year’s provisional date – 14 March.

Two Cambridge chemists were joint as the winners. Gemma’s poster featured winners of the annual Pfizer poster her work finishing the synthesis of insect competition, held last December. Open antifeedant azadirachtin, and Rob’s to all final year chemistry PhDs, appli - focused on his work developing a novel cants submit and abstract of their work asymmetric transformation and its use in and the best 30 are picked to present a complex molecule synthesis. t t i

poster at a day-long symposium in To complete a fine day for Cambridge P

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Canterbury. chemistry, two further students from a h t

After a day being grilled by both aca - the department were among the four a N

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demics and Pfizer chemists, Gemma runners up – Alison Findlay from Ian o t o

Veitch of Steve Ley’s group and Rob Pace, Paterson’s group, and another Gaunt h who works for Matt Gaunt, were chosen student, Donna Wilton. P

4 Chem@Cam Spring 2008 www.ch.cam.ac.uk In loving memory of Alex University challenged… Every year, teams of students battle it out to beat their fellow universities and col - leges at TV quizzery on the long-running BBC show University Challenge. Many of the teams are Cambridge and Oxford col - leges, but it’s not often that Cambridge chemists get a look in. But this year was different, as the Trinity Hall team con - tained two, both of them undergraduates – Part II student Dennis Waller and Part III t t i student Joe Moëd. before the match to say a quick “Hi P n

a Joe explains that there was a quiz in chaps, good to see you again,” and com - h t a college last year to get on the team, with miserations or well done afterwards. But N

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o the top four being picked. ‘In fact, there in July we were the last match of the t o h were only seven applicants, and one of day, so when we went back to the wait - P the original team had to pull out, so ing room to get our stuff, we got to have John Emsley and On 7 March, John Emsley delivered the they only had to beat a total of two a quick chat. He was actually quite gen - John Hopkins inaugural Alex Hopkins lecture to an other people to make it!’ Joe says. tle, though I was a bit awed by him as enjoy a drink after enthusiastic audience of department Despite that, they did really well once he’s intimidatingly tall!’ the lecture members and visiting sixth-formers. they made it on screen. Joe says he really enjoyed the experi - Alex Hopkins was a much-loved col - The first round was filmed in ence, and never expected to do at all well. lege teaching officer in inorganic chem - Manchester last June. ‘We beat St Cross, ‘I think the best moment (sad but true!) istry who died in 2006 at the age of Oxford, whom no-one had heard of, by was getting an email from Frank only 31. 255 points to 110,’ Joe explains. ‘The Duckworth, co-creator of the Duckworth- John Hopkins, his father, has founded second round was filmed soon after - Lewis method in cricket, congratulating this series of lectures to celebrate Alex’s wards in July, and we had another com - me on my speedy interruption! And we life, stipulating that the lecture should fortable victory, beating Worcester, managed not to make too much of a fool address the role of chemistry in society Oxford by 220 to 50.’ of ourselves, though not listening prop - and should also reflect his son’s sense There was then a huge wait for the erly to my teammates – or the question – of humour. quarter finals, which were filmed in and answering “1885” to a question John Emsley’s lecture, entitled ‘Better December. ‘We narrowly lost to about housing law under Thatcher, wasn’t Looking, Better Living, Better Loving: Manchester by 195 points to 150,’ he my most brilliant moment…’ what’s chemistry got to do with it?’ fit - says. ‘We were level early on, then they got What makes their achievement all the ted the brief perfectly, in addition to four or five questions in a row right and more impressive is that they were all acting as a good plug for his book of the took a 100 point lead. We managed to undergraduates. ‘I think we acquitted same name. claw much of it back, but it wasn’t to be.’ ourselves quite well in the end, going Jeremy Sanders would be very The show’s questionmaster is the out in a tight match to the largest uni - pleased to receive suggestions for the famously fierce interviewer Jeremy versity in the country, especially when 2009 lecture, which will be held during Paxman. ‘We didn’t get to talk to him they were all PhDs and three of their the Cambridge Science Festival. much,’ Joe says. ‘He’d come over just team were over 30!’ A German special guest at JMT’s 75th Sir John Meurig Thomas celebrated his paper with her husband, Joachim Sauer, 75th birthday in December with a sym - another chemist who was one of the posium in his honour. And among the speakers at the symposium. eminent chemists in attendance was Other luminaries who spoke at the Right: John and someone who’s now better known for event, which was held at Fitzwilliam Chancellor Merkel; things other than her chemistry – College, included the university’s vice- below, the two- German chancellor . chancellor Alison Richard, president of day scientific The two first met when John was the Royal Society Lord Rees, and the symposium director of the in opening lecture was given by Nobel attracted a host London, and he even published a joint laureate . of chemists t t i P

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Chem@Cam Spring 2008 5 News Corporate connections

The winter Corporate Associates meet - ing in early December attracted a good number of our industrial partners. Three members of staff gave talks on their work. Oren Scherman spoke about dynamic functional materials and new t t ways to assemble block copolymers. i P

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Matthew Gaunt’s talk was about new a h t

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sis. And Stuart Warren gave (probably) o t o

his last lecture in Cambridge ahead of h his retirement at the end of the year, P with a talk entitles ‘Synthesis of hetero - This year’s Linnett Professor is Susan Solomon cycles by rearrangement’. of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. She gave two lectures, on climate change and ozone depletion

Clockwise from A publication frenzy left: Matt Gaunt, Stuart Warren and The end of February was a great week Oren Scherman for Cambridge Chemistry in the journal in speaking action Angewandte Chemie – unusually, five papers from our academic groups were published together. Two were from Ian Paterson and fea - tured the synthesis of spirastrellolide A methyl ester; one was by David Spring, on the discovery of an anti-MRSA agent t t i

P using diversity ortiented synthesis, and n a two more were from Jeremy Sanders, h t a one on an unexpected receptor for C ,

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h G-quadruplex targets using dynamic P combinatorial chemistry. The Corporate Associates Scheme Accelrys Thanks to the generosity of the depart - networking events at the department; Heptares ment’s Corporate Associates, we have I Access to emerging Cambridge Amura Therapeuticals been able to benefit the education and research via conferences, special brief - Illumina Arecor environment for students and staff. For ings and various publications; Johnson Matthey Catalysts example, the Associates pay for univer - I Access to the department library Astex Therapeutics sity-wide access to SciFinder Scholar and photocopying/printing facilities; Kodak European Research and ChemOffice. They also make signifi - I Regular communications about Lectus Therapeutics Astra Zeneca cant contributions to the library for upcoming events and colloquia; Asynt journal subscriptions. Moreover, they I Subscriptions to Department publi - Merck Sharp & Dohme provide exam prizes, faculty teaching cations, including Chem@Cam; Novartis Biotica Technology awards and summer studentships, and I Priority notification of and free Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma have recently funded the refurbishment access to departmental research lectures; Pfizer of a state-of-the-art meeting room with I Ability to hold ‘Welcome Stalls’ in Proctor & Gamble BP teleconferencing and display facilities. the department entrance hall; Corporate Associate membership not I Preferential conference rates; Roche BP Institute I only provides essential support for the Free access to the teaching lectures Shell Global Solutions Bristol-Myers Squibb department, but also provides numer - held within the department; ous benefits to help members work with I The full services of the Corporate Sigma-Aldrich Cambridge BioTechnology us and achieve their business objectives. Relations team to facilitate interaction Members enjoy many benefits through with students, staff, and other parts of Society of Cambridge Medical Innovations their enhanced partnership with the the University of Cambridge to help Chemical Industry CambridgeSoft department, such as: achieve your corporate objectives. Sumitomo Chemicals I Visibility within the department; If your organisation would be inter - Chemical Computing Group I A dedicated meeting room and ested in joining the Corporate Associates Syngenta Chirotech Technology, Dowpharma office for members to use while visiting Scheme, then please email Jane Snaith at Unilever the department; [email protected], or call GlaxoSmithKline I Invitations to recognition days and 01223 336537. Uniqsis

6 Chem@Cam Spring 2008 Research

alight before, but never deliberately! They had a real stuntman there to help, and I had to wear cold gel layers under - The Big Experiment neath the clothing because it gets very hot. Then there was a fireproof suit, and Science is all too often perceived as dif - gramme had deliberately picked a very a couple of pairs of overalls, and then ficult by schoolkids, with those who challenging bunch of kids. ‘Some were they started filming. Laura set light to aren’t inclined to concentrate in class quite keen and enthusiastic, but as a me, the flames reached the ceiling, and switching off and paying no interest. whole the group was hard work,’ he it was terrifying! You’re not allowed to But what would happen if they were says. ‘There were a few of them whose do more than 15 seconds as it gets too given lessons that were deliberately attitude could easily bring down the dangerous after that, and you have to designed to show that it’s actually a lot whole class. That’s the sad thing about keep moving as otherwise you’d cook. of fun? Could they be enthused by sci - it – while they may not have many Right at the end I managed to flick my ence – and by learning in general? That opportunities, when they do get one arm and set light to my eyebrows, but was the premise for the TV show The they don’t take it. We’d set up a really fortunately there are no permanent Big Experiment that was recently shown fantastic experiment and they were scars, even if my eyebrows are a little on the Discovery Channel. And several more interested in going home to play thinner now!’ Cambridge chemists played a pivotal on their X-box.’ Other highlights on the experimental role in the programme. front included calculating how many Filmed at the Royal Docks Community FANTASTIC CHALLENGE helium balloons are needed to keep School in Newham, east London, over six He adds that getting such a difficult their classmates in the air – which was weeks in the summer term of last year, the group of kids interested in science was a tested out from a 50m platform in aim was to try and get a group of 19 real challenge. Chris agrees. ‘It seemed Alexandra Palace – and a large number largely disaffected kids through a GCSE like a good idea and a lot of fun – until of explosions. In another impressive science exam a full 18 months early. Three we met the kids on the first day of film - one, the wall of a theatre was covered in scientists – our own teaching fellow Peter ing!’ he says. ‘We gave them a test at the light-sensitive paper and the kids posed Wothers and teaching technician Chris beginning, and they had no clue about in front of it, magnesium powder flares Brackstone, plus Liverpool physicist Laura anything. There was one lad who had were set off, and the flash left their sil - Grant – were parachuted into the school never done any homework – or any work houettes behind on the paper. Peter says to show that science can be fun. for that matter – but he was a nice, intel - that even the grumpiest of the kids failed ‘The programme producers con - ligent young chap. Getting kids like him to hide the fact that they were impressed tacted me through the Royal Institution through a GCSE was pretty amazing.’ at that one. Setting off all the fire alarms because of the lectures I’ve done there,’ In the first episode, Chris was wired with the smoke helped there! Peter explained. ‘They also wanted a up and given small electric shocks by technician, and I thought Chris would the kids, and when the producers CAN’T BE BOVVERED be ideal, and they agreed. A third realised he was game for it they took At first, the kids really didn’t respond to Cambridge chemist was also involved – full advantage. ‘The electrocution was the experiments, but by the fourth teaching technician Mark Hudson, who really painful!’ he says. ‘It was all down - week they really started to get through does a lot of the hard work for the hill from there. They got Peter and me to them – the fact that the most disrup - Science Week demonstration lectures to go into a freezer at –120°C for three tive girl was thrown off the project had here, also came with us to help set up minutes, and I also had a go in a stunt Peter Wothers, a lot to do with this. Peter adds that it’s the experiments, but he didn’t want to plane to experience zero gravity, which Laura Grant and a real shame that too many of the kids appear on camera. But he was crucial was amazing as I’d never flown before.’ Chris Brackstone, had a ‘can’t be bovvered’ attitude, and it behind the scenes.’ But the highlight for him was defi - ready to face the would have been a very different expe - Peter says the producers of the pro - nitely being set on fire. ‘I’ve set myself east London kids rience if they’d been working with a group who all actually wanted to learn. The kids sat their science GCSE exam last November, and – miraculously – all of them were awarded a pass. ‘They were entered into the foundation level exam so the maximum grade they could achieve was a C,’ Peter explains. ‘One got all Cs, which was really good, and the rest all passed with grades down to a G.’ The final fling for the show was a cer - emony where TV presenter Myleene Klass (‘I’d no idea who she was!’ Peter claims) handed out the certificates. But he believes that the biggest achievement wasn’t simply that they all passed, but that they really weren’t expecting to and it will have given them confidence that they could do well when they take all their GCSEs next summer. ‘I think that will make a big difference in their futures,’ he says. ‘Usually, they would realise it was too late to start working when they got to their exams. Now, having seen what is possible by taking this one early, I hope they will put in a bit of effort to take them seriously when they come around for real.’

Chem@Cam Spring 2008 7 Research Teaching the chemists of t o

bers of first year students, it raises big Undergraduate teaching is an essential part of the department’s issues for teaching. ‘The audience is work, and there have been big changes in how it’s done in the past extremely heterogeneous,’ James explains. ‘There are some people who decade – many of them driven by director of teaching James Keeler are very physics and mathematically minded and don’t really like qualitative subjects, whereas there are those whose focus is more at the life sciences end of the spectrum and who will run a mile if they’re faced with a string of equations. Trying to teach in a way that keeps all of them interested and engaged is some - thing of a challenge!’ It does mean that while recruitment of students into the first year isn’t a problem, keeping them interested in chemistry is something that has to be tackled. ‘The natural sciences course is a classic Thatcherite-style internal market – our major recruitment drive is inter - nally during the first couple of years of the course, so it’s essential that our teaching really engages the students,’ James says. Because the students aren’t studying chemistry full time for the first two years, there is a careful balance to be made between teaching the basics and more advanced topics. It’s really important to get the basics right, or there is the danger that too t t i many will become disengaged and pick P n

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s achieved between keeping the good o t o students who already think they want to h P study chemistry interested, and the James Keeler has been the department’s and we are lucky not to have a recruit - work not being too difficult for those director of teaching for almost 10 years ment problem for new students.’ who are less confident. ‘It’s a very diffi - now, and during that time he has over - However, where the department faces cult thing to get right. It’s easy to teach seen some dramatic changes in the way competition is in ensuring students to the top 1%, but if we only did that students are taught, and the external want to carry on studying chemistry we’d end up with very small numbers background that drives what they study. once they are here. ‘Because of the way by the third year,’ he claims. This is one There are also many more external the natural sciences course is arranged, area where the Cambridge system helps pressures these days than there were about 500 of the 650 first years choose – the good ones can be stretched within even a decade ago. chemistry as one of their three options,’ their supervisions, rather than in the ‘The environment has changed a lot he says. ‘As well as the ones who arrive lectures where there are 500 students in terms of the amount of external thinking that chemistry is the subject with many different backgrounds and scrutiny there is of our teaching, and for them, many of those who want to interests in the class. people are a lot more interested in what be physicists will do chemistry, as will Typically, in the second year about we are doing,’ he says. ‘Fortunately, thus those with an eye on biology.’ 150 choose chemistry as one of their far Cambridge has always come out well While this means that the department two courses, and in the third year, in terms of student experience ratings, is pretty much guaranteed large num - where they focus on just one subject,

Born: Aylsham, north of Norwich in deepest with a ‘New Blood’ lectureship, and ironically Did you know? At school, James was a keen

r Norfolk, where he grew up on a small family Ray Freeman moved to Cambridge shortly radio ham, and with a couple of friends built a e l farm. ‘I’m the second son, so I didn’t get the afterwards. James been here ever since as, parabolic dish aerial on his father’s farm. ‘It e

e farm, for which I’m deeply grateful!’ now as a senior lecturer, and has been was 40 feet across, and was quite a local

K director of teaching since 1999.

landmark,’ he recalls. ‘We used it to bounce Education: He went to the local grammar s Interests: His two great loves outside his signals off the moon, where the round-trip e school, and from there to Oxford to study work are arthouse cinema, particularly foreign delay is two seconds, so you could hear your m chemistry. He stayed for a DPhil with Ray

a films, and distance running. ‘I run a long way, own voice having been to the moon and back. Freeman on new techniques in NMR, J but slowly! I’ve done three marathons in the At first, we used to keep all the transmitters including the delightfully named WALTZ-16 past, but I’ve decided now that it’s too and receivers in my father’s car trailer under - method of broadband decoupling. painful, so I tend to stick to running along the neath the dish, so when he wanted to take V Career: James moved to Cambridge in 1984 tow path by the river for an hour and a half.’ C the pigs to market, we had to dismantle it.’

8 Chem@Cam Spring 2008 www.ch.cam.ac.uk

A lot of James’ time in the past couple of years morrow has been taken up by a new textbook project. The latest book he and Peter Wothers have written, ‘Chemical structure and reactivity – an chemistry will retain about 100. About integrated approach’, is due to be published in three-quarters of these tend to stay on June, much to their relief. for a fourth year. ‘The big drop-off in ‘It’s designed to accompany the first year of a numbers is in the first two years, where chemistry degree course,’ he says. ‘But it’s very they scatter to other subjects,’ he says. different from any previous first-year textbook – ‘The hope is that they go into those the idea was that we would weave organic, subjects having had a decent grounding inorganic and physical chemistry together with, in chemistry.’ for example, bonding discussed in one section Another issue is the wildly varying rather than different ones depending on which differences in maths skills between the aspect of it was being covered.’ new students. ‘A significant number of This is a fresh approach for teaching chemistry. the first year class have only done AS- James says that teaching tends to keep the level maths, and some of them haven’t different topics in their own boxes, and they are even done that, and so their mathemati - trying to break the mould. cal abilities are quite limited,’ he says. ‘All the organic chemistry focuses on the ‘But, of course, some of them will have orbital perspective rather than being merely done double maths A-level, and we have empirical, and thermodynamics and kinetics to address this whole audience. are both back-connected to organic and However, there is another problem – inorganic chemistry.’ schools tend to teach maths and science as completely isolated subjects, and even to like!’ This year, he’s also started students will start to arrive whose A- in A-level physics the amount of maths another new course, teaching third-year levels will have been under the new they now use is very limited. So, if any - students the physical basis of NMR. ‘It’s specifications (‘They don’t call it a syl - thing, a bigger issue is the fact that they much more close to my research inter - labus any more!’ James says) that have have no idea how to apply the maths ests, and – very conveniently! – is based been introduced recently. ‘One of the that they do know. Making a mathemat - on the textbook I published on the sub - things we’re going to start doing over ical description of a chemical or physi - ject in 2005. It’s been a while since we the next year is take another good look cal problem is not necessarily obvious to had a course that addressed the techni - at the course, as we’ll have to ensure it them, and we have to go very slowly cal side of NMR, rather than how it matches their prior experience of until they get used to the idea.’ works in practice. But there isn’t too chemistry,’ he says. ‘It will be essential much maths in it!’ to check that we’re not expecting too TEACHING THE BASICS The post of director of teaching has much of them, or assuming they know James does most of his own teaching to its roots in the first round of govern - things that they don’t. That is exactly the the first- and second-year students. ‘I ment teaching quality assessments back sort of thing that puts even the best stu - like teaching the basics, and it’s impor - in 1993. At that point, James was chair - dents off. If they think we don’t under - tant that this is done well,’ he says. ‘I ing the teaching committee, and the stand and appreciate what they know it teach thermodynamics to the first year – assessment process made him realise makes for a very bad relationship with while it’s very important, it’s probably that he really wanted to devote more the students. What they arrive here the least popular subject – and in the of his time to departmental teaching. knowing has changed a lot over the past second year I teach statistical thermody - His current role grew out of that, and few years. We don’t control the second - namics, another subject people tend not the realisation that it would be a good ary education system so we have to thing to charge someone with overall meet the kids where they are when they responsibility for the teaching side. It arrive here as first years, and that means is a model which has been adopted by we’re constantly having to update our a number of other science departments own courses to match them.’ in Cambridge. ‘We realised we needed people who A NEW CHALLENGE were dedicated to teaching, initially James himself is about to face a new looking at the practical courses, and this challenge, too – in September 2008 he’s made us realise that there was a lot to be becoming senior tutor at his college, said for having staff members whose Selwyn. ‘I’m going to switch to half primary focus was teaching – and who time in the department, and as senior were good at it,’ James explains. ‘So we tutor I’ll also be in charge of the aca - employed Peter Wothers and Bill Nolan demic and pastoral side of the college, with this in mind, and more recently across all subjects,’ he says. ‘There used Deborah Longbottom and Sally Boss to be a time when people would take on have been appointed to formal joint this role in addition to their existing college and department teaching posi - activities, but with the increased tions, spending half their time in each. scrutiny from outside it’s become a As all of these people have strong col - much bigger job and it’s not possible lege connections they help to keep the any more. Because I’m not also running vital links between the department and a large research group, and with the lat - the colleges alive and strong – some - est textbook finished, I’m confident that thing we must not at any costs loose’ I will have enough time to carry out The next challenge teaching within both roles effectively. We shall see how the department will face is that in 2009 it works out!’

Chem@Cam Spring 2008 9 Research Probing porphyrin properties

contain phosphine ligands coordinated to the metal ion. ‘We’re making por - phyrin systems that have phosphine “arms” attached to them, so that each porphyrin will bond to more than one metal,’ he says. ‘This would bring the metals much closer together, so perhaps one metal might tether the organic starting material, while another might selectively deliver a reagent. At the moment they’re making model systems, but they have managed to attach phosphine arms in the right place. They’re approaching the task in a very systematic way – adding first one phosphine, then two, then four, to see how many metal ions can be coordi - nated around the same porphyrin and then whether it has any catalytic activity. t t i BIG ASSEMBLIES P n

a With all of these assemblies, the big h t a problem is purification. ‘You are taking N

:

o a single building block and adding it to t o h itself to make a big assembly, which P means they are tricky to separate from the starting materials as they have very What’s going on when porphyrins are protonated, Nick Bampos: similar chromatographic properties,’ applying NMR Nick explains. ‘So you have to create and could this complex aromatic structure be used as tricks to study clever tricks to isolate what you want a core for catalysts? Nick Bampos is trying to find out dynamic properties from what you don’t want, and then to get it sufficiently pure to study. Symmetry is another big problem – by NMR, a monomer, a dimer and a Several common molecules with could be used as molecular wires; these tetramer would look pretty much the important biological functions, such as could perhaps be ‘plugged in’ to pro - same. The fantastic mass spec facilities haemoglobin and chlorophyll, contain teins to see if the proteins could be we have in the department are really porphyrin analogues. These large aro - made to communicate with each other helpful here!’ matic structures have been the subject photoelectronically. of a lot of chemistry effort over the One problem with supramolecular

s Born: Sydney, Australia

years, and these days they are popular chemistry is that complex mixtures of o

subunits for creating macrocyclic struc - products are often formed, which can p Status: His partner is Jon Burton, who recently moved from Cambridge to Oxford’s chemistry department tures, but there is a lack of basic under - make characterising them something of m standing of some of their properties. a challenge. ‘Organic chemists have been a Education: Studied chemistry at the University of B This is one area of chemistry which attaching reagents to polystyrene beads Sydney, and stayed on for a PhD with Les Field k

Nick Bampos is addressing. for years to make separations easier,’ c investigating C-H bond activation with iron and ‘The core of the porphyrin macro- Nick says. ‘We thought it might be possi - i ruthenium phosphine complexes N cycle can be protonated, but the mech - ble to build a supramolecular assembly Career: He came to Cambridge in 1993 for a one- anism for this protonation and how it around a bead, making it much easier to year postdoc with Jeremy Sanders. ‘It has turned out distorts the system is not well under - filter everything else off leaving just the V to be a very long year!’ he says. He’s now an ADR in stood,’ he says. ‘People have been work - assembly and the bead behind.’ C the department, and also spends a lot of time in his ing on porphyrins for the better part of college, Trinity Hall, where he’s Senior Tutor and a century, yet much of the fundamental SOLID SUPPORT director of studies for natural sciences. Last year he background to their behaviour is poorly By applying simple NMR tricks, they can was elected to the University Council so spends a understood. The best work in this area make the solid support disappear from fair bit of time serving a number of University bodies. was done 30 or 40 years ago, and now the spectrum, making it possible to we’re using the advances that have been characterise the assembly’s dynamic Interests: He loves cinema, and is a regular visitor to made since then in NMR and mass spec properties as well its structure. This the arts cinema in Cambridge. He also likes reading, to understand the protonation process works because the bead itself does not good television and radio, but claims that his life has better, and maybe even try and fine- ‘move’, but the ends of the molecules been a crusade against all sports activities. ‘Maybe tune their synthesis.’ that are not attached to the bead are that’s why I never went back to Australia – I’ve failed He’s also trying to use them to create swimming around in the solvent so the miserably at being a good Aussie!’ supramolecular assemblies using a vari - spectrum of the beads can be removed. Did you know? When Nick came to Cambridge for ety of different metals, inspired by Another idea is to use a porphyrin that postdoc, he’d lined up a place at law school nature to mimic natural systems. Ideas core in catalysis. The catalysts used in back in Sydney for when he returned. His dreams of include an attempt to make synthetic important industrial reactions like a career in law seem to be on permanent hold… haem analogues (with Paul Barker) that asymmetric hydrogenation commonly

10 Chem@Cam Spring 2008 www.ch.cam.ac.uk The shape of things to come

Jonathan Nitschke is using metal ions and small molecules to try and mimic some of the complicated assemblies that nature creates

Nature is extremely skilled at arranging of proteins by using different metals, atoms and molecules in complicated and different structures could lead to shapes and patterns, such as the tertiary different functions, as with proteins.’ structures that proteins fold up into. He’s also interested in creating Jonathan Nitschke is looking at ways of assemblies with complex topologies by making molecules assemble together in using more than one different metal ion ways inspired by some of the complex at the same time. ‘The idea is to create arrangements found in nature. four identical loops which are inter - ‘We’re using fairly simple building linked, with each one threading blocks to create these complicated through each of the others exactly structures using different kinds of self- once,’ he says. ‘Each loop is also symme - assembly reactions,’ he explains. try-equivalent to the others, so you can t t ‘Generally, there’s a metal template turn the structure around and they i P

which the organic molecules organise would still look the same. If we succeed, n a h t

themselves around to create a well- these will be the most complex topolo - a N defined structure, which might be a gies that have ever been created using : o t o

helix, or a square, or it might even be a synthetic building blocks!’ h one-dimensional wire.’ in itself as cyclohexane doesn’t do very P Copper ions are often the starting PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS much, it is very tightly held inside the point for creating assemblies. ‘It’s a little There are practical reasons for creating cage,’ he says. ‘If you take the cages out like a house of cards, where just a cou - structures like this, however, quite apart of solution the cyclohexane stays inside ple of cards don’t stand up on their from the fact that they are very beauti - them, and unless you add something own, but when you put a lot of them ful. Nature uses topologies in very like a triamine or an acid to open the together the whole structure is quite interesting ways, and Jonathan wonders cage it will stay there. So we can unlock stable,’ he says. ‘The metal helps the whether these assemblies might have the cage at will, and if we were to swap molecules arrange in unusual ways like important uses. ‘The capsid, or protein the cyclohexane for a small drug mole - this, and we’re interested in how shell, that surrounds one particular Left: The topology cule, it might be a way to deliver the complicated we can make the virus that infects bacteria, consists created by four drug to a very precise part of the body. whole structure. Of of protein rings that are linked identical loops, The building blocks are well-under - course, they are a little together a little like chain each of which stood and have low toxicity, and they more robust mail, providing the threads through also might be able to penetrate barriers than a house virus with very each of the others in the body that the drug molecules of cards!’ robust protec - exactly once themselves cannot.’ He’s collab - tion,’ he says. ‘If orating with we were able to Born: Syracuse in upstate New York e

Ivan Huc from build a structure k Status: His partner Natalie Sordé is a French chemist, h

Bordeaux on like that, then c who was just finishing her PhD in Geneva when a project to anything we put s

t Jonathan arrived there. She’s moved to Cambridge i make helical inside would be with him, and is currently job-hunting N structures very difficult to from chains get at.’ n Education: High school in Gainesville, Florida, followed a by a degree in chemistry at Williams College in of quinoline He’s found that h molecules. These by using iron and t Massachusetts. He then moved to Berkeley, California a form intramolecu - copper together, they n for a PhD in organometallic chemistry with Don Tilley. lar hydrogen bonds, can create different struc - o Career: He moved to Strasbourg in 2001 for a two- J stacking the quinoline cores on tures at the same time from a pool of year postdoc with Jean-Marie Lehn, and was then top of each other in a spiral building blocks, with iron picking out appointed to a fixed-term lectureship at the University arrangement. ‘We’ve found that by some of them, and copper going for V of Geneva. After four years in Switzerland, he moved adding amino groups to the ends of others. ‘The trick now is to get them to C to Cambridge as a lecturer last October. these quinoline chains, they can also act together within the same structure, come together around a metal template with iron creating one kind of linkage, Interests: Jonathan and Nathalie have discovered the in a very well-defined way, where two and copper another. We’ve already had joys of walking on the Fens, and they also go helices which wind in different direc - some success, but there’s a long way to mountainbiking – not that there are many mountains tions will sit together quite happily.’ go yet!’ locally! They’re also having a great time exploring all This is what happens when they use Other self-assembled structures that the cultural delights that London has to offer. copper; if iron is used instead, then the he has managed to create include cages Did you know? You’d never guess it from his accent, helices form parallel to each other rather with a well-defined space inside into but Jonathan is actually Australian, thanks to his Aussie than perpendicularly. ‘We can control which molecules such as cyclohexane dad. But he’s only been there once – when he was 10. the tertiary structure of these analogues will fit. ‘While this isn’t hugely exciting

Chem@Cam Spring 2008 11 Alumni

the inside unless you stood on the lavatory seat. The architect was unfazed by this. More faces of the 1950s The physical chemistry department was still housed in the Old Cavendish Here’s some more reminiscences prompted by Antony Laboratory on Free School Lane in those days and was very independent, it only Barrington Brown’s photos. More contributions welcome! moved to Lensfield Road later. We all met for coffee in the Perse Library every morning, which had a cohesive effect Dear Editor, Schulman’s photograph. With A.E. on the department. The latest PhD the - Professor FJW Roughton was the second Alexander, another lecturer in Rideal’s ses were usually on display on the table, and last professor of colloid science, in department who had moved as profes - and about 150 to 200 pages long. An the department which had been sor to Australia, they investigated the old boy came in one day, picked a the - founded, with help from industrial possible role of monolayers in reducing sis up. ‘What’s this?’ he said. ‘In my day sources, for Professor EK Rideal. At the evaporation from Australian lakes dur - a chap could to say all he wanted to in time that Roughton was appointed, he ing droughts. Shulman was also suc - 10 pages or so.’ and Hartridge had probably made the cessful in the US in seeding clouds with Ian Fells (matric. 1952), emeritus fastest measurement of a chemical reac - silver iodide microcrystals in order to professor of energy conversion, tion, the reaction between haemoglobin induce rain – only to find that farmers . and CO 2 or CO ( I am not sure which). further downwind sued the earlier one Every now and then, Roughton and his for stealing their rain! A much loved man personal assistant, Edwards, would have a Ralph Gilson came from Manchester week of experimentation during which with Todd as laboratory superintendent Dear Editor period one was strongly discouraged in Lensfield. He had detailed and fruit - I must say a few words about my direc - from raising administrative matters! ful interactions with the architects as tor of studies, Sandy Ashmore, who Roughton was one of the first to use the new buildings were constructed. I died five years ago in Lea near my home computers (the original Cambridge believe that a set of photographs of all town Gainsborough. I attended the EDSAC in the 1950s) to analyse the kinet - the innards of the buildings were taken funeral of a family friend in Lea not ics of simultaneous reactions. I, and my by him and must be available some - long after – attended by his son-in-law infrared group, worked for several years where within the complex. He also – and was able to pay my respects. The as a postdoctoral fellow in Roughton’s advised Todd on the construction of the epitaph on the headstone read some - department before I was appointed as laboratories themselves and on equip - thing like: Much loved by Friends, ADR in spectroscopy in the chemistry ping them for modern chemistry. Colleagues and Associates . I wanted to department, at the time that the move Yours sincerely, add… and by Pupils as well. from Pembroke Street to the new build - Norman Sheppard One abiding memory is a summer ings in Lensfield Road was made. 5 Hornor Close, Norwich NR2 2LY evening party in Chapman's Garden, RGW Norrish was the second profes - Emmanuel. Sandy was well into his sec - sor of physical chemistry, after Lowry, Vodka burette? ond glass of a ‘black frothy drink with and shared a Nobel Prize with George bubbles. ‘This is rather nice,’ he said. Porter (both in Cambridge) for the Dear Editor, ‘What is it?’ I told him it was a Black invention of flash photolysis – again at RGW Norrish was head of the depart - Velvet, which prompted the question, ‘ that time the fastest technique for meas - ment of physical chemistry when I was And what’s that?’ I had to explain it was uring photochemical reactions. Norrish researching for a PhD in reaction kinet - champagne and Guinness. Most of us in was a somewhat abrupt person and ics in 1956/7 under Moelwyn-Hughes, those days had spent two years in insisted on physical chemistry being famous for his work on the partition National Service – I had been bar officer administratively independent of the rest function. My supervisor and Norrish in my Officers’ Mess in Hong Kong – so of what was then called the University were not on speaking terms, but I got we were often more experienced in Chemical Laboratory. This became rather on well enough with Norrish and he wines and drinks than our teachers! tiresome after 1955 when both depart - once confided in me, whilst dispensing Sandy was a very good lecturer – in ments were located in the new building vodka into my glass from a burette at a fact better than his more illustrious col - From the top: complex in Lensfield Road – for example, department party, that if I stuck with FJW Roughton, league, Professor Norrish (mind you I it required separate stores and tearooms! him he would tell me the fourth law of RGW Norrish, remember drinking whisky with him at The department received its present thermodynamics. He never did but I Jack Schulman, one of our early Emma reunions – with name when, after the next two profes - suspect it is Murphy’s Law (years later, Ralph Gilson and him you did not want to compete!). Of sors of physical chemistry, it was rec - in 1991, I made a film about Murphy’s Sandy Ashmore course the highlight of our final year in ommended and agreed by Senate that law for BBC1; it was broadcast the day the new lab, only open to undergrads the two departments should merge. At the Gulf War started). that year (1956/7), was Alexander Todd the time when chemistry was in Norrish did not get on well with proudly producing the original Crick & Pembroke Street, the physical chemistry Todd, either. Todd was an Olympian fig - Watson DNA bench-top model – with and colloid science departments were ure; his students hung a huge banner suggestions that this might provide us located in adjacent buildings in Free across the front of the newly finished with the very secrets of life itself! What School Lane around the corner. This was Lensfield Road labs with the inscription a long way we have come since then. named after a very early school with a ‘There is no other Todd but me!’ I kept in touch with Sandy over the Jacobean hall, the latter then forming Sandy Ashmore was a lecturer in the years through our best man, Roy Fields part of physical chemistry. physical chemistry department and also (Queens’, 54-57), who was at UMIST JH (Jack) Shulman was a reader in senior tutor of the newly founded with Sandy. I saw him once in retire - Rideal’s colloid science department at a Churchill College. He had a very poor ment but then we ‘lost him’ with his sad time when monolayers on surfaces, of opinion of architects and came into the final illness. what we now call surfactants, were new lab one evening to tell us he had just Regards, David Buck (Emmanuel, and exciting interests. I think a returned from inspecting the building of 1954-1957) Langmuir trough for measuring their the new Churchill College to find you 124 Parkway, Welwyn Garden City, properties is in the background in could not close the lavatory doors from Herts AL8 6HN

12 Chem@Cam Spring 2008 Chat lines

vitamins. Miss Muriel Tomlinson came from Oxford to teach organic chemistry. A look back to the 1940s At her first lecture, 300-plus undergradu - ates, having rushed up the dusty stone stairs of the Downing Street labs, signed Never mind the 50s, it’s time for the 40s! Mary Ashworth, an the attendance register, then greeted her undergraduate here at the end of the war, sent in this photo of her with a spirited chorus of ‘She’ll be com - ing round the mountain’. Part II class. Are any of her classmates reading this? Let us know! Later, Dr Dainton taught us physical chemistry. He organised practical classes most efficiently, and was really helpful in sorting out mistakes and unexpected results in a constructive and kindly way. However, he could go on and on at times… He lectured on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 12pm to 1pm and, having filled the blackboard with line after line of formulae, he rarely finished until after the hour. We were all very hungry, and many were planning sports activities. So, one Saturday, as the Roman Catholic church clock struck 1pm, Peter Gray stood up, uncorked a bottle of beer and handed it, with a glass, to Dr Dainton. The rest of us opened our brown paper bags and proceeded to eat our sandwiches. His response was, ‘I perceive that this is a put-up job,’ returned to his blackboard, and continued until 2pm! I named all the members of the class when the photo above was taken; but From the left, back row: O. Rutherford, ? Webb, J. Sawyer, V.M. Clark, H. Platt, W. Rosenfelder, H. Frenkel, what has become of us? The two older W. Burne, M. Ashworth; Middle row: ? Imam, ? Edeleanu, ? Sutton, ? Poyntin, R. Lewis, ? Cave, ? Kimberley, men on the front row are Leslie and ? Webber, A. Sharpe, P. Gray, A. Wild, D. Goodison; Front row: S. Neuberger, J. Banus, B. Whittaker, Leslie Hunt, Ernie, our superb lab technicians, ever A. Hutchinson, Ernie Elborn, A. Free, J. Turner, S. Wickham-Jones. resourceful, helpful and cheerful. They If you can fill in any of the ?s – or are in the photo yourself – we’d love to hear from you! worked very hard for us. Some of my fellow students have now died, others I have enjoyed reading the various rem - We were fortunate to have very good have retired. Some became distin - iniscences of former members of the supervisors and lecturers, including some guished research chemists in universi - chemistry department recently pub - very distinguished professors. I remem - ties in this country and overseas. Peter lished in Chem@Cam . Although I am of ber particularly Delia Agar (Newnham Gray became professor of physical an earlier generation (Newnham 1943- physical chemistry), Fred Dainton, chemistry in Leeds, then returned to 46), I thought some of my contempo - Professor Emeléus, who made inorganic Cambridge as Master of Caius. Malcolm raries might be interested in this group chemistry so much more interesting than Clark became professor of organic photograph of the Part II chemistry the textbooks, and the impressive chemistry in the . class of 1946 – please note how tidily Professor Todd, who explained to us his Several of us became schoolteachers – undergraduates dressed in those days! work on the structure and synthesis of I did, also Audrey Free, Jean Sawyer and Beryl Whittaker. I taught chemistry and general science in Watford and in These marvellous Nottingham. In 1960, I became the first whiskers belong to Head of Hatfield Girls’ Grammar School Doug Blackwell, who – later to become Bishop’s Hatfield was the technician in Girls’ School, an all-ability school. I was the radiochemistry able to call upon Cambridge colleagues lab until his death in and former pupils to help Hatfield girls the early 1970s. The when making decisions about careers. photo was sent in by We had science open days, too, but not Clifford Price, a PhD as spectacular as that shown on page 12 student of Alfie of the Summer 2007 Chem@Cam ! Maddock’s between I really enjoyed teaching science to 1969 and 1972, who youngsters of all ages. In Nottingham, is now professor of there were large A-level groups; in archaeological Hatfield, my repertoire widened to conservation at the include human biology, religious and Institute of social studies, and general studies, Archaeology at focusing on scientific discoveries, sci - University College ence and religion. I enjoyed planning London and running the school, too. Yours sincerely, Mary Ashworth 11, The Quadrangle, Welwyn Garden City, Herts AL8 6SG

Chem@Cam Spring 2008 13 Science

someone was required to chair a com - mittee charged with reforming the Natural Sciences Tripos Alan was the A chemical educator obvious person. Vested interests were involved, and by quiet persuasion and thought and action which, for most, common sense Alan was able to ensure stood them in good stead in their later the interests of the university as a whole careers. But he did not shy away from were given pre-eminence and that the the problems encountered by his stu - desired reforms were achieved. dents and was always on hand to offer He was for many years a capable sen - sound advice when it was sought. ior tutor of Jesus College and it is His output in terms of published rumoured that, when Lord Lewis was papers was limited but he was widely asked to be the first warden of respected within the inorganic research Robinson College, his acceptance of the community by virtue of his inorganic post was conditional on Alan Sharpe textbooks and his chemical wisdom. agreeing to become the first senior Through his writing he helped to bring tutor. This Alan did for the sake of the about the renaissance of inorganic university and the success of Robinson chemistry in the 1950s. College is due in no small measure to Alan was always stimulating to talk to his huge contribution in setting it up. about chemical and non-chemical topics. Alan was a private man, but he was He knew what was important in chem - wholly dedicated to the welfare of his istry and often helped researchers in large family and immensely proud of other groups put their work in perspec - their achievements. His wicked sense of tive. On receiving the news that a new humour endeared him to everyone and, metal cluster with 17 metal atoms and a when once asked for the names of two novel geometry had been synthesised, he of his grandchildren, he informed the was sometimes able to persuade the enquirer with the usual twinkle in his giver of this news that a small step for a eye and slight twitch of the mouth that chemist rather than a giant step for they were Attila the Hun and Boadicea. Martyn Mays and Catherine Housecroft mankind had been accomplished. His passion for chemistry was matched RIGHT OF REPLY recall Alan Sharpe, who died in January only by his passion for music, and for the His wit manifested itself in every area of music of Mozart in particular. Annual vis - his life and, at his retirement dinner, he its to Salzburg for the Mozart festival were remarked that ‘such occasions are like a I first came to admire and respect Alan mandatory and his students were encour - memorial service at which the corpse Sharpe when I attended his first year aged to obtain a musical as well as a has the right of reply’. Of the chemical inorganic lecture course as an under - chemical education. Invitations to accom - literature he once said ‘What you think graduate in 1957. His lectures revealed pany him to Glyndebourne were issued is important about a research paper is his critical analytical intelligence and generously, even to the tone deaf. seldom the same as what the author were a model of clarity. They presented Alan was a well organised person thinks is important about it.’ inorganic chemistry as a topic for with great administrative talents. No It is sometimes said that knowledge is which it was possible to offer rational task was too large or too small for him knowing that a tomato is a fruit. explanations supported by quantitative to take on and any request for his help Wisdom is knowing that it is not a good experimental evidence rather than as a was committed instantly to the postcard idea to put it in a fruit salad. Alan had series of unrelated facts connected by a which he always carried around in his that wisdom in spades and contributed few waves of the hand. pocket. The postcards were never lost it across a wide spectrum of endeav - He was an excellent and bewitching and the requests were always honoured. ours. He was always stimulating and fun supervisor of undergraduates who He was much in demand on university to be with and he will be sorely missed instilled those he taught with the same committees and when, in the 1960s, by those who knew him. Martin Mays enthusiasm for and critical approach to inorganic chemistry which he pos - sessed. Many of the brightest students When I arrived in Cambridge in 1986, Alan Sharpe was already, supposedly, retired. Sharpe’s Inorganic wanted him as their research supervisor Chemistry was a core text for inorganic teaching in Cambridge and through its use in lectures and when they stayed on to do their PhDs, tutorials, I became aware of Alan’s educational prowess. Alan was a true gentleman, one of the old but he always made sure that those he school of academics who always had time to think about science and ways in which to explain chemical took on did so with their eyes open. principles to undergraduates. He was well respected within the inorganic chemistry community in Alan’s own early research in the Cambridge, and in particular, by generations of undergraduates in Jesus and Robinson Colleges. 1950s had been experimental, and he In 1996, having moved to the University of Basel, I was approached by Longman to join with Alan in a quickly developed a reputation as a flu - project that would update and modernise Inorganic Chemistry. Alan was delighted to be back at work orine chemist mainly through his work again, and we settled into an easy partnership which was to last for over 10 years. Alan quickly agreed on bromine trifluoride (a noxious sub - that the project would only be efficently managed if I worked at the computer (something he never stance causing nasty burns) as an ionis - did!) and he read and commented upon drafts. Alan was not one for email nor, if it could be helped, ing solvent which could be used to pre - faxes. Therefore, we relied upon regular post for communication between Cambridge and pare complex fluorides. Alan was, how - Switzerland. To chemists in the 21st century, this may seen unbelievable, but somehow, it worked. ever, ultimately less interested in push - The results of our collaboration were three editions of an internationally recognised textbook that has ing back the frontiers of chemical been translated into both German and Spanish. The third edition was published in November 2007, knowledge than in understanding the and I am only too pleased he was able to see the final production – he was very relieved when the facts that already lay within the fron - advance copies arrived. Alan’s ability to discuss all aspects of traditional inorganic chemistry, in tiers. He was not a hands-on supervisor particular solution thermodynamics, into his mid-80s were unfailing. His role as a chemical educator and those who worked with him were live on in Housecroft and Sharpe, Inorganic Chemistry. Catherine Housecroft required to develop an independence of

14 Chem@Cam Spring 2008 Obituaries

How often have you said, or had some - one say to you, ‘I’m sorry I’m late; I bumped into David Husain’? I can see A man of contrasts him now, in my mind’s eye, standing too close, and hear him, in my mind’s ear, organic chemistry, when he researched scrupulously asking if I hadn’t heard the Ian Fleming remembers David Husain, the history of cortisone acetate, and he story before, saying ‘…bear with me…’, who died in December at the age of 70 was delighted when I was able to use as he stretched a story out. But we this molecule in my first year lectures to wouldn’t all remember him with such explain IR spectroscopy, but also telling affection if The Ancient Mariner were the the students it was keeping one of our whole picture. David could be exasperat - chemistry lecturers, unidentified, alive. ing, yes, but he was also interesting – David lived with this regime for 30 what he had to say always had a point, years. His marriage and his illness took and was usually worth stopping for. a substantial toll, and increased his He was a man of contrasts. Let us start resolve to lead a quiet life. ‘Set not thy with the fact that he was born in foot outside the College’ became his Grimsby to a Muslim father, an Indian motto, and he broke it only rarely, and test cricketer, and a Jewish mother of finally on retirement two years ago, Russian extraction. He had an unsettled when he found a home over the road childhood: in Cambridge as a baby, liv - from the laboratory in Lensfield Road. ing in Pembroke Street just across the His graduate students and postdocs, road from the College; most of his early like everyone else, respected his seri - childhood was in Grimsby; and then at ousness, his deep and careful thinking school in London. Perhaps this was what and his utter integrity. His work was made him glad to fashion for himself, about as different from my own as it with one exception, a singularly stable can be for two chemists. We both adulthood, living in Cambridge for most worked with carbon and silicon, but the of his life, almost all of it in the College. similarities end there. He regarded my Another contrast was that he was a molecules as large cumbersome beasts g

n serious physical chemist, but also a keen about which nothing serious could be i m

e reader of European history. Blessed with known, whereas he was interested in l F

n a formidable memory, he could recover the much more fundamental properties a I

: in great detail salient material from of single atoms and small molecules. o t o many sources within his library of h P 7000 books. He had to be forbidden CHEMICAL PHYSICS from even mentioning the name of David Husain: a persuade him, from then on, to leave As a chemical physicist, he was proud Bismarck at high table for several years. fascination with Cambridge, but he did have trips to to be a Fellow of the Institute of Physics. He marched against Suez in his youth, physics and history, Ireland and Romania, to the United His work on iodine, on oxygen and but was more conservative in later life, not just chemistry; States to see family, and latterly to Spain on the alkali metal atoms was hugely a believer in realpolitik. Below: At a tree- and Oman. There was also his visit to influential, stimulating major work in planting ceremony the Dorchester to give his mother and atmos pheric and interstellar chemistry. AWESOME REPUTATION in the 1970s stepfather his annual report. He regu - He was courtly in an age when few are. I met him in 1959, when he came, fresh larly came back from that occasion to He never properly got to grips with com - from his first class degree in Manchester, tell me that it was all right, he had puters or cars, yet he was a whiz dealing to Pembroke College and the Chemical passed his examination again. in shares, a pastime that occupied him, Laboratory to work as a graduate student But one of those occasions was special. especially on behalf of the Philosophical for Professor Norrish. David had an awe - Not only was it in Switzerland rather Society, during his too brief retirement. some reputation, having carried out in than London, but David was desperately Characteristically, he looked at the deeper Manchester a piece of research that was ill. He had become skeletally thin, very influences rather than the day-to-day to be published during his first year dark skinned – why did we who did see whims of the market. here, something none of us could have him not do anything? I can only say we He made carbon copies of his notes emulated. He flourished, obtaining a thought he was seeing a doctor, and he as he gave his first-year supervisions, so junior post in the department in his sec - was certainly seeing a therapist, to help that both supervision partners would ond year and winning the Draper’s him to get over the trauma of his mar - have copies. He was reluctant to take on Research Fellowship competition in riage, which had recently broken up, responsibility, but painstaking to excess Pembroke College for 1962. most unhappily, after less than a year. in carrying it out, making copies of He then became Norrish’s assistant, His mother took one look at him and every bit of correspondence connected his last, writing his papers and research said, ‘You must go home and see a doc - with his being senior examiner, or in lectures, running his group as it wound tor.’ David came back to his therapist, his role as chairman of the University down, and starting his own work on the and said, ‘I’m not depressed; I’m ill.’ Radiation Safety Committee. details of atomic reactions, stressing the Mercifully she agreed immediately, and My relationship to David was tangen - reactivity of atoms in their higher energy referred him to an Addenbrooke’s tial. I never spent long with him, and I states. This experience kept him safely in physician, who took one look at him only saw him for brief exchanges, more Cambridge, where he rose through the and said, ‘You have Addison’s disease.’ often than for most people, to be sure, as ranks – demonstrator in 1963, lecturer The primary cause in David was a we took the same routes from laboratory in 1968, and reader in 1986. tubercular infection of the adrenal cor - to College and back almost every day for In 1966 he took his only long break tex, and the consequence was a loss of nearly 50 years. Although this has been a to gain experience abroad, joining Bill adrenal hormones. The cure was heavy personal account from what I have Abrahamson in the Case Institute in doses of antibiotics for a year, and cor - known of David, I am sure that I speak Cleveland for six months. Even though tisone acetate for the rest of his life. It for everyone when I say that David was he had been happy there it took a lot to stimulated his only brief interest in a dear man, and I miss him terribly.

Chem@Cam Spring 2008 15 Chat lines A cake-tastic effort One, two three, HEAVE!

The cabinet, for storing up to 75 litres of waste solvent, wasn’t easy to get into the lab, but it’s now in place, and probably not going anywhere!

When Chris Whittleston’s girlfriend We assume that Manuela Solera-Deuchar started the elements fundraising for a global exchange pro - weren’t major gramme in Egypt with the charity ingredients too… Voluntary Service Overseas, he had a bright idea about how to help her raise How many workmen does it take to more. Knowing how chemists like their move a cupboard? Six, when it’s as big as cake, Chris, a PhD student in David the 300kg one that’s just been installed Wales’ group, made a periodic table of in the new Melville lab extension. cakes and sold them to the hungry Always on the lookout for interesting hordes in the Cybercafé. shots, photographer Nathan Pitt spied Manuela’s own efforts included a them struggling up the stairs with a vast sponsored skip around every Cam - 90 minute fireproof cabinet. bridge college, no mean feat as the The first floor lift wasn’t big enough route was eight miles long. for it, and the scaffolding outside was - She was hoping to raise at least £600, n’t strong enough to hoist it up that t t i

and that total has been surpassed. The way, so the stairs were the only option. P

n contribution from Chris’s bakery And it was even more difficult than it a h t prowess came to a grand total of looked – the winding gear they were a N

:

£132.82. That’s a lot of cake! using to help them lift it broke, and it s o t

was stuck on the stairs for a couple of o h days while they found another one! P Chris’s first release May will be an exciting time for Wind power in action Cambridge chemist Chris Forman – his band, the Winter Kings, will be releas - ing their first album, ‘Gallows on the shore’. The band describes its music as ‘lyrically interesting alternative music with a refreshingly intelligent edge’. ‘I heard they were looking for a pianist from a mutual friend, so I went to see a gig of theirs,’ he says. ‘There were just two of them at the time, and we and had Comings a chat afterwards. They “jamditioned” t t & goings i me in the Portland Arms a month later! I P

n learned all their songs in one session, so a h t they took me on as their pianist.’ a New Staff N

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Chris is in Paul Barker’s group, and Stuart’s car (above) and o t

Sarah Njage o part of his work involves trying to artifi - Anthony’s (right) didn’t quite h P cially organise electron transfer proteins escape the wind unscathed into a conducting network. Controlling Leaving the coupling between biological and The destructive power of nature was Stuart Althorpe’s car a glancing blow on Silvia Gonzalez- solid state systems may enable biological brought sharply into focus at the end of the way, and ended up wedged in the Calera functionality, such as enzymatic control January. Cambridge was having a very back of Anthony Stone’s. His back wind - or photoharvesting, hi-tech devices like Keith Jenkins windy day, and photographer Nathan screen definitely lost that battle. sensors, batteries or computers. Pitt happened to be looking out of the Nathan scooted downstairs with his ‘My PhD comes before the band, Retiring window across the car park when he camera to shoot the aftermath, but cus - which is just for fun,’ he insists. ‘That’s saw something moving that wasn’t a todian Tony McPherson had been too unless, of course, someone offers me Susan Johnson car – it was a piece of cowling awaiting fast and had already shifted the cowling millions of pounds to go on a global Bernard (Bernie) installation by the contractors that had away from the car. But the damage it tour. But that all rather depends on Simpson been sitting by the main steps. managed to cause as it traversed the car whether or not people like the music!’ It shot across the car park, caught park was pretty impressive.

16 Chem@Cam Spring 2008 www.ch.cam.ac.uk x o c n a H

e n i l o

Christmas spirit r a C

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The staff Christmas party is always a good excuse h to catch up with old friends over a drink or three. P Caroline Hancox was on hand with her camera to catch all the old and new faces in action

Clockwise from below left: Ian Fleming and Sijbren Otto; Mike Todd-Jones, Sue Johnson and Tony McPherson; Claire Rutterford and Emma Graham; Dave Spring; Mykola Karabyn, David Woollard and William Prist; Dudley Williams and Brian Thrush; Paul Skelton, Steve Wilkinson and Brian Crysell; Gabriela Ridlova, Elaine Stephens and Dudley Williams; Mike Sleep,Tony Gray, Jim Watson, Don Flory, Mike Ladds, Tiger Coxall and Dick Barton

Chem@Cam Spring 2008 17 Puzzle corner Last issue’s winners This issue’s puzzles

Elementary crossword and there are no prefixes such as D- Elementary – but clueless Once again Graham Quartly’s crossword or iso-. Graham Quartly’s back, with more ele - setting skills attracted a good number of CAMPHENE I CHOLINE mentary crossword entertainment. This entries from readers. And correct INDANE I ISATIN I MENTHOL I time he’s supplied two puzzles – and no answers came from the following: RIBOSE I TOLUENE clues. Chemical elements are again Bill Collier (who congratulates The new group of chemical names placed in the boxes to form words read - Graham on another excellent puzzle, have the following chemical types: ing across and down, but rather than but takes issue with the spelling of 2 hydrocarbons I 1 polysaccharide making it easy by giving you clues, the ‘nout’ in 28 across – as every good 1 purine I 1 sugar ester I 1 ether idea is to arrange the sets of elements Yorkshireman kno, it’s spelt ‘nowt’, even 2 members of a homologous series that are printed to the right of the grids in his Collins dictionary); Keith Parsons; so that each one appears once in each Michael Aicken (on a fine postcard of Hidden identity grid to make a full set of words. Petty Cury in 1911 – rather more flat Those with long memories (or addicts of All words will be found in a good caps then than now); Paul Littlewood; this page, anyway) may remember that a English dictionary, and no proper Jim Dunn; A.J. Wilkinson; Richard Moss; couple of issues back the Chem@Cam fil - nouns, such as FRaNCe are allowed. Richard Brown (on a postcard of ing system had failed miserably at locat - Good luck! Garfield as Einstein, proclaiming his ing the solution to Keith’s Hidden genius); Paul Stickland; Ian Potts; Roger Identity problem. Now I know you prob - Al Ar B C C C Duffet; John Carpenter; David ably can’t contain your frustration any Ca Er He K Li N Isherwood (who completed the puzzle further so here’s Keith’s explanation... Ni Ra S S V while digesting his Christmas dinner!); Roger Duffett at least will be relieved! John Malone; Richard Butler (who says And... the answer is Fibonacci. The that even though it’s now 23 years since letters used in the puzzle, excluding the he made a career change from chem - title in lower case, are a rearrangement istry into programming and systems of the letters required to spell the names analysis, he always enjoys receiving of the elements whose atomic number - Chem@Cam and reading about what’s scorrespond to the first eight numbers going on in Lensfield Road); Robin of the Fibonacci series (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, Cork; John Billingsley; Norman Sansom; 21, 34). The stilted wording results Michael Goodyear; Richard Chambers; from this restriction on the letters avail - Annette Quartly (who says she’s still able. Poetic licence (!) is used to convert married to the setter, and that he still two of the Is into the number 2. refuses to let her see the puzzles ahead If anyone’s still boggling at this, he’s Al Au C C Ce of publication!). supplied a possible way of solving the puz - Dy I Lu Mo Na And the winner is – chosen at ran - zle... Read ‘SIX AND II’ as six and two (to Ne P P Ru S S S dom by my cat Ginola – is David rhyme with clue. This leads to the number S Si Ti Ti Isherwood. Congratulations ! 8. Lateral thinking then leads (via the word In case you’re still bamboozled by it, ‘elementary’) to eight elements. ‘Letters- here’s the answers… manipulation’ suggests a rearrangement of Across: 1 SAmOVAr; 6 BeAtNiK; the letters used to spell eight elements, 7 ArCO; 9 MoAt; 10 PAtHOs; probably the 57 upper case letters (because 11 FeTiSH; 13 ORe;15 CYbErNeTiCs; lower case letters are used in the title, 17 LiGaNd; 18 ArOUSe; 19 ThIn; which does not contain enough letters for 20 SIMoN; 22 AsTaTiNe; 23 CoN; eight elements anyway). 24 COPTiC; 26 LaYEr; 27 BIrO; 28 PAl; Some elements can be eliminated 29 InNOCuOUS because their names contain letters not Down: 1 SAt; 2 AmNiOTiC; 3 OK; used in the puzzle. One has to find a series 4 ArArAt; 5 WOOs; 6 BeAt; of eight elements that can be spelt with Secondary schooling 8 CHAsTiSe; 9 MoNOLiThIC; the 57 upper case letters used, which Here’s another puzzle from Keith 10 PHErOMoNe; 12 SYbArITiC; accounts for the stilted wording. The noun Parsons. And here’s hoping it doesn’t 14 ReGaIn;16 NeUN;20 STaTiON; being sought could relate to a numerical prove quite as difficult as his last cou - 21 GeNErAlS;22 AsPIrIn;23 CoYPU; series of eight numbers, and it contains ple! As ever, first correct answer plucked 25 OB. nine letters. Numerical series can be arith - at random from all those that arrive in £20 prizes are metic, geometric (too many letters and.or the Chem@Cam pigeon hole or inbox, on offer for Molecular rearrangement adjectives not nouns) – what about wins £20. both puzzles. No-one won Keith Parsons’ molecular Fibonacci?! Try the simplest set first And the puzzle... In a complete rever - Send entries rearrangement puzzle – because no-one (occam’s razor...) – the first eight – and sal of the usual sequence, Stuart, 63, by email to entered, not even any of our regular the elements having these atomic num - who graduated in his early twenties, felt [email protected] puzzlers. In case anyone is feeling reck - bers are spelt with the required letters. the need to improve his skills in basic or by snail mail less (or ashamed) that they didn’t Hence Fibonacci is the required noun. maths. He enrolled in a cramming to attempt it, here it is again. Several corre - Keith adds that of the next numbers in school which provided one-to-one Chem@Cam , spondents indicated that it was far too the Fibonacci series, only 55 and 89 tuition and where all the exams were Department difficult, so let that be a challenge to you could apply to elements. Neither of these marked out of a possible 200, in order of Chemistry, all! Here it is again... is ruled out at first glance because all the to grade the pupils more precisely. He University of Rearrange all of the letters used letters in their names are in the puzzle obtained 71.5% in Algebra, 62.0% in Cambridge, to spell the seven molecules listed below but they cannot, singly or combined, Calculus, 725% in Trigonometry and Lensfield Road, to give the names of seven other organic replace any of the first eight numbers 65.5% in Statistics. What percentage did Cambridge molecules. All are single word names, and still give the puzzle information. he obtain in Geometry?

18 Chem@Cam Spring 2008 People in the know From the Czech Republic to Cambridge Chemistry x o Gabriela Ridlova: the Czech Republic’s c n a loss is Cambridge Chemistry’s gain! H e n i l o r a C

: the catering trade, working in restau - o t o rants and cafés in the city, but when the h P Czech Republic joined the EU in 2004 and she didn’t need a work permit, Gabriela started to look for a more per - manent job back in science. And she succeeded – finding a position with Anglia Water at Huntingdon. ‘I was involved with mass spectrom - etry, measuring quantitatively the amount of different metals in the water,’ she says. ‘Anglia Water supplies and treats water throughout East Anglia from three large reservoirs, although Cambridge receives its water from deep wells under the city.’ However, she was living in Chesterton, and the continual stress of the long drive to Huntingdon and back on the busy A14 every day, together with the somewhat repetitive nature of the work, led her to look for work nearer to home. And her application for ics and glass as there were many compa - a job in the mass spec lab here in nies working in this field in the Czech Lensfield Road was successful. Gabriela Ridlova came to the UK from Republic. It was considered that your ‘I like working here very much,’ she future could be very successful if you says. ‘And I’ve found the department, the Czech Republic for a short trip studied these subjects which, of course, which I already knew was well thought five years ago, and liked it here so involved a lot of chemistry.’ of throughout the chemistry world, is After she graduated in 2001, she car - full of so many interesting people.’ much she stayed. And now she’s found ried on to study for a PhD at the same Technical University, but part way KEEPING IN TOUCH a home in our mass spec lab. Our through she decided to suspend her Asked if her parents were concerned roving reporter Don Flory met her studies for a while to travel to England – about her permanent move to the UK, her brother had previously had a suc - despite her original plans only to stay cessful time learning English here. for a few months, she said that when ‘I had learnt a little English at school, she first decided to stay, they were very There’s been a continuous flow of peo - so I thought this move would be a great disappointed. ‘But now, they are very ple coming to work in the UK recently, opportunity for me to improve my happy for me,’ she claims. ‘My mother and especially from the central and east - English and, at the same time, experi - has been over here to stay and likes ern European countries since they ence the life and culture of another Cambridge very much, but it’s usually joined the European Union – many of country. The plan was to come to me travelling home to Ostrava so I can them bringing their professional skills England for three months and then keep in contact with the family.’ and technological abilities. One such return to Ostrava to complete my PhD. In her spare time, Gabriela is a very person is Gabriela Ridlova, who has But it didn’t work out like that – I’ve keen Latin American dancer, and has been working as a technician in the now been living here for five years!’ been a member of a local Latin dance mass spectrometry section within the club for the past four years. She also department since the autumn. WONDERFUL CAMBRIDGE enjoys yoga and swimming, and has She was brought up in the industrial When she first arrived in the UK, Gabriela travelled widely throughout Europe – city of Ostrava in the eastern part of the lived in Hadley Wood, north of London, and is particularly fond of Spain. Czech Republic, close to the Polish bor - and spent a few weeks working as an au ‘I hope I will have a long stay in der and about 150 miles from the capi - pair. ‘But then I met someone who was Cambridge and in the department,’ she tal city of Prague. ‘All my schooling was studying and living in Cambridge, came says. It cannot be easy for anyone to spent in Ostrava, and I went on to read here to take a look, and immediately fell leave their family and friends to start a material sciences at one of the city’s in love with this wonderful city,’ she says. new life in another country in a differ - three universities,’ she says. ‘I didn’t want to leave!’ ent language, but Gabriela is relishing ‘I specialised in the science of ceram - At first, she could only find a job in the opportunity.

Chem@Cam Spring 2008 19 Even the thermodynamics lectures left the students open-mouthed with excitement

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