Profile

I like to think I was always destined to be a scientist, ever since  I was given a ‘Chemistry 90’ set one Christmas. I didn’t get off to the best of starts – a friend and I spilt methyl orange indicator on my Mum and Dad’s dining room carpet and it wouldn’t come out. There was a certain amount of strategic furniture placing and it was as good as new. When we moved house we took that carpet with us and my Dad cut the stained bit out as a momento! My parents are ace… they didn’t really get mad. Perhaps they knew what was to come? Here I am (aged 7) using that very same ‘Chemistry 90’ set, cooling down a test tube under the cold tap. Check out those pyjamas (click on all images to enlarge). I was totally ahead of my time.

The scientific research I am interested in focuses on silver, that element found roughly in the middle of the periodic table. Most people know it’s used in jewellery and cutlery but I use it in a completely different way. I use it to kill bacteria, particularly the really nasty microbes known as ‘superbugs’. MRSA is known as a ‘hospital superbug’ and is a potential killer if it gets into your bloodstream when your immune system’s not on tip-top form (like when you’re in hospital, hence the name). But using silver wound dressings could help save thousands of lives in the UK alone. They look like futuristic plasters which you can whack on your wound at the first sign of infection. And we can count ourselves very lucky. Our National Health Service can afford remedies to save our lives whereas third world countries aren’t so fortunate. I’d like this work to help save lives all over the world.
Most of my life is taken with communicating science. I support teachers setting up STEM Clubs (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) in schools across a quarter of England (from Nottingham right up to the Scottish border). I give entertaining science lectures and hands-on workshops in schools and I coordinate two Engineering programmes in Yorkshire which promote schools and businesses working together. I also enjoy writing and I sub-edit Chemistry Review, a national magazine for chemists. I’m also currently revising the content of a popular AS/A2 level Chemistry text book, Chemistry in Context, with Prof. Sir John Holman. I have a radio slot on BBC Radio York every Tuesday afternoon too. ‘School-run Science with Dr. Jo’ has become a rather surprise hit, given that science generally doesn’t feature on the radio. I answer science questions, the weirder and more disgusting the better, and try and explain key theories in the world of science. It generally descends into chaos or a fit of giggles. To get people talking, understanding and enjoying science who usually wouldn’t, would probably sum up what I do for a living. One of the latest things I spoke about was the chemistry of bruises. Here a bruise of mine after a rather nasty badminton injury. That’s the outside of my foot, by the way… and not usually that colour. One of my three wishes it to stop being so accident prone! Have you ever had a bruise worse than this?

I also love cars. Here I am driving a TVR very fast and looking slightly scared, as was my instructor (this is mentioned in the most fun thing I’ve done).

I love music too. I took A-Level music because I enjoyed it so much. Here I am playing a very serious piece on my clarinet (and looking very serious!) but I play the saxophone too and enjoy playing jazz and contemporary stuff.

At the moment I am doing a lot of;

Working with teachers to help and support them with their science activities in their school
Giving fun , practical science workshops to kids of all ages
Delivering talks about really bizzare (and often slightly gross) aspects of science to the general public
Writing science articles for magazines – this is a bit more serious than the workshops and talks.
Speaking at conferences about the importance of science
Doing experiments – blowing things up, setting fire to stuff, making people go ‘eeeugh’
Talking to other scientists so we can share ideas. And I like a good natter too.
Investigating a potential feature for the radio slot
Researching pieces for books and articles
Keeping up to date with what’s going on in the world of science

And that’s what’s so great about it… every day is different.