The School of Chemistry is a 5* rated Chemistry Department
Research in the Inorganic and Materials Section of the School of Chemistry at Bristol has two main strands which build on its strengths as a leading international centre of molecular and materials inorganic chemistry: Space Filling Model

These areas are currently funded by, among others, Rhodia, BP Chemicals, DuPont, DeGussa, DSM, BOC Edwards, Electrotech, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Leverhulme Trust, Shell, Unilever, and AstraZeneca.

Gordon Stone Lecture
Click here for the entire Inorganic and Materials Section Seminar Programme

Awards and Medals since 1999

Previous recipients of RSC awards include:

Research Areas

The research interests, and therefore projects available, in the Inorganic and Materials Chemistry Section can be divided into several broad and overlapping subject areas:

Collaborative research programmes exist in a number of areas both within and beyond the Section. Generally, collaborative projects take advantage of expertise in one research group to accelerate progress in the research of another. Research programmes of this type exist with our colleagues in the Physics and Geology Departments and the Interface Analysis Centre, as well as other Sections of the School of Chemistry.

FACILITIES AND TRAINING

All members of the Section are now working in new or recently refurbished laboratories. In particular the synthetic chemistry activities of the Section are housed in the new Synthetic Chemistry building. These state-of-the-art laboratories provide the best facilities for synthetic chemistry in the UK University system, with all researchers having their own large highly serviced fume-cupboard and personal write-up space immediately adjacent to their laboratory.

Inorganic chemists employ a wide range of experimental techniques, including IR, visible/UV, X-ray absorption, NMR and EMR spectroscopies, mass spectrometry, X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. The Inorganic and Materials Chemistry Section is exceptionally well equipped to conduct research at the forefront of international science using these techniques. Among the major instrumentation available to researchers in inorganic chemistry are the following:

All these instruments are housed in recently refurbished, purpose-designed suites.

In addition there is a host of minor instruments covering the full range of routine spectroscopic analysis techniques together with a wide range of specialist scattering and chromatographic techniques. The School of Chemistry has its own microanalytical laboratory, together with excellent in-house computer, electrical, electronic, mechanical and glass workshops and an outstanding library.

A wide range of in-house and central computing facilities is used to support research in the School and there are excellent facilities for molecular modelling. All researchers in the School have direct access to personal computers (Macintosh and PCs) in part through computing and information technology laboratories in the School funded by major donations from industry (Esso, Hewlett Packard and Glaxo SmithKline).

Developments in the Inorganic and Materials Chemistry Section

The past year has seen significant developments affecting the Section, while the coming year will see yet more:

  1. New state-of the art single crystal X-ray diffractometer, with mirror optics, rotating anode source and area detector.
  2. New SQUID Magnetometer (collaboration with Physics).
  3. Recent staff appointments:
  4. The new Synthetic Chemistry Building housing the synthetic chemistry activities of the Section, opened in November 1999, providing outstanding industrial-standard research facilities for synthetic chemistry.

At present the Section has over 50 postgraduate researchers, ca. 30 undergraduate research students and around 20 postdoctoral fellows in addition to ca. 20 academic and 10 technical staff. Postgraduate employment prospects are excellent. Since 1995, more than 50 postgraduates from the Section have been awarded Ph.D. degrees. Of those, around half took jobs in the chemical and related industries (e.g. Rhodia, Bayer, BP Chemicals, Esso, Oxford Asymmetry, Unilever, L'Oréal); others took up postdoctoral research positions - the usual route to academic and other research careers - in continental Europe, North America, Australasia and in the U.K.; about half a dozen graduating Ph.D. students have gone into scientific publishing or scientific media.

POSTGRADUATE STUDY AT BRISTOL

Information about postgraduate study in the School of Chemistry is available here.

Overseas Candidates

Information for candidates applying from overseas is available here.

FURTHER ENQUIRIES

The Inorganic and Materials Section forms part of the Graduate School of Chemistry at Bristol University.

Further enquiries about research and postgraduate study in Inorganic and Materials Chemistry at Bristol should be made in writing (or by email) to Professor Pringle at the address below. It would be helpful if you could indicate the names of members of staff whose research areas are of interest to you. Prospective students are welcome to visit the Section by arrangement in order to meet staff and students, to discuss projects and to see the School of Chemistry.

Address: School of Chemistry,
University of Bristol,
Bristol,
BS8 1TS.
Telephone: +44(0)117 928 8310
Fax: +44(0)117 929 0509
email: paul.pringle@bristol.ac.uk
Secretary: r.musgrave@bristol.ac.uk

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