Dr Anabel Lanterna MRSC

Winner: 2022 Environment, Sustainability and Energy Division Early Career Award

The University of Nottingham

For innovative research on heterogeneous photocatalysis, pushing boundaries towards less expensive, light-responsive, reusable catalytic processes for sustainable chemistry.

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During my career, I had the privilege to live and work in different countries … These experiences helped me develop cultural sensitivity for diversity of perspectives, which can often motivate exciting and unique research ideas.

Dr Lanterna’s research group focuses on the design of materials that can harness the power of light to produce valuable chemicals under ecologically and economically sustainable conditions. In particular, the group explores the use of earth-abundant elements, together with sunlight, to trigger important chemical reactions. The work could lead to improving the manufacturing processes of many goods we use in our daily life – for example, food preservatives, paints, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals – reducing not only their cost but also their environmental footprint.

Read winner biography

Dr Anabel Lanterna is Assistant Professor in the School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, UK. She was born and raised in Laguna Larga, Argentina, and obtained her degree in chemistry from the National University of Córdoba. While there, she was awarded a prestigious PhD fellowship from the Argentinean National Research Council to pursue her graduate studies, focusing on the synthesis and manipulation of gold nanoparticles. Her studies included stints at the University of Johannesburg (South Africa) and the University of Valencia (Spain), where she became interested in photochemistry.

Fascinated by the idea of using light to induce chemical reactions, Anabel moved to a postdoc in Canada with Professor Juan Scaiano, where she developed her expertise in heterogeneous photocatalysis. Motivated by her interests in sustainable chemistry, Anabel established international collaborations to develop inexpensive and reusable catalysts for water purification and green hydrogen generation.

Her scientific contributions in the fields of photochemistry and materials science were recognised by the Inter-American Photochemistry Society (2017 Closs Postdoctoral Award) and the Chemical Institute of Canada (2018). In 2020, Anabel was appointed Assistant Professor at the University of Nottingham where she focuses on the rational design of heterogeneous photocatalysts based on earth-abundant, inexpensive, and stable materials for applications in sustainable chemistry and green hydrogen generation.

Q+A

Who or what has inspired you?

Despite not having had access to university education, my father’s scientific curiosity was infectious: even during my early childhood, he frequently read science magazines and explained scientific facts to me. His hard work supported my education, and his constant encouragement gave me the courage to give shape to my career interests.

I had also the great privilege to work with Professor Scaiano, not just a world leader in the field of photochemistry, but also an exceptionally supportive academic mentor. He showed me that, as an academic, we can contribute to our society: from developing transformative ideas to improve our daily life, to educating the next generation of scientists. His curiosity and excitement about chemistry are a constant inspiration.

What motivates you?

Nature is a constant motivation for me. Its stunning beauty and diversity sustained by fascinating interconnected chemical cycles has much to teach us and encourages me to work towards developing a more sustainable future.

What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in chemistry?

Focus your research on topics you are curious and passionate about; don’t just go with the flow. It is really important you really enjoy what you are doing and to be patient, as things do not always work the way we expect.

Can you tell us about a scientific development on the horizon that you are excited about?

We are studying different ways to make chemical reactions in a more sustainable manner. I am particularly excited about a project that aims to use light as a selective reagent to allow reactions in one pot. If successful, it will reduce the waste generated during the manufacture of chemicals.

Why is chemistry important?

Chemistry is everywhere: food, clothing, housing, health, and energy, all require (natural or artificial) chemical processes to be generated. Chemistry makes our daily lives possible, but our current lifestyle is placing extreme demands on the environment. Chemistry can provide the means to help save our planet, from cleaning air, water, and soil, to providing sustainable solutions to enrich our quality of life while helping us be better stewards of our natural resources.

What has been a highlight for you (either personally or in your career)?

During my career, I had the privilege to live and work in different countries and have diverse cultural experiences. Not only did I learn a lot about different ways to do science, but also was able to open my mind to distinct opinions and ways to see life. These experiences helped me develop cultural sensitivity for diversity of perspectives, which can often motivate exciting and unique research ideas.

What has been a challenge for you (either personally or in your career)?

Moving to different countries following my career dreams has not been easy. For instance, when I moved to the UK in the middle of the pandemic, I was alone for much of the time and spent more than a year before I could see my partner again, and two years before seeing my mother. During that time, I understood the value of a simple hug.

Why do you think teamwork is important in science?

Working in a team allows bringing together diverse perspectives that can inspire creativity and drive innovation. This is fundamental for inspiring new approaches to finding solutions to our most intractable problems.