Dr Nicola Gasparini MRSC

During high school, I was really fascinated by the importance of chemistry, from the basics (boiling water at different heights) to the complex (photosynthesis in plants).

All of my supervisors helped me develop my scientific curiosity. My first contact with science, and in particular solar technology, was during my MSci work, when my professor, Dr Camaioni, introduced me to this topic, which led me to this prestigious award. Professor Brabec, during my PhD, allowed me to explore this technology without limiting any idea I had and, finally, both Dr Baran and Professor McCulloch helped to consolidate my research beyond the laboratory work.

The infinite desire to improve knowledge and share it with my team. Doing research not only for publications but also for the real world. I was also motivated to see the end goal of the research I am doing.

Go for it! The possibilities are infinite. Chemistry is one of the most interdisciplinary subjects in science and allows you to discuss with chemists, physicists, engineers, theoreticians, etc.

The imaging sensor market has experienced major growth in recent years, as evidenced by the expansion of digital imaging into cameras, smartphones, and the automotive sector. Applications to biomedicine, optical communications, and the Internet of Things are also being evaluated. This, together with sustainable materials for solar applications, are the two areas of research that excite me the most.

Chemistry is central to any scientific research; without chemistry, new material discoveries cannot be made.

I always recall three highlights: 1) Spinning out a company during my PDRA on solar technology; 2) The first publication as principal investigator; 3) With five members of the 2020 Young Scientist class of the World Economic Forum, we created a transformation map on science for the strategic intelligence of the World Economic Forum. We created eight different pillars, including ‘Diversity and Inclusion in Science’, discussing ways to achieve greater gender equality and parity, ways to be more open and inclusive to the LGBTQ+ community and addressing systemic racism and ageism.

This is fundamental and is the leitmotif of my research group. A great scientific discovery is never done to the individual but to the team behind it.