Professor Liam Ball MRSC

I was always interested in science and technology, but reading Roald Dahl's George's Marvellous Medicine as a child was probably the first time that chemistry (very loosely defined) really caught my imagination.

The world is made of molecules. Chemists design, make and manipulate molecules. What could be more fundamental to society?

A recurrent highlight has been to witness the growth of my co-workers as they develop into creative and independent researchers and then leave to continue on their own personal and professional journeys.

Striking the right balance between work and family life.

An environment where co-workers feel comfortable to ask questions, are not afraid to be wrong, and follow their convictions irrespective of external pressures.

No one person can be an expert in all aspects of their field, let alone across other fields, so collaboration and teamwork are essential. Interdisciplinary and inter-sector collaborations not only expose you to entirely new concepts and ways of working but also provide solutions you would never reach alone and expose questions you didn't know existed.

Working with a team is also hugely personally enriching and a great opportunity to share the highs and lows of research with others.

‘Surprise!’, which usually manifests when my detailed plan or hypothesis for a new project is blown out of the water in the first few experiments or when a co-worker brings me an entirely unexpected result or observation. In terms of chemical elements, I currently enjoy working with phosphorus, bismuth, nickel, and palladium.