Dr Anna Slater
Can you tell us about your career to date?
I graduated from the University of Nottingham with a PhD in Supramolecular Chemistry (2011). After PDRA positions in porphyrins and molecular materials I was appointed as a Royal Society-EPSRC Dorothy Hodgkin Fellow in 2016 and a RS URF in 2021. Then, I was promoted to a Personal Chair in October 2022.
Do you have an area of expertise / research?
My research interests span flow chemistry, materials science, supramolecular self-assembly, and enabling technology for process control.
What are you most proud of achieving during your research career so far?
I am most proud of the people I work with, and their achievements, whether that’s finishing a PhD thesis despite COVID, figuring out how to solve a complex problem, or discovering a shiny new crystal structure. Building our team over the last 6 years has been a joy, even when it’s been challenging.
What advice would you give to someone considering a career in research?
No advice fits everyone, apart from perhaps: ‘everyone is smart – distinguish yourself by being kind’ (e.g., discussed by Prof Emily Bernhardt https://freshwater-science.org/news/presidents-environment-being-kind). I hope we can get academia to a place where ‘kind’ is the default.
Find out more about Anna here.