SCI 3rd annual scholars showcase

Dr Andrew Logsdail

Cardiff University

Andrew J. Logsdail is a Lecturer in Computational and Catalytic Chemistry (2019-) and Future Leaders Fellow (2020-) in the School of Chemistry, Cardiff University. His research group works in the development and application of next-generation computational modelling, with a specific interest in understanding and designing catalytic materials and reactions. Previously, Andrew was a University Research Fellow at Cardiff University (2016-19); a Ramsay Research Fellow (2014-16) and postdoctoral research associate (2012-14) at University College London; and obtained his PhD at the University of Birmingham (2012).

Dr Anna Zhenova

Green Rose Chemistry

Anna leads Green Rose Chemistry and works directly with clients to solve their green chemistry problems. During her Ph.D. at the University of York, she noticed the market need for high-quality, on-demand green chemistry research for industrial applications, and founded Green Rose Chemistry to meet it. Her Ph.D. research developed new applications for safe, bio-based solvents, combining state-of-the-art computational modeling and comprehensive experimental work, with a particular focus on polymers. Anna excels in translating academic expertise to real-world applications, and has a rather unscientific fondness for clear communication and polished graphics.

Arron Aatkar

GSK/University of Strathclyde Glasgow

Arron completed his MSci degree at the University of Bristol, during which he carried out an industrial placement with GSK and undertook his final year project under the supervision of Professor Jonathan Clayden. In October 2019, he started his PhD on the GSK/University of Strathclyde Collaborative PhD Programme, and in June 2020 he was grateful to receive a SCI Scholarship. Predominantly based at GSK within the chemical biology group, Arron is working on the application of reactive fragments to the early stages of drug discovery.

Holly Bonfield

GSK/University of Strathclyde

Holly received her MChem in Chemistry from the University of York in 2018. As part of her undergraduate course, she undertook a one-year industrial placement at GSK's R&D facility in Stevenage. Here she worked on photochemical benzylic brominations in Chemical Development. Holly is currently a third year industrial PhD student on the University of Strathclyde-GSK collaborative PhD programme, supervised by Drs David Pascoe and David Lindsay. Her research is focused on synthetic applications of asymmetric remote functionalisation methods for the synthesis of bioactive molecules.

Shen Qu

University of St Andrews

Shen Qu is originally from China. He obtained his BSc and MPhil degrees from the University of St Andrews carrying out research in the Smith group. His PhD projects focus on developing novel kinetic resolutions of alcohols using isothiourea catalysis.