Profile
Ben Rowsell
My CV
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Education:
Wigmore High School, Herefordshire,
Hereford Sixth Form College,
University of Birmingham (with study year abroad at the University of Maryland) – Undergraduate
University of Bristol – PhD -
Qualifications:
GCSE’s: Maths (A*), Science (A), Double Science (A), English Language and Literature (B,B), French (B), Geography (A), P.E. (A*), Media Studies (B), National Diploma in IT (Distinction)
A Levels: Chemistry (A*), Biology (A), Geography (A), General Studies (A), AS Level Maths (C), EPQ A
MSci Chemistry with study year abroad: Class I (hons)
Currently studying for PhD -
Work History:
Kitchen Porter (age 16-18)
Warehouse Worker (summer job between university years (18-20),
Volunteer Rugby Referee and coach (15-20),
Volunteer Football coaching working with adults with learning difficulties (16-18),
Summer Lab Placement at the University of Birmingham (21) -
Current Job:
PhD student at the University of Bristol
Undergraduate lab demonstrator,
Outreach demonstrator (ages 14-18).
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About Me:
I’m a PhD student at the University of Bristol and like to keep active, cook and travel.
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Read more
I’m originally from a small village in North Herefordshire but I now live in Bristol, where I am studying for my PhD. I love sport and used to play a lot of rugby but now I just play 5-a-side football and go to the gym, but also watch a lot of it. I’m a big Arsenal fan so try and watch them play a lot. I have a girlfriend and we enjoy cooking lots of amazing meals, as well as going to the cinema.
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Read more
I work in a chemistry lab where I am developing a new route to synthesise a sub-structure seen in many drugs and agrochemicals. To do this I use iron as a metal catalyst. I have been developing this reaction from the beginning and have undergone an optimisation screen to find the best conditions. I am now investigating the reactivity and the process that occurs to develop a greater understanding of how the iron catalyst works to aid future development in the field.
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My Typical Day:
I get up and have breakfast with my girlfriend and go in to work at 9. I then go into the lab and set up my experiments for the day or purify anything that I have made. I leave work at about 6 and then go on to exercise, watch films or hang out with friends.
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Read more
I get up and have breakfast with my girlfriend and go in to work at 9. I then go into the lab and set up my experiments for the day or purify anything that I have made. A lot of the chemicals I work with decompose in air or water so I have to use special techniques to overcome this. This includes using something called a glove box (like Homer does in the intro to the Simpsons). My day may also include meetings and presentations to show off my work. I leave work at about 6 and then go on to exercise, watch films or hang out with friends.
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What I'd do with the prize money:
I’d like to donate it to the outreach team at the University of Bristol. This would allow school students to be able to use the labs here and experience a lot more what chemistry is like. Hopefully inspiring more people into a career in chemistry.
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Happy, fun and thoughtful
What did you want to be after you left school?
I used to want to be a plumber but since getting my A levels I enjoyed science a lot more and would have liked to research somewhere cool like the rain forest
Were you ever in trouble at school?
Yes quite a bit for just messing about and joining in what I thought was fun. Got in detention and on report cards quite a bit.
Who is your favourite singer or band?
J. Cole
What's your favourite food?
a banging curry
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
Make sure all my family are financially secure, be able to see all of the world, be able to teleport
Tell us a joke.
sixteen sodium atoms walk into a bar..... followed by batman
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