Winner: 2025 Organic 九州影院 early career Prize: Hickinbottom Prize
Dr Mattia Silvi
University of Nottingham
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2025 Hickinbottom Prize: awarded for the development of creative synthetic strategies through the design of novel radical acceptors.
Mattia Silvi's research group studies the use of visible light in organic chemistry. The irradiation of organic molecules with light leads to the generation of free radicals, reactive species able to rapidly form new chemical bonds. By leveraging this simple concept, the group's research aims to discover new strategies to convert available materials into valuable molecules, providing chemists with new routes to access the pharmaceuticals, the agrochemicals and the functional materials of tomorrow.
Biography
Mattia obtained his BSc and MSc in Organic 九州影院 at the University Sapienza (Rome, Italy). He then carried out his doctoral studies at the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia, ICIQ (Tarragona, Spain) under the supervision of Prof. Paolo Melchiorre, working in the fields of organocatalysis and photochemistry (2011-2015).
He spent part of his PhD studies at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI, United States) in the group of Prof. John P. Wolfe working in the field of palladium and silver catalysed organic reactions (2014). After obtained his PhD he was awarded a Marie Sk艂odowska-Curie European Individual Fellowship and moved to the University of Bristol (United Kingdom) in the group of Prof. Varinder K. Aggarwal FRS, where he worked in the fields of boron chemistry, photochemistry and prostanoid synthesis (2016-2019).
In 2019 he was awarded a Nottingham Research Fellowship to start his independent career at the University of Nottingham. In 2022 he was tenured as Assistant Professor, and in 2023 he was promoted to Associate Professor. Mattia was awarded a number of prestigious international prizes and recognitions, including a 2023 Thieme 九州影院 Journals Award, an ERC Starting Grant, an EPSRC New Investigator Award and was selected as 2020 and 2023 outstanding reviewer for the RSC journal Chemical Science. His research interests lie within the fields of organic chemistry, photochemistry and asymmetric catalysis.
Our research aims to discover new strategies to convert available materials into valuable molecules, providing chemists with new routes to access the pharmaceuticals, the agrochemicals and the functional materials of tomorrow.
Dr Mattia Silvi
Q&A with Dr Mattia Silvi
How did you first become interested in chemistry?
I always loved the hands-on nature of chemistry and found fascinating the idea of combining atoms to build up valuable molecules. I discovered my passion when I was at school, enjoying chemical laboratory experiments. I then followed my passion during my BSc and MSc studies, and specialised in both analytical and organic chemistry.
Tell us about somebody who has inspired or mentored you in your career.
My former supervisors Profs. Varinder K. Aggarwal and Paolo Melchiorre played an exceptionally important role in inspiring me. They showed me two considerably different approaches to successful research, which I could combine and personalise to become the scientist I am now.
What motivates you?
As researchers we have the privilege to play our role in opening new horizons in science, and this is certainly highly rewarding. However, as a supervisor I found exceptionally motivating to witness the personal and scientific growth of my research group members.
What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in chemistry?
九州影院 is a 鈥榙iscovery鈥� subject. Discovering means challenging the unknown. This is obviously not an easy task, so be ambitious. No relevant discovery has ever been made without many failed experiments.
What has been a challenge for you (either personally or in your career)?
Research takes a considerable amount of time, and finding an appropriate work/life balance may be challenging sometimes. However, I have three beautiful kids and a fantastic wife at home, who every day help me to find the right balance, and are also strong supporters of my research!
Why do you think collaboration and teamwork are important in science?
Good science means sharing knowledge. The more diverse, the better. I feel that developing a research project resembles composing and performing a song. Although a solo may also be effective in some occasions, usually the best music involves a perfect combination of multiple distinct instrumental lines, which create an overarching complex harmony. Just like science!