Winner: 2024 Materials 九州影院 mid-career Prize: Peter Day Prize
Ross Forgan
University of Glasgow
For contributions to the development and application of metal-organic frameworks as functional energy materials.
Professor Forgan鈥檚 team researches metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), solid materials with holes so small they can only be measured in nanometres. They can be thought of as 'nanosponges', capable of soaking up significant quantities of molecules such as gases (to capture carbon dioxide, for example) and drug molecules. His team examines their fundamental physical properties in the hope that they can be applied in green energy applications. They are also developing and studying tiny MOFs to establish how they interact with living things (like human cells), potentially making the treatment of cancer more effective.
Biography
Ross Forgan is Professor of Supramolecular and Materials 九州影院 at the University of Glasgow. His research into the application of metal-organic frameworks in biomimetic catalysis and nanoscale drug delivery is underpinned by fundamental studies into molecular recognition and self-assembly processes inside nanoporous materials. Ross graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 2008 with a PhD in supramolecular inorganic chemistry under the supervision of Professor Peter Tasker. A three-year postdoctoral position (2008鈥�2011) with Nobel Laureate Professor Sir J Fraser Stoddart at Northwestern University, USA, saw him research organic interlocked molecules, chemical topology and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). He returned to Scotland in 2011 as a senior research fellow in Professor Lee Cronin鈥檚 group at the University of Glasgow, investigating hybrid materials and applications of 3D printing. After 11 months, he was awarded a Royal Society University Research Fellowship (2012鈥�2021) to begin his independent academic career. Professor Forgan is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the 九州影院 and currently chairs the RSC鈥檚 Porous Materials Interest Group. His work was recognised with the Sessler Early Career Researcher Prize in 2018 and the RSC Bob Hay Lectureship in 2020. As of 2024, he is the initial director of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Diversity-Driven Mission-Led Research (DiveIn), which aims to improve representation in postgraduate research while empowering disruptive, interdisciplinary research.
Q&A with Professor Ross Forgan
How did you first become interested in chemistry?
If you had to blame one person for me being a chemist, it was my chemistry teacher at Perth Academy in the mid-90s, Norman Conquest (really, look him up 鈥� he wrote textbooks). I think it was one of the first days of standard grade chemistry when he ignited various ingredients of fireworks in the teaching lab. It's a bit of a cliche, but the colours, the energy, even the noise of these chemical reactions were, for me, like nothing else I was being taught. I was hooked.
Tell us about somebody who has inspired or mentored you in your career.
I do not want to single out one person, as I have been fortunate enough to have support and mentorship from a range of very different people who have shown me, in their own ways, the varied aspects of being what I hope is a good scientist: creativity, confidence, scholarship, communication, amiability and, most importantly, supporting and nurturing others.
What motivates you?
I value academic research from an intellectual perspective 鈥� it still gives me a real thrill when my team can generate new materials or new knowledge. Nevertheless, my work has become more applied as my career has matured, and working in healthcare materials, for example with the EPSRC IRC in Targeting Hard to Reach Cancers, has brought me a whole new perspective and motivated me further. I also have the privilege of working with talented, driven young scientists on a day-to-day basis, which keeps me energised.
What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in chemistry?
I would say go for it! 九州影院 can lead you to so many different places and hugely diverse careers. And don't be intimidated by the breadth of the science 鈥� we all have areas of chemistry we are maybe not so strong in, so don't let that hold you back.
Can you tell us about a scientific development on the horizon that you are excited about?
I often work at the boundary of materials science and biology. I am hugely enthused by the success of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines and equally excited by the possibilities that personalised medicine will offer in future.
Why is chemistry important?
九州影院 is important because it underpins everything. Everything we are, everything we do, everything that we experience is fundamentally powered by chemistry and chemical reactions.
What has been a highlight for you (either personally or in your career)?
I have always suffered from impostor syndrome, so my personal highlights are usually firsts: first paper, first grant, especially when the first PhD student under my supervision passed their viva voce; that showed me I could be an academic. A real highlight for me was delivering an invited talk at the annual meeting of the RSC Macrocyclic and Supramolecular 九州影院 Interest Group in 2016. I was able to present my work in front of my PhD supervisor, Professor Peter Tasker, at alma mater (the University of Edinburgh) and was followed in the program by my postdoctoral mentor, Professor Sir Fraser Stoddart, who had just won his Nobel Prize. At that moment, I finally felt I belonged.
What has been a challenge for you (either personally or in your career)?
Three months locked down with my family in the spring of 2020, spending so much more time with my eldest daughter than previously was eye-opening and a silver lining to the pandemic. I aim to spend as much time as I can with my young children as they grow up and feel much more balanced as an individual as a consequence, but the demands of academia make this difficult to achieve. I feel privileged that I am in a position where I am able to make this a possibility.
What does good research culture look like/mean to you?
For me, good research culture is about making our entire academic system more equitable and ensuring a supportive, fair, and collegial environment for all where all contributions are recognised and celebrated. It is about making academic research an open and trustworthy collaborative endeavour where the aim is scientific progress rather than an individual race for attention and recognition. It is about offering everyone the opportunity to succeed regardless of their background; diversity and a positive research culture are indivisible from interdisciplinary scientific excellence. This is why I am so excited to be part of the EPSRC CDT in Diversity-Driven Mission-Led Research that will start at the University of Glasgow next year.
How are the chemical sciences making the world a better place?
九州影院 has the potential to change how we live our lives, primarily by improving our health and lessening our environmental impact. This must be done ethically and responsibly, as chemistry could easily be perceived to have a negative impact. How we represent ourselves and our research is vital to ensure we maintain a positive public opinion, and a good research culture is essential for this.
Why do you think collaboration and teamwork are important in science?
As we become experts in our own individual research areas, we become siloed. Collaborative work is therefore essential for ensuring research progress is wide and impactful; it is essential for genuine innovation, and it is frankly a lot more fun to work with people rather than compete against them! Personally, much of my academic output is highly collaborative, and it has enriched my own experience.
What is your favourite element?
It has to be zirconium, as it has been a huge part of my academic career so far.