This Could Be You! If you would like to be a part of Meet the YCG please get in touch, we post every week a short interview from members of the YCG. This week we introduce out newly elected Secretary/Treasurer Tom Roseveare.
Name
Tom Roseveare
Current position
PhD student at The University of Sheffield and Secretary/Treasurer of the YCG
What do you currently research?
My current research interest focuses on the construction of low dimensional inorganic materials for potential applications in gas storage and separation. This work has focused on exploiting inefficient packing and intermolecular interactions as tools to propagate and sustain a porous material. This work has involved both the synthesis of materials as well as testing them for gas inclusion properties through a series on in situ diffraction studies, where crystalline materials are exposed to increasing (and decreasing) pressures of gas. These studies have helped to further the understanding of how these materials include guests.
What is your favourite thing about being a crystallographer?
Becoming a crystallographer has resulted in me gaining a new appreciation for symmetry, both in the materials that I produce and that I encounter on a daily basis. These fundamental mathematical operations truly come to life when demonstrated in the extended network of crystalline material and (in my opinion) truly bridges a gap between art and science. Similarly I struggle to not see the symmetry in the art and design I encounter daily.
Who, or what, inspires you to do science?
I enjoy pursuing the answers to questions posed by myself, other members of the research group and the wider community. It is really rewarding to take a concept/hypothesis and with a combination of synthesis and analysis being able to produce a material to answer/better understand that area of research.
What is the one piece of advice you would give to anyone starting out in scientific research?
Always ask questions. Question the research you are carrying out, as well as the analytical methods you perform. Question your supervisor, your group members and the wider community, these questions can lead to new research directions, collaboration and an overall increased understanding.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Since moving to Sheffield, I have become increasingly interested in bouldering, this being partly due to the large rock climbing contingent present in the Chemistry Department. Sheffield has also allowed me to increase my knowledge of beer, both in discovering the large plethora of styles and how these styles are achieved within the brewing process. This interest in beer and brewing has recently collided with my analytical training through a public engagement opportunity that involved analysing the beers (around 70) at the Students’ Union Beer Festival for their colour and bitterness.
