Profile
Jon Newnham
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About Me:
I am a chemist who studies how materials can conduct electricity inside of a battery.
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My job lets me travel all over the world which is great because I love to explore new places. In my spare time I like to run and bake!
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My pronouns are:
He/Him
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My Work:
I am a research chemist who designs and studies different materials to make batteries (like the ones in your phone) less flammable and more safe.
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The flammable part in the battery is the liquid electrolyte. This is the part that lets the lithium ions move from the negative to the positive side of a battery. I am trying to make new electrolytes that are not flammable, and I test how quickly the lithium atoms can move though it.
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My Typical Day:
I wake up and like to have a slow and relaxing morning before getting into work at 9am. When I get in, I usually check the results of the experiment I started the night before and analyse the data. I then have lunch with my friends and work out what experiments I’d like to do next. In the afternoon I’d start a new experiment, or I would write up the results of some of my other experiments so I can explain the results to other scientists.
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What I'd do with the prize money:
I’d love to visit schools and show off some exciting experiments to inspire students and get them interested in chemistry.
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Education:
I did my GCSEs and A-levels in Trinity School, Belvedere.
I then did my Chemistry degree and the University of Hull.
My PhD was at the University of Liverpool.
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Qualifications:
I gained 12 GSCEs from my school. I found some subjects really difficult (like English) because I have dyslexia. But I loved science, and with the right support I was really able to do well at school.
In my A-levels, I got C’s in Chemistry, Geography, and Physics. Usually we would do 4 A-levels, but I also re-sat GSCE English at the same time.
I then got into the University of Hull through clearing to study chemistry. I really fell in love with the subject at this point and decided to make it my career. Afterwards, went on to do a PhD in chemistry at the University of Liverpool.
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Work History:
When I was younger, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I thought about being an archeologist, a writer, or a scientist to name just a few, but I really had no idea at the time.
I had a job every summer working in a Toby Carvery restaurant from the age for 18 until I got through university to help me pay for my rent.
Because I didn’t know I wanted to do as a career, I didn’t have any experience working in chemistry until I left university. This wasn’t a problem though as I was able to get a job as a PhD student and as a researcher with the skills that I gained at university.
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Current Job:
I am now a research chemist who designs and studies different materials to make batteries (like the ones in your phone) less flammable and more safe.
My job lets me travel all over the world to do cool experiments and share my finding. So far, my work as allowed me to travel in England, Scotland, Germany, and the USA.
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Employer:
I currently work at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland.
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
International runner and chemist
What did you want to be after you left school?
A scientist (but I had no idea what kind!)
Were you ever in trouble at school?
I once spilt a can of paint over my product design teacher's computer. She was not happy!
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
I love telling people about new discoveries in science so I'd love to writie for a magazine like The New Scientist
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Right now its Kendrick Lamar, but it changes all the time.
What's your favourite food?
Chocolate fudge cake
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
1. To travel the globe, 2. To be a faster runner, 3. more wishes!
Tell us a joke.
What do you call an alligator in a vest? An investigator!
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