Two Chemists Knighted

Researchers who contributed to the development of Viagra and produced “greener” solvents, respectively, achieved knight status from the Queen of England.

kerry grens
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WIKIMEDIA, PERIODIC TABLE OF VIDEOSOn December 30, the British government published its “New Years Honours” list. Among a number of new dames and knights are two chemists, Simon Fraser Campbell and Martyn Poliakoff.

“I feel both honored and somewhat overwhelmed,” Poliakoff, a professor at the University of Nottingham, said in a statement. “I see this award very much as recognition of all the work being done in green and sustainable chemistry in the School of Chemistry by my colleagues, by my research team, and by our technical staff whose efforts underpin so much of our research.” According to Chemical and Engineering News, Poliakoff has “contributed to the development of supercritical carbon dioxide and supercritical water as solvent systems for industrial processing to replace traditional organic solvents.” In addition to his work as a chemist, Poliakoff has become a YouTube celebrity through his series, “Periodic Table of Videos,” which merges entertainment with education.

Campbell’s work at Pfizer helped launch ...

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  • kerry grens

    Kerry Grens

    Kerry served as The Scientist’s news director until 2021. Before joining The Scientist in 2013, she was a stringer for Reuters Health, the senior health and science reporter at WHYY in Philadelphia, and the health and science reporter at New Hampshire Public Radio. Kerry got her start in journalism as a AAAS Mass Media fellow at KUNC in Colorado. She has a master’s in biological sciences from Stanford University and a biology degree from Loyola University Chicago.

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