My name is Stephen Ashworth and I work in the chemistry department of the School of Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy in the University of East Anglia (UEA). The University of East Anglia is in Norwich, a city in the south east of England. I have three main parts to my job. I have to teach University students, help with the administration of the University and do research. Although I work in a chemistry department and my bachelors degree is in chemistry most of what I teach is related to physics. The topics include magnetism, thermodynamics, quantum mechanics and some spectroscopy. I teach topics which are related to physics because my research is mainly in the area known as molecular physics.
My research is on three different topics. The common feature is that I use lasers to investigate the properties of materials. In the first area of research I am working with collaborators in Lyon, France to look at the detailed properties of small molecules which are found in some types of stars. By investigating the properties of these molecules as they absorb light while they are in a strong magnetic field we will provide information that will enable astronomers to measure the magnetic fields at star surfaces. My second area of research is investigating molecules which are found in the atmosphere to find out how they react with other molecules. We are interested in how fast the reactions happen, what is produced and what the effect of sunlight might be. My third area of research is into types of molecules which can be used to kill cancer cells. Light is used as a switch to “turn on” these molecules once they are in cancerous cells and my interest is in finding out how efficient the process is and exactly what the light energy does.
My trip to Mauritius in April 2009 was made possible because of my role in administration. I help with student admissions to the Faculty of Science which is why the University asked me to visit. During my stay I was asked to have a meeting with Hon. D Gokhool, Minister of Industry, Science and Research. We had a wide ranging discussion about how the University of East Anglia could in cooperation with organisations in Mauritius. Hon. D Gokhool was also interested in the part of my job to do with communicating science to non-specialists. These non-specialists include both the general public and schoolchildren. It was therefore a great pleasure for me that he arranged a visit to the Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre.
The Rajiv Gandhi Science centre is a great asset. I was not expecting such a large or impressive building. (Our hands-on science centre in Norwich, Inspire, is housed in an old church.) The facilities, displays and even the “play”ground ouside are all very impressive. I took lots of photographs so that I had a photographic record of what I had seen. I hope to be able to use some of the good ideas that I saw especially in the “hands-on” experiment galleray.
Here at the UEA I help oversee many of the projects that my colleagues throughout the Faculty of Science run to communicate science and involved schools in experiments and competitions. I am also directly responsible for some projects. One of these, “Discover Spectroscopy”, is funded by the Royal Society of Chemistry and enables us to take up-to-date instruments out to schools which would otherwise not be able to use them.
Another of the projects is the Norwich Science Olympiad. The Olympiad takes place over two days at the University. There are competitive events, designed by teachers, for school pupils from nearly every year at school. Prior to the campus-based competitions at the University we also run an internet based quiz which has a Grand Final on stage in front of an audience of families and guests. (A video of the 2008 Olympiad can be seen as case study 2 at http://www.cueeast.org/toolkit.htm.) I also help the Royal Society of Chemistry organise events in the local area. These include competitions, such as the local heats for a national competition which we call the “Science Investigation Day” (or SID for short).
In addition to this I travel in my local area to do demonstration lectures for any interested group. Most of these have themes taken from my research but recently I have started to develop lectures on other subjects. Most of my talks are local but sometimes I travel further afield. In 2008 and 2009 I visited the SciFest in Grahamstown, South Africa and presented some of my lectures there.
When I am not busy with work or my demonstration lectures, and when my wife and children allow, I play trombone in a local brass band.
For information on Dr Stephen H Ashworth, please click here.
