Profile

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Ronan Bellabarba

My CV

  • Education:

    I went to state school in Italy, then did a BSc in Chemistry at the University of Hull, then did a PhD in Oxford.

  • Qualifications:

    I got an Italian Maturità Scientifica, then a BSc First Class, then a Doctorate from Oxford.
    I also became Charted Chemist status and recently Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, which I am especially pleased with.

  • Work History:

    I worked as a post-doctoral researcher at Queen’s University in Belfast and at Instituto Superior Tecnico in Portugal as a fixed term scientist, then I got a permanent job in St Andrews with a company called Sasol Technology. About 5 years ago I joined Johnson Matthey as a Technology Manager.

  • Current Job:

    Technology Manager, which means I run R and D programmes and try to fix customer’s problems.

  • About Me:

    I run R and D programmes for JM. I love Chemistry and I love doing R and D. Part of it is developing new materials so that chemical processes can run more sustainably, and part of it is having ideas of what the world could be like and what will be needed.

  • Read more

    I develop catalysts, which are substances that accelerate chemical reactions without being consumed. This is the most critical part of the chemistry that goes into any industrial process.
    One of the materials that I develop goes into making refrigerants for air conditioning units. These once were bad for the environment because they were bad for the ozone layer and were greenhouse gases. The ones I help make do not damage the ozone layer and are not greenhouse gases.

    I have to know a lot about all areas of chemistry and materials science, some of which I don’t completely understand…

    I also help other scientists become better scientists, by finding them ways to different work and getting them to learn new things.
    To be a scientist for a high profile company like JM is a bit like being a footballer for a top club. Super cool if you’re into it.

  • My Typical Day:

    Today was a fairly typical day. I spent some time sorting out a problem with how people analyse the product in one of our factories. I then spent some time thinking about a new idea one of our scientists had in another one of our sites- the idea seems technically good, but how would it help people?
    I then spent some time in a meeting setting up goals and objectives for next year.

  • My Interview

    • How would you describe yourself in 3 words?

      Take the 5th...

      What did you want to be after you left school?

      A scientist

      Were you ever in trouble at school?

      Oh yes. Many times.

      Who is your favourite singer or band?

      I like Blues and Rock

      If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!

      I wish I could win the lottery. Then I could work less and give money to causes I care about.

      Tell us a joke.

      What do we do with dead chemists? We Barium!

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