Jasmine Pople is from the College of Science and Engineering and is one of the 12 winners of the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Doctoral Thesis Excellence for 2024. Jasmine’s thesis was titled “Synthesis and applications of poly(trisulfides)”
We invited Jasmine to share insights into the PhD journey and what winning this award means.
What is your research about?
My research focused on developing novel and safe methods for the synthesis of recyclable sulfur-containing polymers. I applied these polymers in a range of applications including recyclable gold sorbents and novel fungicidal materials.
What does winning the Vice-Chancellors Award for Doctoral Thesis Excellence mean to you?
I am honoured to receive this award for my thesis, which reflects several years of research in sulfur polymer chemistry. During this time, I made novel discoveries in the synthesis of recyclable sulfur polymers, leading to several new and exciting projects within the Chalker Lab. This recognition of my thesis highlights both the significance on the research and the clarity in which it was communicated.
What was the topic of your PhD and why is it important to you?
The topic of my PhD was the address safety issue in the synthesis of sulfur polymer, a growing class of polymers with valuable applications in metal binding, lenses for infrared imaging, adhesives, protective coatings, etc. This research is important to me as I was able to develop safe methods to produce these sulfur polymers, but I was also able to make these sulfur polymers recyclable. The development of sustainable new materials is important to me.
Tell us about your research
My research was spread across several different types of science, including organic synthesis, polymer chemistry, photochemistry, electrochemistry, and microbiology. With the guidance of academic experts in each field, I integrated these techniques to achieve my research goals.
Tell us about your PhD journey
Like many PhD journeys, mine had a rocky start. After my first year of my PhD, I had to completely change my research project. With the support and guidance of the larger synthesis group in the Collage of Science and Engineering, I quickly adapted, learning new areas of chemistry and applying this knowledge to develop novel techniques that ultimately helped me achieve my research goals and complete my PhD.
What has been one of the most enjoyable parts of the journey?
During my PhD I had the opportunity to spend 3 months at the University of Liverpool, working with our collaborators on antifungal research involving my sulfur polymers. It was valuable to experience a different research group in a new environment.
What has been one of the hardest parts of the journey?
It is hard not to be disheartened when your experiments do not provide the outcome you hoped for. It is harder when tis occurs over a long period of time, repeatedly.