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The University of Southampton
Chemistry

Global award for Southampton graduate for his achievements in chemical and pharmaceutical science research

Published: 7 September 2016
David Evans
David Evans

Southampton Chemistry graduate David Evans has been named the Global Winner of the Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences category at the 2016 Undergraduate Awards (UA). He has been honoured for his contribution to pioneering work on the discovery of an effective new chemical pathway using a novel organoboron catalyst with the potential to eventually aid research into new drugs. David will receive a gold medal at the annual summit in Dublin in November and his findings will be published by UA.

“I knew I had been highly commended in the contest but I was thrilled to be named global winner. I am looking forward to meeting leading scientists at the summit and making valuable contacts for my career,” says David who is about to embark on a PhD into the fluorination of bioactive compounds with Professor Bruno Linclau in Southampton and industrial partner Dextra Laboratories.

Head of Chemistry Professor Gill Reid comments: “We are absolutely delighted that David’s hard work and creativity during his placement have been recognised in this way. It is testament to the very high quality science that he and his fellow Chemistry students in Southampton produce over the course of their undergraduate degrees. This is a fantastic achievement at this early stage of David’s research career and we look forward to his continuing success as he embarks on his PhD project.”

David graduated in summer 2016 with a Masters of Chemistry degree with first class honours. His award-winning research was carried out during a six month placement at the ENSICAEN research facility in Normandy, France during the first half of his fourth year and written up for his final year dissertation; it received a mark of over 90 per cent, one of the highest-ever undergraduate marks. David’s research, with Tharwat Mohy El Dine, Jérôme Blanchet and Jacques Rouden in Caen, has been published in Chemistry: A European Journal. The new route to achieve transamidation emerged as a byproduct of the team’s experiment to form peptides from amino acids.

“This opportunity to study abroad was definitely the highlight of my degree. Carrying out top level research alongside talented chemists in France helped me to become a much better chemist and Southampton’s close connections with Normandy made it all possible,” adds David.

Photo of David Evans
I was in Caen in northern France researching organo-boron catalysis.
David EvansMChem Chemistry with research project abroad*
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