Graduate receives ‘junior Nobel Prize’

Chemistry graduate David Evans has been formally recognised as Global Winner of the Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences category at the 2016 Undergraduate Awards (UA), often referred to as a ‘junior Nobel Prize’.

David travelled to Dublin for the UA Global Summit of the world’s top 150 undergraduate students, where he received his award from NASA Astronaut, Dr Mae Jemison, and Chair of the Undergraduate Awards, Jim Barry. David was honoured for his contribution to pioneering work on the discovery of an effective new chemical pathway, with the potential to eventually aid research into new drugs.

David, who has now embarked on a PhD with Professor Bruno Linclau and industrial partner Dextra Laboratories, commented:

'It was an incredible opportunity to mix with the top students in so many fields from across the globe and to be in the presence of such insightful speakers. I’ve made many connections and friends that I will take forward with me into my career and later life and I’m wholly grateful at the chance to have taken part in the summit.'

David graduated in summer 2016 with a Master 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 was written up for his final year dissertation. David’s research, with Tharwat Mohy El Dine, Jérôme Blanchet and Jacques Rouden in Caen, has been published in Chemistry: A European Journal.

Head of Chemistry at Southampton, Professor Gill Reid commented:

'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 concluded:

'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.'