Understanding future challenges for the chemical industry wins postgraduate chemist Stephanie Chapman a national award

Postgraduate researcher Stephanie Chapman has received a prestigious Salters’ Prize of £1,000 to recognise her achievement as one of the UK’s most outstanding young chemists. She impressed judges at The Salters’ Institute with her knowledge of today’s chemical industry and its future challenges to win the award.

During her Masters of Chemistry degree at Southampton, Stephanie undertook a placement at the UK Catalysis Hub at Harwell, part of a wider science innovation campus and seized her opportunity to use its world-class facilities alongside leading researchers. She is now continuing her interest in catalysis in her PhD in Dr Robert Raja’s laboratory.

Stephanie was accompanied by her parents and Dr Raja at the ceremony in the Fishmonger’s Hall in London: “It was a great opportunity to meet other chemists and chemical engineers who won the ten awards in such an amazing venue.”

She is the third young female chemist from Southampton to win a Salters’ Prize in recent years. Stephanie Newland received an award in 2012 following Emma Stuart in 2011.

The Salters’ Institute was founded in 1918 when it established annual research fellowships. It now encourages young people to take up careers in chemistry and chemical engineering.