Southampton professor elected as Vice President of International Society of Electrochemistry

Professor Andrea Russell will advance the teaching of electrochemical science across the globe in a new executive role for the International Society of Electrochemistry.

The Professor of Physical Electrochemistry at the University of Southampton has been elected as Vice President responsible for educational activities at the historic society.

Professor Russell is an integral part of Southampton’s first-year undergraduate teaching in chemistry and serves as a Placements, Employability and Skills Tutor.

At postgraduate level, she contributes to electrochemistry modules and the Southampton Electrochemistry Summer Schools, which have been attended by over 1,000 delegates around the world in the past half century.

The International Society of Electrochemistry champions electrochemical science and technology, while promoting international cooperation across its 3,000 members.

Professor Russell says: “Electrochemistry will play a key role in helping society move towards a greener and less carbon-intense future, be that through the increased use of electrochemical power sources, the use of electrochemical sensors, or through electrosynthesis. The ISE serves electrochemists worldwide and I am honoured to have been elected a Vice-President, having previously served the society through the organisation of symposia at the annual meeting and as Chair of the Physical-Electrochemistry Division.”

Professor Russell’s primary research interests are in the application of spectroscopic methods to study the electrode/electrolyte interface, with particular emphasis on electrocatalysts and electrode materials for fuel cells, metal-air batteries, water electrolysers, and gas sensors. She runs an active research group and has supervised 38 students to the completion of their PhDs to date.

She is the author or co-author of over 100 refereed papers and has chaired a number of international conferences and symposia, such as the Gordon Research Conference on Fuel Cells and a Faraday Discussion on Electrocatalysis. She is a member of the EPSRC College and a Fellow of both the Royal Society of Chemistry and Higher Education Academy.

Professor Russell lectures on the core inorganic (CHEM1048), physical (CHEM1050), and analytical (CHEM1057) chemistry modules at Southampton, as well as delivering a module on mathematical skills (CHEM1052) for students who have not taken A-level maths and supporting students throughout their first year of studies through the provision of skills sessions in (CHEM1051 and CHEM1056).

Chemistry students honoured her dedicated approach with an award for Best Pastoral Support in the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences in 2020’s students’ union Academic Awards.

The International Society of Electrochemistry was founded in 1949 and has grown over the years to welcome individual and corporate members from more than 70 countries. Professor Russell’s term in the Executive Committee will last until 2023.