Page 9 - Periodic Issue 04

hemistry Careers that Change the World

Adam Healy (Worcester 2005) talks to Periodic of the spectrum, the Surface Analysis Facility in the sub-

about his role as a Fuels Scientist at Shell Global basement of the CRL was the scene of many experimental
Solutions. Adam came to Oxford for his MChem breakthroughs which made up for the long days without
and stayed on to do a DPhil with Professor Kylie seeing natural light.
Vincent. Since this article went to press, Adam How did your time at Oxford help you in your
has moved to a new role as a consultant at Roland working life?
Berger Strategy Consultants.
I have undoubtedly relied on my chemistry background
in my role as a scientist at Shell. The undergraduate
What appealed to you about Chemistry? chemistry course taught me how to learn at a fast pace
I always wanted to understand and be able to explain under high pressure. Later on, the chance to drive my own
why and how things change. I was fascinated to see how project during my DPhil taught me some simple things
nature uses chemistry to achieve its goals; in particular, about getting stuff done. In research, things rarely work
how enzymes, these vast biomolecules with intricate first time – when it doesn’t go to plan, you have to figure
active sites and electron transport networks, facilitate out how to fix it, and you need to persevere to succeed.
important reactions under challenging and varied And you always need to be clear why you are doing
conditions (did you know, a single hydrogenase enzyme something, as this will guide every decision that you have
can process 10,000 hydrogen molecules per second, one to make along the way.
at a time?). This curiosity led me to a Part II and DPhil
in the Vincent Group, where I developed a technique Please tell us about your work.
for studying the active site chemistry of hydrogenase Shell employs a huge number of chemists in widely
enzymes using a combination of infrared spectroscopy varied roles, from managing fuels and lubricants R&D
and electrochemistry. programmes, to scheduling refinery operations and
developing novel ways to improve the efficiency of oil and
Can you tell us a little about your gas extraction. In my role I work on developing new fuel
experience at Oxford? products and communicating their benefits – customers
Overall, Oxford was a wonderful place to study. The have a lot of choice and we have to ensure that our
opportunity to interact with professors and subject products are of the highest quality. I also do some work
matter experts in the tutorial environment was a real trying to understand a bit about next generation vehicle
stand-out feature (although I didn’t hold that view when I technologies and how their fuel requirements will differ
hadn’t done my assignment for the week!) In the Vincent from those of today’s cars.
Group, I found it exciting to be exploring new ground,
comparing our findings to the latest research in the field,
finding similarities and building compelling evidence
for new theories and alternative explanations. The “dry
spells” – those occasional barren months yielding little
useful data – were made worthwhile by the excitement
of watching peaks in my infrared spectrum growing
and diminishing in response to experimental probes,
signalling enzyme states changing in accord with the
Nernst equation… Oh, the joys of a scientist!
My favourite places in the Chemistry Department were
two quite literally at the top and bottom. The Vincent
Group office on the third floor of the ICL was my go-to
for caffeine and conversation when I didn’t have my arms
planted inside the anaerobic glovebox. At the other end

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Periodic
The Magazine of the Department of Chemistry