Jennifer Ruth Dodson, MRSC

I work at the intersections of technology, sustainability, development and education. My experience and knowledge cuts across these areas honed through research in green technology, science policy fellowships and extensive work as an educator and public communicator. My research at the Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence at the University of York, led to a patented route to the use of the waste from the combustion of biomass as a binder for composite materials. I developed a new route to mesoporous materials directly from fresh seaweed for adsorption and separation applications and from 2012-2014 carried out a post-doctoral position in Rio de Janeiro with Prof. Claudio Mota developing heterogeneous catalysts from marine polysaccharides for conversion of bio-derived platform molecules. I have returned to York, where I am currently developing new bio-derived plastics.

 

I have extensive project, education, international networking and community organising experience having previously set-up and run a successful social enterprise, worked as events and training co-ordinator for a national charity and worked abroad in India and Brazil. I studied the connections between green technology and science policy during a fellowship at the UK Parliament and as an educator I have delivered hands-on green chemistry activities to hundreds of young people as well as developing an MSc course on the Public Awareness of Science. Recently I founded a new network, the Network of Early-career Sustainable Scientists and Engineers (NESSE) which is building a creative community of young scientists and engineers developing solutions to today’s most pressing environmental and energy challenges. Specialties: green chemistry, sustainable science & technology, green technologies, science policy, public engagement and communication.