Swapping notes at the crucible of modern science

Thursday, 2 May 2019

Embarking on a six month Leverhulme Trust Visiting Professorship, Professor Paul Dastoor will reside at Cambridge’s legendary Cavendish Laboratory, where J.J Thompson discovered the electron, Chadwick discovered the neutron and Watson the structure of DNA.

Professor Paul Dastoor at Cambridge
Professor Paul Dastoor at Cambridge University

Ranked second in the world by the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, Cambridge is home to the other half of Professor Dastoor’s Scanning Helium Microscope (SHeM) team - a successful research collaboration that produced the world’s first damage free microscope in 2016.

To mark his residence at Cambridge, Professor Dastoor will undertake a series of ‘Leverhulme Lectures’, where he will cross live into the University of Newcastle SHeM lab from locations across the UK.

Professor Dastoor recently undertook his first lecture and live cross from the Swansea National Maritime Museum as part of the UK’s National Science Week.

“As an institution we are undertaking some remarkable work in fundamental science and this live cross was a fantastic way to transport the audience to one of our ‘engine rooms’ and really showcase what we’re capable of. The audience were immediately captivated and engaged, asking many questions of our early career researchers in the lab. It was a great way to involve the whole team and build new skills and capabilities,” said Professor Dastoor.

Enabling UK institutions to host eminent researchers from overseas, the Leverhulme Visiting Professorship aims to connect UK academic staff and students with expertise otherwise unavailable within the UK research base. Recipients are selected based on their potential for making substantial contribution to skills in the host institution.

Professor Dastoor said he hoped the public lectures would also generate opportunities to explore further research collaborations between industry and our Centre for Organic Electronics (COE), which he directs.

“We’re taking the lecture series to key industry hotspots throughout the UK to seek out collaboration from the business and commercial sectors,” said Professor Dastoor. Professor Dastoor’s Leverhulme Lecture series will culminate in a week long exhibit at the Royal Society, London in July.


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