Dr Adrian Whitwood BEM MRSC CChem

Biography

Adrian arrived in York in 1982 to study for a BSc in Chemistry, graduating in 1985. This was followed by a part-time DPhil supervised by Professor Bruce Gilbert and Dr Peter Hanson using electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy to study carbonyl-conjugated and related free radicals. At the same time, Adrian was the part-time technician for the Gilbert and Hanson research labs, in particular overseeing the operation, maintenance and training for the ESR instruments. He received his doctorate in 1990 and then carried out post-doctoral research within Professor Gilbert’s group studying the aerial oxidation of polyisobutylenes sponsored by BP, he continued to oversee the use of the ESRs. In 1993, he took on the combined role of ESR lab technician and teaching fellow, the latter primarily as a tutor.

He took on the role of Departmental Computing Officer in 1995 whilst still continuing to support the ESR instruments. In addition to providing computing support, he also took on responsibility for the preparation of the undergraduate teaching timetable. He joined the Roayl Society of Chemistry and achieved Chartered Chemist status in 1998. Adrian took over running of the department’s small-molecule X-ray crystallography service in 2003, gradually reducing the support for the ESR lab until the retirement of Professor Gilbert in 2007.  

2016 proved to be an eventful year. Adrian was awarded the British Empire Medal in the New Year Honours “for services to Scientific Research and to St John Ambulance in Selby”.  There was also a move to centralise timetabling and IT support within the university so Adrian’s role in this area has gradually reduced and become more strategic. This has enabled him to increase his support of crystallography within the department and start to develop powder X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy support. Adrian has contributed to more than 285 academic publications in both ESR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography.