Dr David Pugh

Profile

I carried out my MChem and Ph.D here at the University of York, before taking a position to coordinate the laboratory teaching in the department.

My responsibilities at York are:

• Teach across all undergraduate laboratory courses
• Manage graduates in their laboratory teaching
• Coordinate changes in laboratory teaching in conjunction with course organisers
• Represent laboratory teaching at Departmental Safety Management Group
• Provide departmental support as a Departmental Computing Officer
• Provide support to graduates with instrumentation

Education

• Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice, 2016, York.
• Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry, 2011, York.
  Supervisor: Professor Richard Taylor
  Thesis: Novel methods for the synthesis of small ring systems
• MChem in Chemistry, 2007, York.

Professional membership

• Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Teaching

My main interests in teaching are focussed around laboratory teaching across all sub-disciplines within chemistry. I have a particular interest in the following areas:

• School to university transition
• Coherent development of students practical skills
• Assessment approaches within laboratories
• Teaching of safety in a chemistry laboratory context

Publications

• Preparation of 3-Alkylated Oxindoles from N-Benzyl Aniline via a Cu(II)-Mediated Anilide Cyclization Process.
  D S Pugh, R J K Taylor, J S Alford and H M L Davies, Org. Synth., 2012, 89, 438.
• Asymmetric Decarboxylative Allylation of Oxindoles.
  V Franckevicius, J D Cuthbertson, M Pickworth, D S Pugh and R J K Taylor, Org. Lett., 2011, 13, 4264.
• A one pot oxidation / allylation / oxidation sequence for the preparation of β,γ-unsaturated ketones directly from primary alcohols.
  C L Moody, D S Pugh and R J K Taylor, Tetrahedron Lett., 2011, 52, 2511.
• First C−H Activation Route to Oxindoles using Copper Catalysis.
  J E M N Klein, A Perry, D S Pugh and R J K Taylor, Org. Lett., 2010, 12, 3446.
• Preparation of 3-Alkyl-Oxindoles by Copper(II)-Mediated C-H, Ar-H Coupling Followed by Decarboxyalkylation.
  D S Pugh, J E M N Klein, A Perry and R J K Taylor, Synlett, 2010, 934-938.
• The Preparation of Substituted Pyrazoles from β,β-Dibromo-enones by a Tandem Condensation/Suzuki-Miyaura Cross-Coupling Process.
  S Beltrán-Rodil, M G Edwards, D S Pugh, M Reid and R J K Taylor, Synlett, 2010, 602-606.
• Gem-Dimethylcyclopropanation of Dibenzylideneacetone Using Triisopropyl Sulfoxonium Tetrafluoroborate.
  M G Edwards, D S Pugh, A C Whitwood, and R J K Taylor, Acta Crystallographica Section C, 2009, o39-o41
• Gem-Dimethylcyclopropanation using Triisopropylsulfoxonium Tetrafluoroborate: Scope and Limitations.
  M G Edwards, R J Paxton, D S Pugh, A C Whitwood, and R J K Taylor, Synthesis, 2008, 3279-3288.
• An Improved gem-Dimethylcyclopropanation Procedure Using Triisopropylsulfoxonium Tetrafluoroborate.
  M G Edwards, R J Paxton, D S Pugh, and R J K Taylor, Synlett, 2008, 521-524.

Presentations

• December 2021: King's College London Education Elevenses: Transition from A-Level to Higher Education Practical Work
• September 2021: STEM Learning for experienced A-Level Chemistry teachers: Transition to Higher Education Practical Chemistry
• September 2020: Faculty of Science Teaching Practice & Pedagogy Meeting: Teaching Labs without Labs
• July 2020: DryLabs 2020: Moving "Analysis of a Night Out" Online
• May 2020: DryLabs 2020: Labs without Labs - Three Weeks In
• January 2020: RSC Higher Education Chemistry Teaching Network Meeting: Endorsing practical endorsements
• January 2019: RSC Higher Education Chemistry Teaching Network Meeting: Finding marks in summative direct lab skills assessments
• January 2018: RSC Higher Education Chemistry Teaching Network Meeting: Finding teaching weaknesses through laboratory assessment
• December 2015: RSC Higher Education Chemistry Teaching Network Meeting: Design and application of a cost-effective, robust photometer

Awards

• 2019: Students' Union Course Rep Award
• 2016: Vice Chancellor's Teaching Award
• 2016: Students' Union Best Communicator
• 2015: Professional@York Outstanding Project of the Year
• 2014: Students' Union Highly Commended Demonstrator
• 2013: Vice Chancellor's Award for Outstanding Achievement