Dr.
Nicola Bell
Affiliated Member
After graduating from Heriot-Watt University in 2008 I studied for a PhD on the design of chiral catalysts under Dr Philip Bailey at the University of Edinburgh. Whilst writing my thesis I developed a research proposal to study f-block chemistry and was awarded an EPSRC Doctoral Prize Fellowship to work with Prof.s Polly Arnold FRS & Jason Love. In 2018 I crossed the Forth and the discipline boundaries to pursue organic chemistry in the Watson group at St Andrews working on copper catalysed cross coupling methodologies. Within the Cronin group I plan to develop my research management skills and gain experience of interdisciplinary research which will allow me to pursue my own research in f-block catalysis in the future.
In addition to research I have interests in chemistry education and science policy. I was inducted as a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2013 based on my PhD development scholarship in Teaching in Higher Education and in 2014, I was selected as one of the Royal Society of Edinburgh ‘Voices of the Future’ delegates for Westminster. In 2016 I was a co-founder of the EaStChem Early Career Researcher Conference and in 2017 I was selected from a competitive international pool as a Sci-Finder® Future Leader.
Outside of work I am a big movie fan and a foodie. I also love Italy and the opportunity to practice my Italian language skills.