Ireland’s leading young chemist enjoys international success

Following the award of the Royal Irish Academy Young Chemist Prize in June 2017, Dr Fergus Poynton was nominated by the Academy for the prestigious International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry-Solvay International Award for Young Chemists.

Fergus was selected as one of five winners of the International Award for Young Chemists and was presented with his award at the World Chemistry Congress in Sao Paulo, Brazil in July.

In 2008 the Irish prize winner, Dr Emilie Banide, also won one of the five international awards. In the history of the international awards there have only ever been two winners from Ireland.

Dr Poynton's thesis was entitled ‘Spectroscopic investigations into the excited state processes and reactivity of Ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes’. His novel research explored the (photophysical) properties of a Ru metal ion based complex which can act as an ultrafast light switch in the presence of DNA.

To read more about the Irish prize please click here

To learn more about Fergus and his research please click here

The call for applications for 2017 Young Chemist Prize will open in November.

For more information please contact the Academy on youngchemistprize@ria.ie