I have a PhD (7 years at uni) in synthetic organic chemistry along with a good understanding of analytical and wine chemistries. My work involves lecturing and supervising practicals for students who are doing a winemaking/viticulture degree. I also supervise research students doing their own PhD projects related to grape and wine science. Once upon a time I worked as a qualified chef so it’s interesting to now be working with food (well, a beverage really) on the scientific side of things. I’m no Heston Blumenthal in the kitchen though!

I meet with colleagues and my research students to plan and discuss research activities and funding opportunities. I read scientific papers and work prepared by my students, as well as prepare manuscripts from our research. I’m (foolishly) writing a text book with some other scientists from the US related to wine chemistry which is taking up a lot of my time at the moment. I respond to lots of emails from students and people within the university to make sure my courses are running okay, and I’m in contact with winemakers and other lecturers who also do presentations within my courses. Some days I lecture and supervise practical exercises while other days I mark assignments and plan the lessons. I’m also still studying – this time to get some university teaching qualifications. Amazingly enough, if there’s a spare millisecond or two left in the day, I still like to do things in the lab.

I need to look into the things to see if it can work, but I’d like to provide a scholarship for a high school student to work in my lab for a few weeks during the summer holidays, so they could earn a bit of money and see if research was something they’d be keen to do in the future. If that’s not possible then I would use it to promote scientific education, probably by donating it to a school so they could buy some basic lab equipment that they didn’t have.