Fraser and Norma Stoddart PhD Prize 2025

Alumnus Dr Luke Britton has been named as the winner of the 2025 Fraser and Norma Stoddart PhD Prize.

This prestigious prize is awarded annually to a PhD graduate who has shown not only excellence in research, but has also contributed to the life of students within the School.

Luke started on his PhD with the Thomas Group in 2019. His project focussed on developing Earth-abundant metal catalysis for organic synthesis.

After graduating, Luke first worked as a synthetic chemist at biotech start-up focused on developing a novel platform for bespoke DNA synthesis. In his current role as a Research and Development Consultant, he assists companies in accessing funding for the development of innovative science and technology in the UK.

Luke will return to the School of Chemistry in September to officially receive his prize and share a presentation on his research with staff and students.

Headshot of alumnus Luke Britton
PhD alumnus Dr Luke Britton

It was an amazing surprise to hear that I had been awarded the Fraser and Norma Stoddard PhD Prize, I feel incredibly grateful and honoured to join the illustrious list of previous recipients. Thank you to Steve, the Thomas Group, the School of Chemistry, and my friends and family for their unwavering help and support throughout my PhD, without which this wouldn’t have been possible.

Dr Luke Britton 2025 Stoddart Prize winner

Luke was a great PhD student and a pleasure to work with. Luke worked hard in the lab, wasn’t put off by negative results, thought his way past challenges and always came with a smile. Aside from the scientific successes, Luke was a great mentor, and moderator, within the group. Congratulations to Luke on receiving this recognition!

Professor Stephen Thomas Personal Chair of Sustainable Catalysis

Research summary

Luke describes the goals and focuses of his PhD research below:

“The overarching goal of my PhD research was the development of new reactivity and understanding for chemical reactions catalysed by Earth-abundant metals. The use of catalysts in synthesis allows us to access new chemical reactivity whilst reducing chemical waste, reaction times, and energy demands. More specifically, my research focused on catalytically functionalising C–H bonds as this reaction underpins the future of sustainable chemical synthesis and production across the chemical industry from pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals to agrochemicals. Currently, this transformation is dominated by the use of rare and precious metal catalysts that suffer from rising costs, environmental impact and toxicity issues, and geopolitical concerns regarding availability. Therefore, alternative methods utilising Earth-abundant metals such as iron and manganese that are cheap, non-toxic, and readily accessible, must be developed for future generations. Whilst research in this area is of particular interest, Earth-abundant metal alternatives have yet to be fully realised and adopted into the wider chemical community."

Dr Luke Britton conducting research
Left: studying the in situ activation of iron catalysts. Middle: crystals of a bench-stable iron catalyst. Right: Dr Luke Britton investigating novel iron catalysis

"To aid in this adoption, my research had two main focuses. The first focus was to develop operationally simple reactions that use only readily available, air-and moisture stable chemicals. In the Thomas group we have developed methods for removing the need for highly sensitive chemicals or bespoke reagents, improving the accessibility and use cases for Earth-abundant metal catalysed reactions. This included identifying a novel and practical method of activating our bench-stable catalyst using the reaction solvent itself. My second focus was to investigate the manner in how these reactions occur to identify key information that could generate insight for unlocking the next generation of Earth-abundant metal catalysed reactions. By identifying and characterising reaction intermediates and the pathways in which these reactions operate we can look to improve existing procedures or develop entirely new reactivity using Earth-abundant metals. Within these studies first-of-the-their-kind iron structures were identified and isolated, opening the door for future investigations.”

The Fraser and Norma Stoddart PhD Prize

The annual Fraser and Norma Stoddart PhD Prize was established in 2013 by internationally renowned chemist Professor Sir Fraser Stoddart, who studied Chemistry with his wife Norma in Edinburgh in the 1960s. Sir Fraser Stoddart went on to share the Nobel Prize in Chemistry together with Ben Feringa and Jean-Pierre Sauvage in 2016 for the design and synthesis of molecular machines.

Sir Fraser Stoddart passed away in 2024 at the age of 82. His pioneering work in both nanoscience and organic chemistry continue to inspire students today.

This prestigious prize honours PhD students who best remind us of the outstanding science, service and humanity that Fraser and Norma have brought to science.

Candidates are expected not only to have demonstrated superior research accomplishments throughout their time at Edinburgh but they should also have contributed to the life of students within the School of Chemistry and beyond.

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