Ex-footballer receives national prize for research into analytical chemistry

A former professional footballer has won a major award in recognition of his research into the chemical properties of oil and petroleum.

Dr Charles West was once on the books of Hereford United, before going back into the world of academia when he enrolled at Plymouth University in his early 20s.

Now his pioneering work on the development of analytical techniques for use within the environmental sciences sector has seen him chosen as the Scopus Young Researcher UK Award for 2013.

The biennial award scheme, developed by Elsevier in association with the US-UK Fulbright Commission, aims to recognise and reward the talent, knowledge and expertise of young researchers in a variety of disciplines. Nominations are assessed by a panel of experts based on publication and citation information provided by Scopus, Elsevier’s abstract and citation database.

Dr West, who works in the University’s Biogeochemistry Research Centre, said: “This award is great for me personally, but also for the team I work with at Plymouth. The University has a fantastic reputation as a global leader in environmental science research, and it is always great to feel you are setting standards which others follow. Our work is having an impact across the world and being here has offered me opportunities I could never really have imagined, and ones I would certainly like to build on in the future.”

Dr West’s association with Plymouth University began in 1999, when he enrolled for a BSc (Hons) in Analytical Chemistry, during which he earned a number of accolades.

He then completed his PhD in Environmental Organic Chemistry, subsequently working as a Research Fellow funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and is currently an European Research Council (Project Outreach) fellow with the Biogeochemistry Research Centre.

He has had 22 articles published in a range of peer-reviewed journals, with his research primarily focused on the development and application of novel analytical techniques, in particular to investigate persistent, unresolved and unidentified complex mixtures of organic chemicals present in the environment.

The University’s Professor of Organic Geochemistry, Steve Rowland, said: “This is a well-deserved honour for Charles, who is a very organised and diligent scientist. He is always willing to help others, not only in our research group, but also the many undergraduates who undertake environmental chemistry projects with us. Clearly this award from a major scientific publishing house reflects the high quality of the environmental science research Charles has been publishing, but also, given the citations by other workers, the relevance and impact that his findings have had for the wider community, both in the UK and globally.”

The Scopus Young Research UK Awards were presented at a ceremony in London last night (Thursday 14 November), with an audience including university executives, policy makers, senior researchers, Fulbright alumni and Elsevier senior management.