Clare Grey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dame
Clare Grey
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| Born |
Clare Philomena Grey
March 17, 1965 |
| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | University of Oxford (BA, DPhil) |
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Chemistry Materials |
| Institutions | University of Cambridge Stony Brook University Radboud University Nijmegen DuPont |
| Thesis | A 119Sn and 89Y MAS NMR study of rare-Earth pyrochlores (1991) |
| Doctoral advisor | Anthony Cheetham |
Dame Clare Philomena Grey is a famous British scientist. She is a professor at the University of Cambridge. She studies and improves batteries using a special technique called nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. This helps us understand how batteries work at a tiny level.
Contents
Becoming a Scientist
Early Studies
Clare Grey went to the University of Oxford. She earned her first degree in 1987. Then, in 1991, she completed her PhD in chemistry. Her PhD research looked at special materials called pyrochlores. She used a method called nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to study them.
Working Around the World
After her PhD, Dr. Grey worked as a researcher in the Netherlands. From 1992 to 1993, she was a visiting scientist at DuPont, a big science company. In 1994, she became a professor in the United States. She taught at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. By 2001, she was a full professor there.
In 2009, she moved back to the UK. She became a professor at the University of Cambridge. She studies materials chemistry there.
Battery Discoveries
Improving Batteries
Professor Grey is a leader in battery research. She was one of the first to use nuclear magnetic resonance to study batteries. This method helps scientists see what happens inside batteries as they charge and discharge. Her work has greatly improved lithium ion batteries. These are the batteries found in many of our phones and laptops.
She also made big steps in developing lithium-air batteries. These batteries could store a lot more energy. They might power electric cars for much longer distances.
New Battery Company
Clare Grey also helped start a company called Nyobolt. This company focuses on making new types of batteries. They use a material called niobium. Niobium-based batteries can charge very quickly. This could be a game-changer for electric vehicles.
Awards and Recognition
Top Honours
Clare Grey has received many important awards for her science. In 2011, she became a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a very high honour for scientists in the UK.
She won the Günther Laukien Prize in 2013. In 2014, she received the Davy Medal. This award was for her amazing work using nuclear magnetic resonance. It helped us understand materials important for energy and the environment.
In 2022, she was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE). This means she was given the title "Dame" by the King. It was for her great contributions to science.
Other Achievements
- 2010: John Jeyes Award from the Royal Society of Chemistry
- 2011: Kavli Medal
- 2015: Arfvedson-Schlenk Award for achievements in lithium chemistry
- 2017: Prix Franco-Britannique from the Société Chimique de France
- 2018: Interviewed on The Life Scientific for BBC Radio 4
- 2019: Royal Society of Chemistry John B. Goodenough Award
- 2020: Royal Society Hughes Medal
- 2021: Körber European Science Prize
