Mary Ryan (materials scientist) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mary Ryan CBE FREng
Ryan speaks at the World Economic Forum in 2016
Born	Mary Patricia Ryan
Alma mater	University of Manchester
Known for	Nanoscience Corrosion
Scientific career
Institutions	Imperial College London Brookhaven National Laboratory
Doctoral students	Eleanor Schofield

Mary Patricia Ryan is a top scientist. She is a Professor of Materials Science at Imperial College London. She is also a special member of the Royal Academy of Engineering.

Mary Ryan's Education

Mary Ryan studied at the University of Manchester. She earned her first degree and then her PhD there. Her PhD research looked at how very thin layers form on metal surfaces. She was the first to show that these layers have a crystal structure. After her studies, she worked for three years at Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York. There, she created new ways to study chemical reactions using powerful X-rays.

What Mary Ryan Researches

Professor Ryan is an expert in electrochemistry. This is the study of how electricity and chemical reactions work together. She also studies how materials behave at their surfaces.

Joining Imperial College

Mary Ryan started working at Imperial College London in 1998. Her research team explores many interesting topics. They study how materials break down, which is called corrosion. They also look for new materials that can protect surfaces. Another area is materials that can manage heat.

Studying Tiny Structures

She investigates how metals are coated using electricity. She also studies how stable metals are. A big part of her work is about how tiny metal and oxide structures form. These are called nanostructures. She was a pioneer in using special X-rays to study these tiny structures as they react.

Why Stainless Steel Corrodes

In 2002, Professor Ryan wrote an important paper. It was called "Why stainless steel corrodes" and was published in the famous science magazine Nature. This paper helped scientists understand more about how even strong materials can break down over time.

Helping Preserve History

In 2012, Mary Ryan helped with a special project. She advised on how to save a very old airplane. It was a Dornier Do 17, also known as 'The Flying Pencil'. This plane was found underwater in Goodwin Sands. Her knowledge of materials helped keep it from falling apart.

Nanomaterials and Everyday Life

She also took part in the World Economic Forum in 2016. There, she talked about how new materials could be used. She explained how tiny "nano-composite" materials could use heat from a car engine. This heat could then power the car's air conditioning.

Nanomaterials and Health

More recently, her work focuses on how tiny nanomaterials interact with living things. She studies if nanoparticles can be harmful. She also helps create "plasmonic materials" for biosensing. These materials can detect tiny amounts of substances in the body.

Working with Museums

Professor Ryan also helps the heritage sector. This means she works with museums to develop new ways to protect old objects. She has worked with the Science Museum. She also helped the Royal Air Force Museum London and the Victoria and Albert Museum. She often works with Dr Eleanor Schofield. Dr Schofield is in charge of conservation at the Mary Rose Trust.

Leadership Roles

In 2017, Mary Ryan became a Vice Dean for Research. This is a big leadership role in the Engineering department at Imperial College London. She is also the Director of a special center. This center works with Shell to study advanced materials. She is also a member of the London Centre for Nanotechnology. She helps edit a science journal called Nature's Materials Degradation Journal.

Awards and Recognition

In 2015, she was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering. This is a very high honor for engineers in the UK. She is also a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining. She advises the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. She is also a trustee for the Heritage science forum.

In 2022, Mary Ryan received a special award. She was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). This award was for her great work in education and materials science.