Paul Attfield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paul Attfield
FRS FRSE FRSC
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Attfield in 2015
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| Born |
John Paul Attfield
27 July 1962 |
| Education | Durham Johnston School |
| Alma mater | University of Oxford |
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| Scientific career | |
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| Institutions | |
| Thesis | The structural and magnetic properties of some transition metal compounds (1987) |
| Doctoral advisor | Anthony Cheetham Peter Battle |
John Paul Attfield, born in 1962, is a British chemist. He is a professor at the University of Edinburgh. He studies materials science, which is about creating and understanding new materials. He also leads a special science center there called the Centre for Science at Extreme Conditions (CSEC).
Becoming a Scientist
Paul Attfield went to Durham Johnston School in England. Later, he studied at the University of Oxford. He earned a degree in chemistry. In 1987, he completed his PhD. His research was about how chemicals are structured. This field is called crystallography.
What He Studies
Professor Attfield's work focuses on making new materials. He studies their structure and how they behave. He often works with materials called transition metal oxides. These are special compounds that can have interesting electronic properties. His research helps us understand how these materials work. This knowledge can lead to new technologies.
Cool Discoveries
Paul Attfield has made important discoveries. He helped understand magnetite, a magnetic material. He figured out how its electric charges are arranged. This is called charge ordering. He also found new ways to study materials using X-rays. This helps scientists see how atoms are arranged.
He has created new materials with amazing properties. Some of these materials can become superconductors. This means electricity can flow through them without any loss. Other materials he studied show colossal magnetoresistance. This means their electrical resistance changes a lot in a magnetic field. He also found materials that shrink when heated, which is called negative thermal expansion. These discoveries are important for making new electronic devices.
Awards and Honors
Professor Attfield has received many awards for his work.
- In 1991, he won the Meldola Medal and Prize.
- He received the Corday-Morgan Medal in 1998.
- In 2013, he was given the Peter Day Award.
- In 2014, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a big honor for scientists in the UK.
- In 2016, he won the Daiwa Adrian Prize. This award recognized his teamwork with Japanese scientists.
- In 2022, he received the John B. Goodenough Award. This was for his discoveries of new materials. He made these materials using high pressure. He also found new electronic behaviors in solid materials.
