Rachel Evans facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rachel Evans
FRSC FLSW
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| Born |
Rachel Claire Evans
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| Alma mater | Swansea University (MChem, PhD) |
| Awards | Marie Curie Fellowship Dillwyn Medal (2017) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Materials chemistry Photophysics Solar energy Soft matter Polymers |
| Institutions | University of Cambridge Trinity College Dublin University of Aveiro University of Coimbra Lonza Group |
| Thesis | Efficient emitters for technological applications (2007) |
Rachel Claire Evans is a brilliant Welsh chemist. She is a professor at the University of Cambridge in England. Dr. Evans studies special materials that react to light. These materials are used in things like solar panels and smart sensors. She helps us understand how to make energy from the sun and create new technologies.
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Early Life and School
Rachel Evans grew up in South Wales. She went to Swansea University for her college studies. In 2002, she earned a Master of Chemistry (MChem) degree. During her master's program, she worked at a company called Lonza Group.
After that, she continued her studies at Swansea University. She earned her PhD, which is a very high degree. Her research focused on materials that glow or emit light. These materials are important for display screens and other technologies.
Research and Discoveries
After finishing her PhD, Dr. Evans worked in different countries. She spent a year at the University of Aveiro in Portugal. Then, she received a special scholarship called a Marie Curie Fellowship. This allowed her to work in Paris, France. There, she studied how soft materials glow.
Later, she moved to Trinity College Dublin in Ireland in 2009. She became a lecturer, teaching physical chemistry. Her research in Ireland was supported by important science foundations. In 2011, she gave a special lecture about the Chemistry of Light to schools.
Materials for Solar Power
Dr. Evans has done a lot of work on materials that can capture sunlight. These are called polymer-hybrid materials. They are used in luminescent solar concentrators. These devices collect sunlight and direct it to solar cells.
She found ways to make these materials more efficient. This means less light is wasted. Her work helps improve how we use solar energy. She also develops ways to protect these devices so they last longer.
Smart Materials and Sensors
Dr. Evans also studies "soft materials" that can change. These materials respond to things like light. For example, she works with special inks that can sense oxygen.
In 2018, she started a company called Senoptica Technologies. She is the chief scientist there. Her company develops optical sensors. These sensors can detect if food packaging has too much oxygen. They change color to warn people if the food might be going bad. This helps keep food fresh and safe.
Awards and Recognitions
Dr. Rachel Evans has received many awards for her important work. These awards show how much her contributions to chemistry are valued.
- 2023: She was chosen as a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales (FLSW).
- 2018: She became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC).
- 2018: She was nominated as a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (FIMMM).
- 2017: She received the UK Young Researchers Medal from the Royal Society of Chemistry.
- 2017: She was awarded the Dillwyn Medal by the Learned Society of Wales.
- 2014: She won the Young Leader of the Year award at the Irish Lab Awards.
See also
In Spanish: Rachel Evans para niños
