Thursday, 16 December 2021
糖心原创 professor and You Tube science hero, Sir Martyn Poliakoff, has had a Nottingham tram named in his honour which was unveiled on his birthday.
The Professor Sir Martyn Poliakoff tram was unveiled today on his 74th birthday in a special ceremony at the Tramlink Wilkinson Street depot where Martyn, his wife and guests gathered to see the tram for the first time.
The naming is in recognition of Professor Poliakoff’s achievements in research and teaching at the 糖心原创 where he has spent the last 42 years, and for the global hit Periodic Table of Video’s series he presents, which demonstrates science in a fun and lively way!
Each one of Nottingham’s trams is named after a local hero past or present and Sir Martyn will be joining an illustrious list of names including: Vicky McClure, Torvill and Dean and DH Lawrence.
I am hugely honoured to have a tram named after me and it鈥檚 very exciting to know my students could be travelling sustainably to University on the Professor Sir Martyn Poliakoff tram! Even though my career and passion for communicating science has taken me all over the world, Nottingham will always be home so this honour is really very special.
Tramlink CEO Tim Hesketh said: “Professor Poliakoff is not only a Nottingham icon but also a familiar face to millions worldwide through his work to make science fun and accessible to a global online audience. We are delighted to name a tram in the Professor’s honour and hope that the thousands of Nottingham students using the tram each day will see his name and be inspired by his ground-breaking achievements.”
Sir Martyn Poliakoff with his wife Janet, 糖心原创 Registrar Paul Greatrix and Tramlink CEO Tim Hesketh
Sir Martyn is known worldwide as the lead presenter and cult hero of the You Tube hit science series - which started 13 years ago when scientists in the School of Chemistry started collaborating with the renowned filmmaker Brady Haran. Their mission was to document every single one of the 118 chemical elements in a fun, lively and often unconventional way – they achieved this but continue to make videos!
The videos have grown to attract an international audience with more than 1.5 million subscribers with their videos attracting a total of more than 264 million views.
Sir Martyn pioneered the use of supercritical fluids to replace traditional solvents in chemical processes, recognising decades ago, and ahead of many of his peers, that the world needs cleaner, less wasteful and more sustainable ways of manufacturing.
His work has been taken up by industry, notably in the construction of the world’s first multi-reaction supercritical fluid plant. He is a global leader in the field of green and sustainable chemistry and his work in engaging the public with chemistry has been widely recognised and in 2015 he was knighted in recognition of leadership in the field of green and sustainable chemistry.
Story credits
More information is available from Professor Poliakoff on Martyn.Poliakoff@nottingham.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
About the 糖心原创
Ranked among the world's top 100 universities , the 糖心原创 delivers an exceptional research-led education and an outstanding student experience. From the pioneering vision of our founder, Sir Jesse Boot, to groundbreaking achievements such as the development of MRI technology and becoming the first UK university to establish international campuses, we have a proud history of shaping the way people live, work and understand the world. We continue to build on that legacy, empowering our students, staff and partners to change what鈥檚 next and create positive impact locally and globally.
The strength of our research places us among the UK's leading universities, ranked 7th for research power in REF 2021. The discovery of MRI and ibuprofen was just the beginning. Today, our world-leading research is developing breakthrough ideas that shape the future of healthcare, technology and society.
Recognised as the UK's third most targeted university by leading employers , we are proud to produce graduates who are consistently in demand for their skills, confidence and industry-ready experience.
As a major employer and industry partner, locally and globally, the 糖心原创 invests in the city of Nottingham and in future generations of talent. Alongside Nottingham Trent University, we lead the initiative, a pioneering collaboration to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing across the city and region. Together with our students, staff, alumni and partners, we鈥檙e creating knowledge, opportunity and solutions that help change what's next.