Profile
Eleanor Yates
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About Me:
My name is Ellie and I live in Sheffield. I am a materials chemist who loves to bake, crochet, and go to Zumba classes. I’m also currently trying to get better at running!
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I am really passionate about trying to make science as accessible as possible! I am trying to do this by using my skills that I have learned from playing Prince Charming in a pantomime at my old university and from being a campus tour guide.
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My pronouns are:
she/her
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My Work:
I am a materials chemist who is looking into combining cold atmospheric plasma with antibiotics to discover an innovative new wound dressing.
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Forget lightsabers and warp drives – plasma is much more than just a staple of science fiction! It is the fourth state of matter with immense potential in healthcare. It is already used to clean medical equipment and wounds, but we want to find a way to combine it with antibiotics so that we can more effectively kill the bacteria.
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My Typical Day:
On a typical day, I start by waking up and having two crumpets with some yogurt for my breakfast. I aim to get to work for around 9am, where I do lots of experiments in the lab alongside some writing while sat at my desk. I then like to have lunch with my friends in the park near my office (typically some tomato pasta with vegetables!) before finishing my experiments in the afternoon. I tend to head home around 5pm.
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The experiments I do each day tend to vary massively depending on what I am focusing on at the time. I might spend a whole morning using the plasma jet or just be making hydrogels in a way which always feels quite similar to baking a cake. We put all of the ingredients in a bottle and then heat it in boiling water for one hour while using a magnet to stir the mixture.
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What I'd do with the prize money:
I would love to use the prize money to promote science in schools. This could potentially be through donating engaging STEM books or experiment kits to school libraries. I am open to any suggestions!
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Education:
I went to an all-girls grammar school in Gloucestershire called Stroud High School for both secondary school and sixth form. Going to a grammar school was quite challenging but I believe that the competitive environment really pushed me to have a good work ethic and to get great grades. I then did a four year chemistry degree at the University of Birmingham and I am now doing my PhD at the University of Sheffield. It has been really great to move to a new cities as it has pushed me outside of my comfort zone to grow as a person!
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Qualifications:
I got all 8s and 9s in my GCSEs, including in German, History, Drama, and Maths. I also did an additional maths qualification where I got the top grade (A).
I then got A-levels in Chemistry (A*), Mathematics (A*) and German (A) before heading to university where I got a First Class in my integrated Masters in Chemistry.
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Work History:
I have had loads of different jobs in the past. When I was 16, I started my first proper job as a support worker for a charity that provided weekly youth clubs for kids with a range of different disabilities. Then when the COVID pandemic started, I worked as a pizza maker at Dominos until I started university. In the breaks between terms, I worked either in my previous job as a support worker or at Tesco on the tills. During my third year of university, I had my first opportunity to work in a proper laboratory where I looked at making paints as sustainable as possible. It was really fun to work with all the different colours! After finishing my degree, I worked as a brand ambassador in Sainsburys where I gave out lots of free samples of food for people to try. I am now working as a PhD student in Sheffield.
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Current Job:
I am now a PhD student at the University of Sheffield. Alongside my PhD, I also work for the University on a part-time basis. I primarily do shifts as a student ambassador, where I take school groups and prospective students on 45-90 minute long campus tours. I also work in the teaching laboratories as a disability support worker where I help to make the experiments as accessible as possible. I sometimes even get the opportunity to be a teaching assistant where I get to help all of the students with their lab work!
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Employer:
My main employer currently is the University of Sheffield. We were founded back in 1905 following a penny collection by the working class people of Sheffield where around 1 million pounds in today’s money was collected! There are now around 30,000 students at this university, all studying loads of different subjects.
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My Interview
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What did you want to be after you left school?
A speech and language therapist
Were you ever in trouble at school?
No - I was always too quiet to get in trouble!
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
I would be a zookeeper
Who is your favourite singer or band?
My favourite singer is Ruth B
What's your favourite food?
Mozzarella cheese
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
To be able to teleport, to be able to experience my favourite foods for the first time again and to be able to talk to animals
Tell us a joke.
Why can’t you trust atoms? Because they make up everything!
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