RSC ECG
  • Home
  • About
    • Committee
    • Annual reports
  • Environmental Briefs
  • Distinguished Guest Lectures
    • 2022 Disposable Attitude: Electronics in the Environment
    • 2019 Radioactive Waste Disposal >
      • Juliet Long
    • 2018 Biopollution: Antimicrobial resistance in the environment >
      • Andrew Singer
      • Celia Manaia
    • 2017 Inside the Engine >
      • Frank Kelly
      • Claire Holman
      • Jacqui Hamilton
      • Simon Birkett
    • 2016 Geoengineering >
      • Alan Robock
      • Joanna Haigh
      • David Santillo
      • Mike Stephenson
    • 2015 Nanomaterials >
      • Eugenia Valsami-Jones
      • Debora F Rodrigues
      • David Spurgeon
    • 2014 Plastic debris in the ocean >
      • Richard Thompson
      • Norman Billingham
    • 2013 Rare earths and other scarce metals >
      • Thomas Graedel
      • David Merriman
      • Michael Pitts
      • Andrea Sella
      • Adrian Chapman
    • 2012 Energy, waste and resources >
      • RAFFAELLA VILLA
      • PAUL WILLIAMS
      • Kris Wadrop
    • 2011 The Nitrogen Cycle – in a fix?
    • 2010 Technology and the use of coal
    • 2009 The future of water >
      • J.A. (Tony) Allen
      • John W. Sawkins
    • 2008 The Science of Carbon Trading >
      • Jon Lovett
      • Matthew Owen
      • Terry barker
      • Nigel Mortimer
    • 2007 Environmental chemistry in the Polar Regions >
      • Eric Wolff
      • Tim JICKELLS
      • Anna Jones
    • 2006 The impact of climate change on air quality >
      • Michael Pilling
      • GUANG ZENG
    • 2005 DGL Metals in the environment: estimation, health impacts and toxicology
    • 2004 Environmental Chemistry from Space
  • Articles, reviews & updates
    • Articles
    • Reviews
    • Updates
  • Meetings
    • Upcoming meetings
    • Meeting reports
  • Resources
  • Professional Qualifications
  • Index

Roger Reeve

ECG Bulletin January 2019
Dr Roger Reeve is a committee member of the Environmental Chemistry Group. His career started within pollution control in the manufacturing industry and later moved into university, teaching environmental chemistry and chemical analysis. He has recently retired.
What inspired you to become a scientist?
I always had a fascination to find out how things worked. This fascination developed through my school days looking at our world, seeing its complexity  and its inherent beauty.

How did you come to specialise in environmental analysis?

My first job focused on research within a process plant for the manufacturing industry. In particular, I specialised in emission control technology. Sulphur dioxide from coal fired power stations was the major concern at the time, whilst serious concern over carbon dioxide was still twenty years away. Design of the processes involved process monitoring and so did the environmental analysis. My academic position combined the two aspects teaching environmental chemistry and analysis.
Picture
Could you describe your current position?
My recent retirement means I have more time to pursue my wider environmental and analytical interests. I am currently organising two symposia and a workshop and look forward to other opportunities becoming available in the future.
 
What advice would you give to anyone considering a career in environmental chemistry?
Being able to move with the times. Many of the current environmental problems weren’t even dreamt of at the start of my career, and instrumental analytical chemistry, which I specialised in, was still in its infancy. On the other hand, issues such as clean energy production were relevant then and still are today.
 
What are some of the challenges facing the environmental chemistry community?
Almost all major improvement in the environment is long term – problem recognition, developing possible alleviation methods, necessary changes in legislation, and ensuring that, in the long term, these changes in legislation are not diminished or removed. Media and funding are often focussed on currently perceived problems. How often is the ozone hole mentioned nowadays, even though it is taking more than a lifetime to repair?
 
What is the most rewarding aspect of your career so far?
Everyone in education is carried through life by seeing their students develop and succeed, sometimes often way above their expectations. I set up an annual regional schools competition 28 years ago, enjoyed by all, which is still thriving to this day; I wrote an environmental analysis text book which, on publication, turned out to be very popular. I feel privileged to have had a career in an area which has been of so much interest to me.
 
If you weren’t a scientist what would you do?
My history teacher suggested I followed his subject, perhaps because of my wish always to understand and analyse information. I don’t think there would have been too much of a career for me in it. Later in life, I have realised the importance of communication but I only master this in subjects I am passionate about.
 
And what do you do when you are not working?
My environmental and analytical interests are no longer classable as ‘work’. I am involved in the Methodist church. Charity work particularly includes supporting overseas students to continue their education in the UK. I enjoy making home-brew beer, mustard and stained glass art-work. I like cycling, but only in fair weather!
Picture

Royal Society of Chemistry Environmental Chemistry Group

Burlington House
Piccadilly

London
W1J 0BA

    Contact us

Submit
© COPYRIGHT 2022. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Website by L Newsome
  • Home
  • About
    • Committee
    • Annual reports
  • Environmental Briefs
  • Distinguished Guest Lectures
    • 2022 Disposable Attitude: Electronics in the Environment
    • 2019 Radioactive Waste Disposal >
      • Juliet Long
    • 2018 Biopollution: Antimicrobial resistance in the environment >
      • Andrew Singer
      • Celia Manaia
    • 2017 Inside the Engine >
      • Frank Kelly
      • Claire Holman
      • Jacqui Hamilton
      • Simon Birkett
    • 2016 Geoengineering >
      • Alan Robock
      • Joanna Haigh
      • David Santillo
      • Mike Stephenson
    • 2015 Nanomaterials >
      • Eugenia Valsami-Jones
      • Debora F Rodrigues
      • David Spurgeon
    • 2014 Plastic debris in the ocean >
      • Richard Thompson
      • Norman Billingham
    • 2013 Rare earths and other scarce metals >
      • Thomas Graedel
      • David Merriman
      • Michael Pitts
      • Andrea Sella
      • Adrian Chapman
    • 2012 Energy, waste and resources >
      • RAFFAELLA VILLA
      • PAUL WILLIAMS
      • Kris Wadrop
    • 2011 The Nitrogen Cycle – in a fix?
    • 2010 Technology and the use of coal
    • 2009 The future of water >
      • J.A. (Tony) Allen
      • John W. Sawkins
    • 2008 The Science of Carbon Trading >
      • Jon Lovett
      • Matthew Owen
      • Terry barker
      • Nigel Mortimer
    • 2007 Environmental chemistry in the Polar Regions >
      • Eric Wolff
      • Tim JICKELLS
      • Anna Jones
    • 2006 The impact of climate change on air quality >
      • Michael Pilling
      • GUANG ZENG
    • 2005 DGL Metals in the environment: estimation, health impacts and toxicology
    • 2004 Environmental Chemistry from Space
  • Articles, reviews & updates
    • Articles
    • Reviews
    • Updates
  • Meetings
    • Upcoming meetings
    • Meeting reports
  • Resources
  • Professional Qualifications
  • Index