Profile
Jon Noble
My CV
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Education:
I started primary school at Wiggington in York, before moving to Hiltingbury, in Hampshire. I then went to Thornden Secondary School in Chandlers Ford and Barton Peveril College in Eastleigh (cycling four miles there and four miles back every day).
In college, I took a test and was given a list the top 20 jobs that I would be good at. Most of them were related to engineering, and so I studied Chemical Engineering at the University of Surrey.
After many years of work, I went to the University of Bath to study a Masters of Research, and now for a PhD.
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Qualifications:
Nine GCSEs: Maths, Englsih literature and English Language, French, Economic, History, Double Science and Electronic Products.
Four A-Levels: Pure Maths, Applied Maths, Physics and Chemistry
Masters of Engineering from the University of Surrey in 2005
Masters of Research from the University of Bath in 2019.I was awarded Chartered Engineer status by the Engineering Council in 2011, and am a Member of the Institute of Chemical Engineers and an associate member of the Royal Society of Chemistry.
This means that my full title with all my qualifications is:
Jon Noble MEng MRes CEng MIChemE AMRSC! -
Work History:
My first ever job was a paper round – I still remember getting up on the cold winter mornings to deliver the papers.
When I was a student, I worked in a local supermarket. I also worked for a catering company as a waiter at weddings and special events – I’ve served food and drinks to Lords and Ladies.
When I graduated from University, I worked for BP Chemicals, helping to turn natural gas into concentrated vinegar, which is used to make plastics and aspirin, for example. I then went and worked on an oil rig in the middle of the Caspian Sea for five years. My engineering career has taken me to India, China and Azerbaijan.
In 2018 I returned to university and now make some money on the side helping to share some of the things that I have learned with the other students.
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Current Job:
I’m studying for a PhD at Bath University, in the Centre for Sustainable and Circular Technologies.
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About Me:
I’m a scientistπ¨βπ¬, engineer π¨βπ§, runner πββοΈ, actor and writer π.
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Read more
I’m 38 years old and live in the small town of Mere in Wiltshire. I enjoy watching comedy on TV and going for a run. The longest run that I have ever done is 32 miles! In my spare time, I’m an actor and have written a play and won poetry competitions.
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I’m a geek, and love science, technology, engineering and maths. The fun part is using them to solve challenges in the real world.
In the past, I worked on an oil rig, and used to fly to work in a helicopter. Now I’m studying for a PhD to become Doctor Jon.
Have you every thought about what your toothbrush is made out of? We need to use energy to make the plastic in your toothbrush, and many other things like toys, water bottles and clothes. I’m looking at helping the environment by using electricity from the sun and wind instead of fossil fuels, and using it to perform chemical reactions.
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My Typical Day:
Every day is different. Some days I am collecting information in my lab, and other days I am building new equipment to do new experiments.
Not every experiment works, so some days I spend a lot of time thinking carefully about how to fix the problem.
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I wake up and have a healthy breakfast and a nice cup of fresh coffee β.
I like to listen to happy music on the 45 minute drive to my lab.
I put on my lab coat, and warm up my science equipment, and start doing experiments. I look at how quickly things heat up in my equipment, and they get really hot – much hotter than boiling water or a kitchen oven.
No-one has done the science that I am doing, so I need to design and build my lab equipment myself.Β This is fun, but the equipment doesn’t always work, so I have to try again the next day.
Some days I meet with other students to share ideas, or go for a lunchtime run which helps me to think about the results of my experiments.
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What I'd do with the prize money:
Developing interactive exhibits to showcase the principles of my research to pupils at science festivals.
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Geeky, funny, friendly.
What did you want to be after you left school?
An astronaut. I still do.
Were you ever in trouble at school?
Sometimes I used to get in trouble with the teachers for not doing my homework on time π²..
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Muse, Kasabian and the Acrtic Monkeys
What's your favourite food?
π Pizza (of course!)
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
1) That I knew how to relax and enjoy life more, rather than getting distracted with things that are unimportant; 2) That my hair would stop falling out (I'm slowly going bald!); 3) hmmm, either being able to fly, or time travel. Tricky choice.
Tell us a joke.
Why did the fish blush? Because it saw the ocean's bottom.
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