Profile
Jonny Furze
My CV
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Education:
I went to Chalfonts Community College (Buckinghamshire) and did my GCSEs and A levels: Chemistry, Physics, Maths, and philosophy.
MSci Chemical Physics with a years industrial experience (Bristol uni)
PhD Protein Chemistry (Bristol uni)
Chemistry Outreach team (Bristol uni)
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Qualifications:
GSCEs:
English Lang & Lit: B, B
Maths: A*, A*, A
IT: A
French: B
Science: A*, A*, A
Astronomy: A
Music: A
DT: A
PE: A
RE: BA Levels:
Chemistry: A
Physics: A
Maths: A
Philosophy: CMSci in chemical physics
PhD in chemistry
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Work History:
During my A levels I worked as a server in a restaurant/cafe
Research scientist in an R&D centre in Cornwall working on encapsulating perfume
PhD research Scientist at Bristol university
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Current Job:
Performance chemist/chemistry outreach provider based at the university of Bristol
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About Me:
I’m a climber who gets to travel the world teaching chemistry
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I live in Bristol with an old uni course mate, unfortunately we’re not allowed pets but we have a large collection of stuffed marine wildlife, a very small ceramic cow called Alba, and an ever expanding jungle in our lounge! I’m huge advocate of looking after all aspects of the environment, love to go on long bike rides and to adventure around which ever city I happen to be working in.
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I’ve completed a PhD in protein chemistry, modifying the surface of enzymes to allow them to work without being solvated within water.
I currently travel around the UK/world giving chemistry workshops and demonstration assemblies based around climate change/environmental science. As such I enjoy keeping up with climate change science, and as I travel about teaching chemistry to reception all the way through to post16 I’ve been asked many weird and wonderful questions, so surprise me! -
My Typical Day:
Arrive at a school, set my equipment up, explode many things, clear up, drive to the next city, and then find somewhere to climb.
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I’ll often visit a few schools a day, and about 7 schools a week, teaching various year groups about gases in the atmosphere, and moving over to more climate and environmental science for the GCSE and A level students, obviously answering as many questions as possible before I leave! I’ve recently been working over in Malaysia and Perth, Australia, working with different universities and many different schools in the area, so travelling around once I’ve finished working is great!
Before this job I was a PhD research scientist. My typical day involved me working in the lab, altering the chemistry on the surface of proteins and then seeing how this changed the behaviour of the protein using many large and very expensive machines! I’d also spend a few hours analysing results, writing these into reports, and reading a lot about protein chemistry. Because science is a very international subject I got to travel to other countries to talk to them about there work and to share my work with them.
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Adventurous, curious, chilled
What did you want to be after you left school?
Scientist/session saxophonist
Were you ever in trouble at school?
Rarely
Who is your favourite singer or band?
The Rolling Stones/Gentleman's dub club
What's your favourite food?
Italian or Haggis
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
Stop climate change, put people with better morals in power, live in a van and climb with friends
Tell us a joke.
Did you hear about the restaurant on the moon? Great food, horrible atmosphere.
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