Dr Tom Whale

Profile

I was born in Brisbane, Australia in 1989 moving to Wales in the late 1990s. I completed an MChem in Chemistry at the University of Durham from 2007-2011. During my degree I completed a Nuffield Undergraduate Research Bursary project on high pressure ice and a fourth year research project on carbon nanomaterials, both supervised by Dr Christoph Salzmann. I moved to the group of Dr Ben Murray at the University of Leeds for my PhD, graduating in 2016 with a thesis entitled ‘Ice nucleation by feldspars and carbon nanomaterials’.

I then undertook postdoctoral research in the Murray group looking at controlling ice nucleation in cryobiological systems. In 2018 I moved to the group of Professor Fiona Meldrum at Leeds to work on heterogeneous nucleation of inorganic crystals. I then won a Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship (2019-2023) at the University of Warwick working. I am now a Lecturer in the Institute for Climate and Atmospheric Science (ICAS) of the School of Earth and Environment at Leeds. 

Responsibilities

• Co-Program Leader Climate Futures MSc
• Module Leader SOEE5880M Engaging with Climate Change: Capstone Project

Research interests

I have broad interests relating to experimental and theoretical aspects of understanding ice nucleation and growth and of crystallisation more broadly. I also conduct research into applied areas including atmospheric ice formation and problems in cryobiology.

<h4>Research projects</h4> <p>Any research projects I'm currently working on will be listed below. Our list of all <a href="https://environment.leeds.ac.uk/dir/research-projects">research projects</a> allows you to view and search the full list of projects in the faculty.</p>

Qualifications

• MChem (Durham) 2011
• PhD (Leeds) 2016

Professional memberships

• Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry
• Member of the Aerosol Society
• Treasurer of the Society for Low Temperature Biology
• Member of the British Association for Crystal Growth

Student education

I currently teach onEnvironmental Measurements and Engaging with Climate Change: Capstone Project. I am Physical Science Program Leader for MSc Climate Futures: Science, Society and Politics

<h4>Postgraduate research opportunities</h4> <p>We welcome enquiries from motivated and qualified applicants from all around the world who are interested in PhD study. Our <a href="https://phd.leeds.ac.uk">research opportunities</a> allow you to search for projects and scholarships.</p>