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Ollie Thomas

    • About Me:

      I live with my partner in Oxford. I’m a PhD student trying to make the world a better place with better batteries. I love cooking, gaming, napping, and most importantly science!

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      I grew up in Devon and I love the natural world. Nothing makes me happier than spending time outside making bonfires and talking at cows as though they can understand me (except maybe ice cream). I went to university in Durham where I studied chemistry before moving to Oxford for my PhD. I did all this whilst living with disability because science really is for EVERYONE!!!

    • My pronouns are:

      He/Him

    • My Work:

      I am trying to make new batteries which are cheaper and more sustainable than the ones we use at the moment.

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      To try and minimise the negative impacts of climate change and reduce any further global warming many countries are trying to stop using fossil fuels and start using more renewable sources of energy such as electricity generated by wind or solar power. To help do this we need cheaper better batteries. My work involves making new materials for batteries, and understanding how and why they work (or more often don’t work) and how we can make them better.

    • My Typical Day:

      I wake up at 7am and cycle to work. Once I get to work at about 7:45 I  catch up on any emails. I then get on with the days work which varies a lot. I might be grinding together some powders in a special box called a glovebox which doesn’t let any air in, or baking some samples in a furnace (oven). To try and understand what I have made I might take X-rays of them or look at them using a special microscope. Other days I might make these materials into a battery and try and see how, or if, they work. My day finishes at 5 which is when I go home, have dinner and relax. I might do a crossword, play video games, or watch some TV with my partner.

    • What question are you currently trying to answer?:

      I’m trying to see if we can make batteries using sodium, a chemical found in salt and sea water. This would make batteries much cheaper and more sustainable than the lithium ion batteries we currently use in mobile phones, laptops, and electric vehicles.

    • How do you form a new question?:

      Deciding what to work on often involves seeing what people have done before and thinking how can we build on this?

      Lithium-ion batteries have been very successful but Lithium is rare and expensive so can we use Sodium instead (which is just below Lithium in the periodic table so it behaves a bit similar).

      It turns out we can make sodium batteries but they don’t last very long. slightly changing some of the materials we use to make lithium batteries helps them last longer so maybe we can do the same thing to improve sodium batteries.

      If this works, how can we understand why it works so we can further develop it….

      and so on….

    • When you were at school, what is a question that you asked?:

      WHY? I always wanted to know why things happened? Why did bread rise? Why do things go black when I burn them? Why do fizzy drinks explode when you shake them? (yes, most of my questions were, and are, food related……)

    • How will you know when you have answered your question?:

      I will know I have answered my question when I find myself with a new question. As a character in one of my favourite books likes to say, “there’s always another secret”

    My CV

    • Education:

      I went to school at Ivybridge Community College, though due to my disability I missed a lot of school and did a lot of learning at home.

    • Qualifications:

      • A levels – Chemistry (A*), Physics (A*), Maths (A)
      • GCSEs – 9 A*- A Including English, Maths, 3 Sciences, and French

    • Work History:

      RNIB volunteer

      National Marine Aquarium volunteer

      GCSE/A-level science tutor

      Care home chef

       

    • My Interview

      • How would you describe yourself in 3 words?

        Chemist, cook, questioner

        What did you want to be after you left school?

        I never really knew what I wanted to be (I still don't really). Every time I've had to choose what to do I've just chosen what I enjoy. I love science, research, cooking, talking, and teaching and I just choose what I think will make me happy...,.

        Were you ever in trouble at school?

        When I was in primary scool someone came in to do a science demonstration and I wasn't really paying attention and just started mixing together the things they had bought in to see what happened (I think there was some syrup, and washing up liquid, and baking powder). My teacher was NOT happy......

        If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?

        Maybe a doctor or cook, something sciencey where I can help people/make them happy.

        Who is your favourite singer or band?

        I don't really listen to music but I love audiobooks and listen to a lot by Brandon Sanderson

        What's your favourite food?

        Pretty much anything with Soy sauce

        Tell us a joke.

        A waiter asked me if I would like a box for my leftover food. I said, "no thanks, but I'll wrestle you for them........" (sorry I know that was awful)

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