The Second Century of Plastics

Tony Ryan is Professor of Physical Chemistry and Director of the Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures at the University of Sheffield. He focuses on the global challenge of the food-water-energy nexus; feeding a growing world population; reducing the impacts of agriculture and food production; and harnessing the power of the sun for renewable energy. He leads the University of Sheffield's programme in sustainability research, integrating traditional boundaries in the pure and applied sciences, engineering, medicine, humanities & social sciences. Prof Ryan is active in translational research, an advocate of science to both experts and non experts, and has been a regular contributor to TV, radio and print media. He delivered the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures in 2002, whilst he was an EPSRC Senior Media Fellow, and was awarded an OBE in 2006 for 'Services to Science'.

His research covers synthesis, structure, processing and applications of polymers using advanced analytical and measurement techniques. Recent research projects included renewable sources for polyurethane synthesis, organic photovoltaics, maximising the properties of polymers through flow induced crystallisation, formulation of home and personal care products and polymer foams for high intensity urban agriculture. He has co-authored more than 300 papers and patents and 2 books, Polymer Processing and Structure Development and The Solar Revolution: One Planet, 10 Billion People, One Solution.

He holds a BSc and PhD from the University of Manchester and a DSc from UMIST. He held a NATO Research Fellowship at the University of Minnesota, was a Lecturer, Senior Lecturer and Reader in Materials Science at The University of Manchester was and seconded to the Synchrotron Radiation Source at Daresbury. In 1997 he moved to Sheffield and served as Head of Chemistry before serving as the Pro Vice Chancellor for the Faculty of Science from 2008 to 2016.