Three University of Glasgow academics are among the Royal Society's latest appointments of University Research Fellows (URFs). 

This year the prestigious University Research Fellowships programme has been able to expand, thanks to support from Tata companies over the coming years and from the Global Challenge Research Fund. The researchers will take up their new posts at institutions across the UK and Ireland at the start of October. 

The University of Glasgow appointments are:

Dr Alistair Boyer

Sulfonyl Triazoles: A Next-Generation Building Block for Molecular Complexity

Dr Rucha Karnik

Hormone-Regulated Membrane Traffic and Plant Morphogenesis 

Dr Mark Symes

Driving energetically uphill processes using metal-ligand coordination complexes

The University Research Fellowship scheme aims to provide outstanding early career scientists, who have the potential to become leaders in their chosen fields, with the opportunity to build an independent research career. The scheme is extremely competitive and URFs are expected to be strong candidates for permanent posts in universities at the end of their fellowships, and many have gone on to enjoy significant national or international recognition for their work. 

The 44 newly appointed research fellows will be working on a wide range of research areas including applying mathematical models to solve biomedical problems, understanding evolution of cooperation in humans, probing the evolution of cyanobacteria and their role in oxygenation of the early earth, the modelling of atomistic processes of radiation damage in materials for nuclear power generation, characterisation of habitable worlds and addressing fundamental questions in the field of low energy nuclear physics.

Of the 44 URFs, three are Tata awards, four are Royal Society-Science Foundation Ireland University Research Fellows and 3 are through the Global Challenge Research Fund.

Ten out of the 44 new appointments (22%) were made to female researchers. In total there are 25 universities across the UK and Ireland hosting the University Research Fellowships.

First published: 4 October 2016

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