Profile

Photo:

Lucy May Newman

    • About Me:

      I’m Lucy a pharmaceutical sciences researcher and I live in Newcastle. I love hiking and enjoy visiting my local beach.

    • My pronouns are:

      she/her

    • My Work:

      I’m currently completing a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences at Newcastle University. I look at findings new crystal structures of drugs to help them become more soluble.

    • Read more

      What’s a PhD? – well a PhD is when someone spends 3-4 years studying one research topic that nobody else knows about yet. It’s a bit like being a detective and at the end that have to write a big book and they get to be known as a doctor!!

      My PhD looks at improving poorly soluble drugs before they get to market so they can have a better effect when we take them. I look at creating something called cocrystals which is a different crystal form of a drug to help make it dissolve better in the body.

    • My Typical Day:

      I go for a run before heading into the university and spend the mornig in the labs looking after my experiments, then I have my dinner and in the afternoon I collect and analyse the data from my experiments. I head home to my family and spend time with my friends. Some days I work 6 hours, some days I work 10, it really depends on the type of experiment I am running.

    • What I'd do with the prize money:

      I would either love to visit some of the local schools in the north east where I’m from to do some bigger science experiments that might not be done in the classroom or I would like to invite schools to have a look around our laboratories at the university and spend the day looking at some cool crystals.

    CV

    • Education:

      School: Hebburn Comprehensive School (2009-2014)

      Sixth Form: St Joseph’s Sixth Form College (2014-2016)

      University: Northumbria University (2016-2020)

      University: Newcastle University ( 2024-2027)

    • Qualifications:

      • 12 GCSE’s A*-B (my one A* was in history)
      • A-levels: Maths, English and Chemistry (C-D)
      • Bachelors with Honours Degree in Chemistry (First Class)

    • Work History:

      Sales Assistant: Hugo Boss and Next -I worked here whilst I was completing university (2014-2020)

      Analytical Scientist at Quotient Sciences: After completing my university degree I worked at a pharmaceutical company testing medicines for the future (Nov 2020-Dec 2023)

       

    • Current Job:

      PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences

    • Employer:

      Newcastle University, School of Pharmacy

    • My Interview

      • How would you describe yourself in 3 words?

        tea-loving crazy scientist

        What did you want to be after you left school?

        Surgeon or a doctor

        Were you ever in trouble at school?

        yes for laughing to much...he he!

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

        I would to be a master lego builder!

        Who is your favourite singer or band?

        I love Sam Fender

        What's your favourite food?

        Pasta

        If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!

        1 - a never ending supply of ice cream 2 - the ability to fly 3 - for my mam and dad to live forever

        Tell us a joke.

        Why was the maths book sad? Because it had too many problems!