Profile

Photo:

Simone Montagna

    • About Me:

      I live in Dundee, Scotland. I’m a medicinal chemist and love swimming, hiking but most of all… pick-and-mix sweets!

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      I am a very dynamic guy, always ready for a nice swim or a walk! Love meeting my friends, but I don’t mind some cosy nights in watching TV or reading a book.

    • My pronouns are:

      He/Him

    • My Work:

      I am a scientist inventing new medicines to cure diseases caused by parasites

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      I am a chemist, and use my skills to mix substances and make something new that could become a medicine to kill parasites and cure the disease

    • My Typical Day:

      I wake up and go for a swim at 7 am. I have breakfast, then get to work at 8 am, where I start doing experiments in the lab. I have lunch at 12, and then I go to the office in the afternoon to look at my results and analyse data while I sip coffee. I go home at 4 pm.

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      I really enjoy checking my results in the afternoon and trying explaining my observations – it’s like a jigsaw!

    • What I'd do with the prize money:

      I would probably organise an engaging talk to say more about chemistry and how important it is in every day’s life

    CV

    • Education:

      I went to school in Italy, in the middle of the mountains where I was born. Was very passionate about science

      Then I studied science at high school and medicinal chemistry at the university. After finishing my studies, I moved to Scotland and started to work as a medicinal chemist at the University of Dundee.

      After a couple of years, I started my PhD and then after my qualification I kept working for the University

    • Current Job:

      I am working at the University of Dundee as a medicinal chemist

    • Employer:

      University of Dundee

    • My Interview

      • What did you want to be after you left school?

        A scientist of course! But I also loved learning languages

        Were you ever in trouble at school?

        I was such a pest when I was younger....way too many times!

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

        Probably I would have been a lawyer

        Who is your favourite singer or band?

        Don't have one in particular - but music is on all the time!

        What's your favourite food?

        I have too many. I love a good curry, a nice fish supper from chippy and most of all....sweets!

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

        Days longer than 24 hours, longer weekends and unlimited access to takeaways

        Tell us a joke.

        Why can't you make a dinosaur omelet? Because they're egg-stinc