AstraZeneca chemist wins major Award

Holly Carter, who works at AstraZeneca, is the Royal Society of Chemistry Chemical Sciences Apprentice of the Yearwinner for 2018.

Holly was born in Middlewich and moved to Sandbach at the age of 11, where she attended Sandbach High School and Sixth Form College. She is now studying towards her FdSc in Chemical Science at Manchester Metropolitan University, while completing an apprenticeship at AstraZeneca.

Holly’s work focuses on the development and scale up of chemical reactions. The compounds produced are then formulated into medicines, and her work at AstraZeneca has helped to reduce the development time needed for numerous drug projects. This has therefore increased the possibility of getting drugs to market faster, meaning that patients benefit earlier.

She said: “I am absolutely delighted in receiving the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Chemical Science Apprentice of the Year Award.  Over the last 18 months I have learnt so much by working at AstraZeneca and it is an honour to have my work recognised with this award. It has been an amazing experience so far and I am looking forward to learning more over the rest of my apprenticeship.

“I would encourage anyone thinking about a STEM careers to explore the options of apprenticeships compared to traditional university courses as they give you a great opportunity to get practical experience along with a qualification. Since making the decision to accept the apprenticeship, I have never looked back and have loved every minute of it.”

The Chemical Sciences Apprentice of the Year is given in recognition of outstanding contribution made by an apprentice working in the chemical sciences sector. Miss Carter receives £1000 and a certificate.

Dr Robert Parker, chief executive of the Royal Society of Chemistry said:

“The chemical sciences are vital for the wellbeing of our world and chemical scientists help to change people’s lives for the better. That’s why we’re so proud to celebrate the innovation and expertise of our community through our Prizes and Awards.

“This year’s inspiring and influential winners come from a range of specialisms, backgrounds, countries and communities. Each has done their bit to advance excellence in the chemical sciences – to improve the lives of people around the world now and in the future.”

Our winners are recognised for the originality and impact of their research, or for their contributions to the chemical sciences industry or chemistry education. The Awards also acknowledge the importance of teamwork across the chemical sciences, and the abilities of individuals to develop successful collaborations.

An illustrious list of 50 previous winners of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Awards have gone on to win Nobel Prizes for their pioneering work, including 2016 Nobel laureates Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Fraser Stoddart and Ben Feringa.