Tony Ryan

Tony Ryan is the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for the Faculty of Science at the University of Sheffield where he was previously the ICI Professor of Physical Chemistry, Head of the Chemistry Department and Director of the Polymer Centre. His research covers the synthesis, structure, processing and properties of polymers and their use in a wide range of applications including energy capture, wound healing, drug delivery as well as paint, soft-furnishings and packaging. He has co-authored more than 300 papers and has an H-index of 58. His 1998 text book, with Arthur Wilkinson, on polymer processing is used world-wide and in 2014 he published a book on sustainability, “The Solar Revolution”, co-authored with Steve McKevitt, a social scientist, and it has had great reviews; it puts into context how we come to live on a planet supporting 7 billion people and what we have to do make sure in remains inhabitable (and prosperous) for the foreseeable future.

Tony presented the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures on Channel 4 in 2002 and is a regular contributor to TV, radio and newspapers. He was born in Leeds and has three degrees from UMIST. Married with two daughters, Tony is a creative cook, a keen cyclist and an occasional mountaineer and skier. He was made an OBE in 2006 for ‘Services to Science’.