Women in chemistry: q&a with professor susan bourne

Susan Bourne is Professor of Physical Chemistry at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Susan Bourne’s PhD, obtained at the University of Cape Town, was a study of organic inclusion

compounds undertaken under the supervision of Luigi Nassimbeni. After a postdoctoral period in Texas, USA, she returned to Cape Town to establish an independent research group in

supramolecular chemistry and crystal engineering. She was the first woman Professor of Chemistry at the University of Cape Town. Credit: Photographer Michael Webb ©University of Cambridge

Her research interests include the application of physicochemical methods to supramolecular materials and crystal engineering of metal-organic materials, with the aim of correlating solid

state structure with physical properties and reactivity. Susan has had stints as Head of Department and Interim Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Cape Town. She is a member

of the executive committee of the International Union of Crystallography and chairs the Board of the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of

Chemistry and a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences. In 2019 she received an IUPAC award as a Distinguished Woman in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering. WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO BE A

SCIENTIST? I became attracted to science at high school. The logic and sense of rules and laws underpinning the universe was appealing, and I’ve always enjoyed solving puzzles. My interest

in chemistry was sparked when we had no science teacher for my final grades at high school. Knowing I needed to pass the school-leaving exams, I read the textbook cover to cover and I was

hooked! When I started my research career as a postgraduate student I became excited by the prospect of discovery and I’ve never lost the joy of seeing a new crystal structure on my screen

for the first time. WHAT SCIENTIFIC DEVELOPMENT ARE YOU CURRENTLY MOST EXCITED ABOUT? My research centers on using insights developed through supramolecular chemistry which has reached a

mature stage as a science. Questions we’ve been asking since the 1990s are now being addressed. Can we predict the way molecules pack in crystal structures? Can we make useful materials,

that have properties which provide some value? Is it possible to produce molecular-sized machines or use weak interactions to mimic and so understand the way that nature uses these same

interactions in living systems? Significant advancements have been made in each of these areas, making this a dynamic and exciting field of study. WHAT DIRECTION DO YOU THINK YOUR RESEARCH

FIELD SHOULD GO IN? Advances in artificial intelligence offer promising opportunities for the intelligent analysis of large-scale crystal engineering data. Recently, we’ve seen applications

of machine learning to extract crystal engineering characteristics from complex data. This innovation opens the possibilities of exploring new mechanisms and insights, which offers the

potential for control and predictability in manufacturing of crystalline materials. WHAT ASPECTS OF YOUR RESEARCH DO YOU FIND MOST EXCITING OR MOST REWARDING? I love chemistry for its

combination of creativity, beauty and mathematical principles. I enjoy the freedom I have to explore and gain satisfaction from sharing my passion with others. We’re currently working with

coordination complexes to decipher the interplay of non-covalent interactions which lead to their stability (or not). It’s so exciting to develop a new material, and know that this has never

existed before, and then even more exciting when it shows useful properties such as solvato- or thermochromism. Apart from the privilege of getting paid to do work that I love, I especially

enjoy having collaborations with like-minded people all over the world and being able to meet them sometimes on a visit or at a conference. Watching students develop their scientific

confidence is hugely rewarding, as is seeing my students move on to become my colleagues. HAVE YOU BEEN A MINORITY AS A WOMAN AT ANY STAGE OF YOUR CAREER? WHAT WAS THAT EXPERIENCE LIKE FOR

YOU? ARE YOU OR HAVE YOU BEEN SUPPORTED BY A MENTOR? WHAT WAS THE BEST ADVICE YOU RECEIVED? I have been in the minority, one of only two or three women in my academic department, throughout

my working life. In my early career I felt isolated and experienced some overt sexism from senior men in the department. It was challenging but the positives were that I had to build

resilience and learn to have confidence in myself. It became easier as my career progressed—it’s harder to ignore a Professor, especially when she’s a middle-aged woman! Even when things

were difficult, I had very supportive allies among my colleagues. Most were men who went out of their way to support me or to call out poor behaviour from others. As a senior scientist now I

remember their support and try to pay it forward in supporting others. I’ve never had a formal mentor but have been fortunate in finding good advice available when I need it. These days my

informal ‘mentors’ are often younger than me and form part of a supportive and collaborative network. HAS GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION OR SPECIFIC INSTITUTE MEMBERSHIP PLAYED A ROLE IN YOUR

EXPERIENCE AS A WOMAN IN CHEMISTRY? Scientists in the Global South face challenges that are different to those from developed countries. For example, as a South African I require a visa to

travel to almost any other country. This is expensive and time-consuming, which means I need to plan which conferences to attend very carefully. But it’s far more difficult for colleagues

from other African countries who may have to travel to a third country to even apply for a visa, which may then be refused. Other challenges include lengthy delivery times for chemicals or

equipment and research funding in weaker currencies not going very far. On the upside I’ve been fortunate in finding great collaborators in many countries across the world. And networks such

as the African Crystallographic Association, AfCA, bring together scientists from across the continent and enable communication and collaboration within Africa and more globally. DO YOU

HAVE ANY ADVICE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH WOMEN STARTING OUT IN CHEMICAL RESEARCH? Most importantly, focus on excellence in all your work. If you prioritize tackling the questions that

intrigue and fascinate you, you won’t get despondent when things aren’t going smoothly. Be authentic and bring your whole self to your career. That might be the ‘big’ things like your gender

or sexuality or it could be the things that really bring you joy which might not even be work-related. It’s far less tiring if you can truly be yourself among your students and colleagues.

Find like-minded and supportive people to expand your network. This is helpful both for identifying career opportunities and for recognizing the things you’re doing really well and those

where you could still develop. _This interview was conducted by the editors of Communications Chemistry_. RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS OPEN ACCESS This article is licensed under a Creative Commons

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