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Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê in the News: Top chemistry team joins Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê

24 April 2007

It emerged this week that the director of the [Royal Institution's] Davy Faraday lab, the internationally respected chemist Professor Richard Catlow, is leaving for Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê - and taking his prestigious research team of between 30 and 40 scientists with him.

Catlow has been at the Royal Institution for 18 years. …

Catlow, who has been head of chemistry at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê for the past four years, as well as director of the Davy Faraday lab at the RI, describes his departure as "amicable". And Baroness Susan Greenfield, the RI's director, says the same.

The RI is undergoing extensive building works at the moment and, as a result, the Davy Faraday lab has temporarily moved to Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê. Catlow says he is leaving because he has become increasingly dependent on Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê's facilities. He says: "This is not a lack of confidence in the Royal Institution. I have discussed this amicably with Susan. There is no acrimony, and there are no personal differences between us. I have been increasingly dependent on facilities at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê. My research project has also evolved, and it means it is better for me to be at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê." …

Professor Malcolm Grant, who is Provost of Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê and on the council of the RI, says: "There is no predatoriness on our side at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê. Richard Catlow is a professor and the head of chemistry at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê. He had to vacate the premises at the RI, and that has worked out so well, he is going to be at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê permanently.

"The RI worked out what the best use of space was, and we have come to the view that it is best not to use the RI lab for chemistry. I am not sure that some of the members of the RI have the full picture yet." …

Jessica Shepherd, 'The Guardian'