Ben Woolley
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Lecturer in Inorganic Chemistry
- Lecturer in Inorganic Chemistry (Teaching Intensive)
- Chemistry Assessment Lead (Exams Officer)
Office
112Building location
ChemistryAreas of interest
Dr Benjamin Woolley is a teaching-focused lecturer in inorganic chemistry. His pedagogical research focuses on supporting the transition from school- to university-level chemistry, and the development of enquiry- and research-based laboratory experiments. His chemistry background is in the coordination and organometallic chemistry of transition metals and lanthanides, particularly for the applications of molecular imaging and catalysis.Teaching
Dr Woolley currently teaches on the following modules:
- Fundamentals of Atomic Structure and the Period Table CH1IN1 – atomic structure, solution chemistry
- Chemistry Practicals 1 CH1PR1 – inorganic laboratory coordinator
- Further Inorganic Chemistry CH2IN1 – main group chemistry
- Chemistry in the Natural World CH3EC2 – bioinorganic chemistry
- Advanced Topics in Inorganic Chemistry CH4AI1 – mechanisms in homogeneous catalysis
- Foundation Chemistry CH0CHE – organic and physical chemistry workshops
Research projects
Dr Woolley has BSc projects available in the following areas:
- Chemical education – design of resources to support the transition from school- to university-level chemistry and evaluation of student perceptions
- Undergraduate laboratory development, particularly focusing on gamification and the development of enquiry- and research-based practical experiments
- Transition metal catalysis – the development of cross-coupling reactions catalysed by simple nickel compounds
Background
Dr Woolley obtained his MSci in Chemistry from Imperial College London in 2020. His MSci project was under the supervision of Professor George Britovsek and investigated the use of palladium complexes for the oxidation of methane, where he was awarded the HVA Briscoe prize for Excellence in Inorganic Chemistry. Dr Woolley then remained at Imperial College London to undertake his PhD under the supervision of Professor Nicholas Long in molecular imaging chemistry, with his thesis titled "Imaging Probes for Brain Inflammation and Blood-Brain Barrier Penetration” which involved the synthesis and characterisation of a range of organic fluorophores, carbon-11 and fluorine-18 radiochemistry, and the synthesis of a range of transition metal and lanthanide complexes for techniques such as MRI and PET imaging.
Dr Woolley has always been interested in teaching, and was heavily involved in outreach as a student, leading outreach activities, summer schools, and designing new outreach experiments. As a PhD student, Dr Woolley was heavily involved in demonstrating synthetic undergraduate laboratories, including working as a student partner in the design of a 1st year synthetic chemistry practical experiment focusing on supporting the transition from school- to university-level chemistry, as well as leading workshops on transition metal chemistry and mass spectrometry. Dr Woolley has also completed school teaching placements at Plantsbrook School and Harris Westminster Sixth Form.
Before moving to the Vlog in 2025, Dr Woolley was previously a Teaching Lecturer in Chemistry at Lancaster University where he taught across a range of topics including: transition metal coordination chemistry, crystal field theory, transition metal colour and magnetism, main group chemistry, lanthanide chemistry, spectroscopy and analytical chemistry, and kinetics. Dr Woolley was also the Synthetic Laboratory Coordinator and was key member of the curriculum transformation team in the department, particularly focusing on the redesign of the practical chemistry curriculum and appropriate progression of theory throughout the years.
Academic qualifications
- MSci Chemistry (Imperial College London)
- PhD in Molecular Imaging Chemistry (Imperial College London)
Professional bodies/affiliations
- Associate Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (AMRSC)
- Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA)