معرفی
Dr Clare Thorpe is a Lecturer in Materials Degradation and Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Research Fellow within the School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering at the University of Sheffield. She also serves as Head of second-year Materials Science undergraduate students and is a key member of the Immobilization Science Laboratory.
Education & Career Path
- BSc Earth Sciences, University of Manchester (2004–2008)
- PhD “Biogeochemistry of Radioactively Contaminated Land”, University of Manchester (2008–2012)
- Post-doctoral researcher, US DOE GLAD Project, University of Sheffield (2016–2019)
- EPSRC David Clarke Fellow, University of Sheffield (2019–2023)
- Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellow (2023–present)
Research Interests
Dr Thorpe’s interdisciplinary research integrates geochemistry, mineralogy, microbiology and materials science to understand how engineered and natural materials behave in complex aqueous environments. Her core themes include:
- Evolution of alteration layers on nuclear waste glasses and ceramics
- Redox cycling of heavy metals and radionuclides in natural systems
- Biological interactions with material surfaces and implications for durability
- Use of archaeological and natural analogues to predict long-term glass corrosion
- Development of biocidal and slow-nutrient-release glass-based products
Publications & Trends
Across more than twenty-five peer-reviewed articles, Dr Thorpe has advanced the mechanistic understanding of glass dissolution, the role of microbes in mediating corrosion, and the application of natural analogues to validate laboratory durability tests. Her work consistently bridges atomic-scale processes to engineering-scale performance, informing both radioactive waste management strategies and broader materials durability science.
Scientific Awards & Recognition
- Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship (2023–2032)
- EPSRC David Clarke Research Fellowship (2019–2023)
- Royal Society of Chemistry Research Fund (2019)
- Mineralogical Society Early Career Bursary (2016)
- Member, Royal Society of Chemistry Radiochemistry Group Committee
- Member, UK Nuclear Academics Meeting Committee
Advising & Funding
Dr Thorpe currently supervises three active PhD students and has mentored three recent graduates. Her research is supported by active grants totalling more than £3 million from the US Department of Energy, Sellafield Ltd, Nuclear Waste Services/NDA, and the Royal Society.
Laboratory & Facilities
She co-leads projects within the Immobilization Science Laboratory and has established the HADES (High Activity Decommissioning Engineering Science) user facility, providing national access to high-activity experimentation capabilities in support of nuclear decommissioning research.
