What did you study at A-level and why did you select those subjects?
Chemistry, Physics, Design and Technology and Maths.
What degree and PhD did you study?
MChem in Chemistry; PhD in Chemistry (Understanding the molecular level structure of intercalated materials).
What inspired you to choose and study your degree subject?
I have always been interested in science from a young age. My parents bought me a telescope and a microscope when I was around 7 years old, which is probably my earliest memory of investigating really big things and really small things!
I was very fortunate that my parents and grandparents fed my curiosity, and throughout school I had fantastic teachers to answer my endless questions.
What key skills did you learn at university?
Confidence is something we pride ourselves on developing in our students. As a child I wasn’t very confident, but as a Liverpool graduate, I’m living proof that my time at Liverpool certainly gave me confidence. I found ‘my people’ at UoL, developed the ability to manage my time effectively, and to think critically and methodically.
During my PhD, the biggest thing I learned was resilience. When you are trying something new, it often doesn’t work at first (or second, or third…!). It takes support from colleagues, friends and family—both academically and emotionally—and belief in yourself that you’ll get there in the end.
What jobs have you had during your career?
After completing my PhD, I knew I wanted to teach. I was offered a place at Imperial College London to complete a teaching qualification and, at the same time, a teaching post at an International College in Manchester.
I chose to stay in the north and had a fantastic two years teaching students from all over the world. I taught them chemistry and physics, and they taught me about world cultures. Following that, I joined UoL in 2014 and have been in my role ever since, with promotion to Senior Lecturer in 2022.
What is your current job and what do you enjoy about it?
I have several job roles at the moment, incorporating everything from operations to strategy and delivery.
I’m a Senior Lecturer in Chemistry, teaching mainly analytical chemistry, and I oversee the first year laboratory course. I’m based in the Central Teaching Labs (CTL) and work with CTL colleagues to manage all CTL lab spaces.
I’m also the Faculty Lead for Outreach and Widening Participation (WP). I work closely with colleagues across the faculty and the WP team to improve access and participation.
More recently, I’ve been appointed as the Chancellor of the Liverpool Children’s University, a charity that advocates learning outside the classroom and inspires a love of learning in children. They encourage and celebrate participation in extra-curricular activities both in and out of school, providing opportunities for children of all backgrounds.
With these many hats, I enjoy the variety and different aspects of my roles. I love planning and innovating, working with the incredible staff in CTL and our students. The best part of my job is inspiring the next generation of young scientists.
Do you have an area of expertise?
My academic background is strongly focused on analytical chemistry, specifically NMR spectroscopy. During my PhD, I studied encapsulated liquids (a solid with a liquid inside) requiring use of a variety of NMR techniques from solid-state to high resolution. I’m fortunate to have used NMR to study all states of matter, even gels and gasses – which is quite unusual!
What has been your most exciting project or career role?
I’m fortunate to have been involved in many exciting projects and roles that I’ve really enjoyed. I was part of the team from the University’s Central Teaching Laboratory that was awarded the prestigious Higher Education Academy’s (HEA) Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE).
Recently, I’ve been involved in redesigning the Chemistry undergraduate curriculum, specifically the laboratory course. It has been a great opportunity to innovate, update and refresh what we teach undergraduates.
I thoroughly enjoy working with students and my entire ethos is centred around improving the student experience. Being able to build a new lab curriculum for future chemistry graduates has been a fantastic experience.
I’m also passionate about my various roles with Outreach and WP, and how we can inspire future generations to experience and study chemistry and STEM. This has included several exciting projects, including the award-winning Science Jamboree, celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2025.
I’ve been fortunate to be involved since its inception, and over the years, Science Jamboree has welcomed approximately 4,000 Beavers, Cubs, Rainbows and Brownies from Merseyside and Cheshire to participate in science-related sessions, delivered by students from across the university.
What are your top tips for working in your industry?
My top tip is don’t be afraid to ask questions.
What is the best piece of advice you have been given?
Be confident, even if you’re scared to do it.
Any advice you’d like to share?
Always give things a go and step outside of your comfort zone.
Why are you passionate about STEM?
I was always an inquisitive child. My family would encourage me to ask questions about everything and showed me how to investigate and find the answers. One particular primary school teacher sowed the seed for my future career by telling me, ‘You’re going to be an incredible scientist when you’re older’, and I think it was from that moment I knew what I wanted to do.
I’m passionate about chemistry and inspiring students and future generations to see the wide variety of opportunities that studying STEM offers.
More resources
Video: Inside Chemistry: A Conversation with Dr Cate Cropper and Dr Konstantin Luzyanin
Faculty of Science and Engineering Outreach
Article: Central Teaching Laboratory wins Teaching Excellence award
Central Teaching Hub - Science Jamboree
Publication: STEM: Teaching practical analytical chemistry online: improving delivery of a Year 2 NMR Spectroscopy Practical
Cate's Staff Profile