Professor Jonathan Coleman, Head of the School of Physics, was pleased but not overly surprised to find himself named a Highly Cited Researcher again. “I have been on the list for the past twelve years, so it’s not a new thing for me”, he said. Instead, he expressed concern about Trinity’s declining presence on the list. Reduced national funding certainly plays a role, he noted, but internal factors within the university matter too. He pointed out that University College Cork (UCC), despite facing the same funding constraints, now has seven highly cited researchers. “We slipped several years ago, so there is clearly a problem.”
Coleman is currently leading a three-year project with Professor Valeria Nicolosi that focuses on developing sodium- and potassium-ion batteries as sustainable alternatives to lithium-based systems. Aiming to improve battery performance and storage capacity, their research involves identifying which 2D materials are best suited for battery applications and investigating factors that limit charging speed. Coleman believes the physics of nanomaterials could significantly increase charging rates, but stresses that background research is needed to really understand how batteries work at the nanoscale.
He also highlighted the extraordinary potential of graphene, which has a “whole list of interesting properties, which is an absolutely unheard-of fact”. As the strongest known material, graphene is currently being used to make concrete around 30 per cent stronger, reducing the amount of the mixture needed for any application. Given that concrete production accounts for eight per cent of the global CO2 emissions, this can make a significant difference in resolving global warming. Professor Jonathan Coleman argued that graphene in concrete could even be the most important application of any nanomaterial to date.
“Research is a funny thing”, he reflected. “Some projects can be important, but not very interesting. Others can be interesting, but not very important.” He recalled developing a method of scaling up graphene production a decade ago, when his team discovered that graphene could be made in a kitchen blender. “Within 24 hours of that paper being published, we saw YouTube videos of people all over the world making graphene using our recipe”, he said. “It was awesome to see our findings going outside the world of papers, labs and researchers, and touch people out in the real world.”
Coleman mentioned he has “loads of ideas” for small, curiosity-driven projects that may seem unimportant at first but often lead to valuable insights. Unfortunately, such projects rarely secure funding. “The reality is oftentimes that’s where the biggest breakthroughs happen”, he remarked, pointing out that graphene was discovered in a non-funded project.
Currently, Coleman struggles to carve out the time for research. “I am the Head of School of Physics, so little time is left for research”, he said. With a group of 23 people, he manages to stay involved only by working from 6am to 6pm. and fiercely protecting small windows reserved for research. “I try not to let anyone break into them”, he said. “But with all my responsibilities, it’s very difficult. I don’t have enough time to simply think about stuff.”
Nevertheless, Professor Jonathan Coleman finds teaching fulfilling. “Physics can be very difficult, and some concepts are impossible to grasp without mathematics”, he said. “So it’s important to engage with students in a way that helps them get over those difficulties.” When he sees students finally grasping a challenging idea, he finds it “incredibly rewarding”.
Jonathan Coleman also mentors postgraduates, guiding them through their research process. He finds it wonderful to watch students become fully immersed in their projects. “This takes over their lives in a good way because they’re doing something they really enjoy”, he said. “But that doesn’t happen on its own – you have to get them involved by mentoring and showing your enthusiasm.” He says it is truly fulfilling to see young people grow into scientists – and, “in many cases, really good scientists”.
Eventually, Professor Jonathan Coleman emphasises the importance of teamwork in science. “Never underestimate the power of a collaborating group of researchers to solve problems”, he asserted. “Sometimes it feels like there’s no way forward, but then you sit around a table with other scientists and suddenly someone comes up with an excellent solution. Participating in those discovery sessions is one of the best things about being a researcher – you never know what’s going to come out of them, but it’s always something good.”
