Professor Polly Arnold OBE FRS delivers the 28th Wheeler Lecture
On Thursday 9th of October 2025 UCD School of Chemistry held the 28th Wheeler Lecture. We are honoured that (opens in a new window)Professor Polly Arnold OBE FRS agreed to deliver the 28th lecture in this series which began in 1964.
Professor Arnold is a renowned expert in heavy-element chemistry where her (opens in a new window)group at UC Berkeley elegantly advances our understanding of the f-block of the periodic table.
Polly was awarded the Rosalind Franklin Award in 2012 for both her scientific achievements and for her work to promote equity, diversity and inclusion in the STEM community and this award funded her documentary film A Chemical Imbalance. This short film examines why women are still under-represented in chemistry and science fields. As part of Polly's visit to deliver the 28th Wheeler Lecture the School EDI Committee and UCD Chemsoc screened the film and it was followed by a fireside chat with Polly, Evan Spotte-Smith, and Aoibheann Smyth reflecting on changes since the documentary was made in 2013. Chaired by Serena Cussen, it was an engaging conversation on the key EDI issues still at play in the field of chemistry internationally.
Aoibheann Smyth, Polly Arnold, and Evan Spotte-Smith and Serena Cussen
In what is now a well established tradition Polly signed "The Wall" joining other Wheeler Lecturers and eminent chemists who have visited the school including a number of Nobel Prize winners.
Serena Cussen, Michael McGlinchey, Polly and Fun Man Fung
James Sullivan, Head of School gave a short history of the Wheeler Lecture Series and Serena Cussen welcomed Polly and introduced the 28th Wheeler Lecture.
Polly’s lecture, entitled “Organometallic Actinide Chemistry in High Oxidation States” was warmly received by a large audience of staff, students and invited guests from across UCD and other departments / schools of Chemistry in Dublin.
Polly is a pioneer in understanding the nature of bonding and structure in f-block chemistry. Her talk explored new chemistry of berkilium and thoroughly enthralled our audience.
We are enormously grateful to Professor Polly Arnold for making the time in her busy schedule to visit UCD School of Chemistry and deliver the 28th Wheeler Lecture.