{{Short description|British Chemist}} {{Redirect|Thomas Welton|the British statistician and accountant|Thomas A. Welton}}
{{Use dmy dates|date= February 2015}} {{Use British English|date= February 2015}} {{Infobox scientist | name = Tom Welton | birth_name = Thomas Welton | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|OBE|FRSC|CChem|FCGI|size=100%}} | image = Thomas Welton - 2015-02-24 - Andy Mabbett.JPG | image_size = | alt = A headshot of Tom Welton | caption = | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1964}} | birth_place = London | fields = Sustainable chemistry<br />ionic liquids | workplaces = Imperial College London | alma_mater = University of Sussex (BSc, PhD) | thesis_title = The chemistry and spectroscopy of ionic liquids | thesis_url = https://copac.jisc.ac.uk/id/42675684?style=html | thesis_year = 1990 | website = {{url|imperial.ac.uk/people/t.welton}} | doctoral_advisor = Kenneth Seddon }}
{{Listen| filename = Tom Welton voice.flac|title = Welton's voice |type = speech |description = recorded December 2014 }}
'''Thomas Welton''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|OBE|FRSC|CChem|FCGI}} (born January 1964) is a professor of sustainable chemistry at Imperial College London.<ref name="bio">{{Cite web |title=Professor Tom Welton |url=http://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/t.welton |access-date=2015-06-23 |website=Imperial College London}}</ref> He served as head of the department of chemistry from 2007 to 2014 and as dean of the faculty of natural sciences from 2015 to 2019.<ref name="head">{{Cite web|last=Kent|first=Philip|date=21 March 2014|title=New Head of Chemistry Department Appointed|url=http://felixonline.co.uk/news/4491/new-head-of-chemistry-department-appointed/|access-date=2015-06-23|website=Felix Online}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite web|title=Professor Tom Welton elected Royal Society of Chemistry president {{!}} Imperial News {{!}} Imperial College London|url=https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/191708/professor-tom-welton-elected-royal-society/|access-date=2021-02-28|website=Imperial News|date=26 June 2019 |language=en}}</ref> He is a Fellow and the former president of the Royal Society of Chemistry (2020 to 2022).<ref name=rsc_council>{{cite web|title=Our structure|url=http://www.rsc.org/about-us/our-structure/|website=Royal Society of Chemistry|access-date=23 June 2015}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite web|title=Tom Welton to become Royal Society of Chemistry president|url=https://www.rsc.org/news-events/articles/2019/jun/new-president-announced-2019/|access-date=2021-02-27|website=Royal Society of Chemistry|date=24 June 2019 |language=en-GB}}</ref> He is their current Ambassador for Sustainable Chemicals Policy (2023-date). Welton's research focuses on sustainable chemistry, with particular focus on ionic liquids and on solvent effects on chemical reactions.<ref name=bio /> Welton is openly gay and is active in advocating for greater visibility for members of the LGBT community in the sciences.<ref name="guardian">{{cite news|title=Gay prejudice? It's not easy admitting you're … a scientist, The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/feb/14/gay-prejudice-coming-out-scientist-lgbt|newspaper=The Guardian|date=14 February 2014|last1=Welton|first1=Tom}}</ref> He is a Former member of the UKRI Equality, Diversity and Inclusion External Advisory Group (2018-2021).<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ukri.org/news/external-advisory-group-to-help-shape-ukris-equality-diversity-and-inclusion-agenda/|title=External Advisory Group to help shape UKRI's equality, diversity and inclusion agenda - UK Research and Innovation|website=www.ukri.org|access-date=2019-02-20}}</ref>
== Education == Welton grew up on a North London council estate and was the first in his family to attend university. Welton has said that his interest in chemistry originated with his A-level chemistry class.<ref name=rsc_diversity>{{Cite web|title = Professor Tom Welton CChem FRSC|url = http://www.rsc.org/diversity/175-faces/all-faces/professor-tom-welton-cchem-frsc|website = 175 Faces of Chemistry: Celebrating Diversity in Science|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200831091259/http://www.rsc.org/diversity/175-faces/all-faces/professor-tom-welton-cchem-frsc/|archivedate=31 August 2020|publisher = Royal Society of Chemistry|last = Lovell|first = Jenny}}</ref> As a child he wanted to fly for the Royal Air Force.<ref name=rsc_diversity/> He received his BSc (Hons) in chemistry in 1985 from the University of Sussex, and his PhD from the same institution in 1990 under the supervision of Kenneth Seddon.<ref name=book>{{cite book|editor1-last=Wasserscheid|editor1-first=Peter|editor2-last=Welton|editor2-first=Thomas|title=Ionic Liquids in Synthesis.|date=2007|publisher=Wiley-VCH|location=Weinheim|isbn=978-3-527-62120-0|edition=2nd}}</ref> He was inspired by the Nobel Laureate Harry Kroto.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/166449/professor-tom-welton-plots-course-natural/|title=Professor Tom Welton plots a course for Natural Sciences at Imperial |date=3 July 2015 |language=en|access-date=2019-02-20}}</ref> He has cited the institution's positive environment for the LGBT community at the time as a positive influence.<ref name=rsc_diversity />
== Career and research == Welton began his career at Imperial College London as a Lloyd's of London Tercentenary Fellow in 1993. He became a lecturer in 1995 and was promoted to full professor in 2004.<ref name="dean">{{cite web|last1=Siddiq|first1=Amna|date=19 September 2014|title=Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences|url=http://wwwf.imperial.ac.uk/blog/announcements/2014/09/19/dean-of-the-faculty-of-natural-sciences/|access-date=23 June 2015|website=Imperial College London}}</ref> During his tenure he has served as the department of chemistry's director of undergraduate studies<ref name=dean /> and served as the head of the department of chemistry from 2007 to 2014.<ref name=head /><ref name=book /> He also served as dean of the faculty of natural sciences from January 2015 until his term ended in December 2019.<ref name=dean /><ref name=":7" />
Welton is a former trustee of the Lloyd's Tercentenary Research Foundation (2012-2022). From 2013 to 2022 he was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Society of Chemistry<ref name=rsc_council /> and additionally served on the steering committee for the RSC's diversity programme.<ref name=dean /> Between 2015 and 2018 Welton served as chair of the Memberships and Qualifications Board.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.rsc.org/about-us/our-structure/professional-standards-board/|title=Professional Standards Board|last=Chemistry|first=Royal Society of|date=2018-07-30|website=www.rsc.org|language=en|access-date=2019-02-20}}</ref> He was appointed chair of the Professional Standards Board in 2018.<ref name=":1" /> He succeeded Professor Dame Carol Robinson as president of the RSC in July 2020<ref name=":6" /> and was succeeded by Professor Gill Reid in July 2022.<ref name="Gill">{{Cite web|title = Gill Reid wins presidential election|url = https://www.rsc.org/news-events/articles/2020/jun/president-elect-2020/|website=www.rsc.org|access-date =2 October 2024}}</ref>
=== Research === Welton works in the field of sustainable chemistry, and has spent most of his career studying the properties of ionic liquids, their interactions with solutes, and the resulting effects on chemical reactions.<ref name="review">{{cite journal|last1=Welton|first1=T|title=Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids. Solvents for Synthesis and Catalysis.|journal=Chemical Reviews|date=11 August 1999|volume=99|issue=8|pages=2071–2084|pmid=11849019|doi=10.1021/cr980032t|url=https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/2653810}}</ref> He was the world's first Professor of Sustainable Chemistry.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Welton|first1=Tom|last2=Hunt|first2=Patricia A.|last3=Villar-Garcia|first3=Ignacio J.|last4=Hallett|first4=Jason P.|last5=Niedermeyer|first5=Heiko|date=2012-11-05|title=Mixtures of ionic liquids|journal=Chemical Society Reviews|language=en|volume=41|issue=23|pages=7780–7802|doi=10.1039/C2CS35177C|pmid=22890419|issn=1460-4744|doi-access=free|hdl=10044/1/15253|hdl-access=free}}</ref> His research group also works on applications for these phenomena in developing environmentally safe organic synthesis methods and in the production of biofuels.<ref name="bio" /> Ionic liquids became commercially available in 1999, meaning that you 'no longer had to be an expert in the synthesis of ionic liquids to be able to use these in your research'.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Welton|first=Tom|date=2018-04-26|title=Ionic liquids: a brief history|journal=Biophysical Reviews|volume=10|issue=3|pages=691–706|doi=10.1007/s12551-018-0419-2|issn=1867-2450|pmc=5988633|pmid=29700779}}</ref> His 1999 review, ''Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids. Solvents for Synthesis and Catalysis'', has been cited over 13,000 times.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Welton|first=Thomas|date=1999-08-07|title=Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids. Solvents for Synthesis and Catalysis|journal=Chemical Reviews|language=en|volume=99|issue=8|pages=2071–2084|doi=10.1021/cr980032t|pmid=11849019|issn=0009-2665|url=https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/2653810 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Hallett|first1=Jason P.|last2=Welton|first2=Tom|date=2011-08-11|title=ChemInform Abstract: Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids: Solvents for Synthesis and Catalysis. Part 2.|journal=ChemInform|volume=42|issue=36|pages=no|doi=10.1002/chin.201136231|issn=0931-7597}}</ref> He is best known for quantifying the effects of ionic liquids on reactions, providing a mechanistic understanding of ionic liquids and establishing how they can be used in organic synthesis.<ref>{{Citation|last1=Sethi|first1=Alick R.|title=Dynamic Supramolecular Chemistry: The Role of Hydrogen Bonding in Controlling the Selectivity of Diels-Alder Reactions in Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids|date=2002-07-25|work=ACS Symposium Series|pages=241–246|publisher=American Chemical Society|isbn=0841237891|last2=Welton|first2=Tom|doi=10.1021/bk-2002-0818.ch019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|title=Ionic liquids in catalysis|issue=21–24|pages=2459–2477|journal=Coordination Chemistry Reviews|volume=248|doi=10.1016/j.ccr.2004.04.015|date=December 2004|hdl=10044/1/9944|last1=Welton|first1=Tom|hdl-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Welton|first1=Tom|last2=A. Hunt|first2=Patricia|last3=J. Villar-Garcia|first3=Ignacio|last4=P. Hallett|first4=Jason|last5=Niedermeyer|first5=Heiko|date=2012|title=Mixtures of ionic liquids|journal=Chemical Society Reviews|language=en|volume=41|issue=23|pages=7780–7802|doi=10.1039/C2CS35177C|pmid=22890419|doi-access=free|hdl=10044/1/15253|hdl-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Eastoe|first1=Julian|last2=Gold|first2=Sarah|last3=Rogers|first3=Sarah E.|last4=Paul|first4=Alison|last5=Welton|first5=Tom|last6=Heenan|first6=Richard K.|last7=Grillo|first7=Isabelle|authorlink1=Julian Eastoe|date=2005-05-25|title=Ionic Liquid-in-Oil Microemulsions|journal=Journal of the American Chemical Society|volume=127|issue=20|pages=7302–7303|doi=10.1021/ja051155f|pmid=15898765|issn=0002-7863|url=https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/3284995|url-access=subscription}}</ref> He was also instrumental in linking the fundamental physical properties of ionic liquids to their chemical behaviours.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Welton|first1=Tom|last2=Weber|first2=Cameron C.|last3=Villar-Garcia|first3=Ignacio J.|last4=Simonutti|first4=Roberto|last5=Mele|first5=Andrea|last6=Mauri|first6=Michele|last7=Matthews|first7=Richard P.|last8=Hunt|first8=Patricia A.|last9=Hill|first9=Anita J.|date=2017-08-21|title=Linking the structures, free volumes, and properties of ionic liquid mixtures|journal=Chemical Science|language=en|volume=8|issue=9|pages=6359–6374|doi=10.1039/C7SC01407D|pmid=29619199|issn=2041-6539|pmc=5859882}}</ref>
Along with Peter Wasserscheid, Welton co-edited a book, ''Ionic Liquids in Synthesis'', first released in 2002 with a second edition in 2007.<ref name=book /> The first edition was reviewed positively as a significant introduction to the then-newly-developing field<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Maase|first1=Matthias|title=Book Review: Ionic Liquids in Synthesis Edited by Peter Wasserscheid and Tom Welton|journal=Angewandte Chemie International Edition|date=16 May 2003|volume=42|issue=19|pages=2111–2112|doi=10.1002/anie.200390454}}</ref> and the second expanded edition was described as excellent and comprehensive.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Mack|first1=James|title=Book Review of Ionic Liquids in Synthesis: Second, Completely Revised and Enlarged Edition, Volumes 1 and 2 Ionic Liquids in Synthesis: Second, Completely Revised and Enlarged Edition, Volumes 1 and 2 . Edited by Peter Wasserscheid (Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, Erlangen, Germany) and Tom Welton (Imperial College of Science, London, U.K.). Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA : Weinheim . 2008 . xxvi + 722 pp. $360.00. {{Text|ISBN}} 978-3-527-31239-9.|journal=Journal of the American Chemical Society|date=October 2008|volume=130|issue=39|pages=13183–13184|doi=10.1021/ja805338y}}</ref> He also joined [https://uni-marburg.academia.edu/ChristianReichardt Christian Reichardt] as an author of the fourth edition of the reference work ''Solvents and Solvent Effects in Organic Chemistry'',<ref>{{cite book|last1=Reichardt|first1=Christian|last2=Welton|first2=Thomas|title=Solvents and solvent effects in organic chemistry.|date=2011|publisher=Wiley-VCH|location=Weinheim, Germany|isbn=978-3-527-32473-6|edition=4th, updated and enl.}}</ref> reviewed as an important reference for organic chemists.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Balaban|first1=Alexandru T.|title=Book Review of Solvents and Solvent Effects in Organic Chemistry, 4th ed. Solvents and Solvent Effects in Organic Chemistry, 4th ed. By Christian Reichardt (Philipps-Universität, Marburg, Germany) and Thomas Welton (Imperial College London, U.K.). Wiley-VCH Verlag & Co. KGaA: Weinheim. 2011. xxvi + 692 pp. $230. {{Text|ISBN}} 978-3-527-32473-6.|journal=Journal of the American Chemical Society|date=25 May 2011|volume=133|issue=20|pages=8058|doi=10.1021/ja203600j}}</ref>
Welton's work on ionic liquids led to the invention of a method to process wood by separating its chemical component lignin from hemicellulose and cellulose, which is potentially applicable to the efficient production of biofuels.<ref name=imperialinnovations>{{Cite web|title = Professor Tom Welton – Imperial Innovations|url = http://www.imperialinnovations.co.uk/technology-transfer/how-we-help/case-studies/professor-tom-welton/|website = Imperial Innovations|access-date = 2015-06-23|date = 15 December 2012}}</ref> Welton also comments in the media on matters related to the health of the environment, such as the 2012 shortage of helium gas commonly used in research laboratories.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Robson|first1=Mick|title=Helium shortage prompts scientist's balloon use warning|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19676639|access-date=23 June 2015|work=BBC News|date=21 September 2012}}</ref>
=== Diversity and inclusion === Welton is an advocate for diversity in academic science.<ref name="rsc_diversity" /> In 2013, under Welton's leadership, the Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London was one of four university departments in the United Kingdom to be awarded an Athena SWAN Gold Award in recognition of efforts to promote women in science.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/newsandeventspggrp/imperialcollege/newssummary/news_26-9-2013-11-6-53|title=Imperial chemists get gold for promoting women in science|last1=Levey|first1=Simon|last2=Noble|first2=Kerry|date=23 September 2013|website=Imperial College London|access-date=23 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Welton|first=Tom|date=2016|title=Building an Inclusive Culture in the Chemistry Department at Imperial College|journal=Chemistry – A European Journal|volume=22|issue=11|pages=3535–3536|doi=10.1002/chem.201600475|pmid=26865282|issn=1521-3765|doi-access=free|hdl=10044/1/34278|hdl-access=free}}</ref> He supports academic institutions around the world in their efforts to improve diversity and equality. In January 2017 Welton toured Australia to share good practise in supporting academic women.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sciencegenderequity.org.au/events/prof-tom-welton-speaking-tour-2017-going-for-gold-just-the-beginning/|title=Prof. Tom Welton Speaking Tour 2017: Going for Gold – Just the Beginning|last=SAGE|date=2016-12-22|website=Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE)|language=en-AU|access-date=2019-02-20}}</ref>
In 2012, together with Alison Rodger, Welton established the Irène Joliot-Curie conference that looked to develop the careers for women and underrepresented groups in science.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Irène Joliot-Curie Conference |url=https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/wcas/events/independentcareer/ |access-date=2025-10-27 |website=warwick.ac.uk}}</ref> The conference included talks from leading women in chemistry, and is now run annually by the Royal Society of Chemistry.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rsc.org/events/detail/25965/joliot-curie-conference-2017|title=Joliot Curie Conference 2017|website=www.rsc.org|access-date=2019-02-20}}</ref> Welton was appointed to the UKRI Equality, Diversity and Inclusion External Advisory Group.<ref name=":0" /> He was awarded an OBE for his services to diversity in education.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Professor Tom Welton and Dr Jess Wade discuss women and diversity in STEM {{!}} Imperial News {{!}} Imperial College London|url=https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/187931/professor-tom-welton-dr-jess-wade/|access-date=2021-02-28|website=Imperial News|date=31 August 2018 |language=en}}</ref> He has written in the popular media advocating for greater visibility in the sciences for the LGBT community.<ref name="guardian" /> Additionally, Welton is a L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science male laureate of change, "''The time for men to realise that gender parity benefits everyone is long overdue"''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fondationloreal.com/|title=For Women in Science|website=www.fondationloreal.com|language=en|access-date=2019-02-24}}</ref> He is currently chair of the board of trustees of the Daphne Jackson Trust (2021-date) and a member of the Elsevier Advisory Board for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
=== Awards and honours === His awards and honours include:
* 2017 Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=61962|supp=y|page=B14|date=17 June 2017}}</ref> * 2017 Fellow of the City and Guilds Institute<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cityandguildsgroup.com/-/media/cgg-website/documents/the-city-and-guilds-of-london-institute-fellowship-awards--city-and-guilds-group-pdf.ashx|title=Fellowship (FCGI) and Honorary Fellowship (HonFCGI) of The City and Guilds of London Institute March 2008 – March 2018|website=City and Guilds|access-date=2019-02-24}}</ref> * 2016 Royal Society of Chemistry King's College London Daniel Lecturer<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kcl.ac.uk/nms/depts/chemistry/newsevents/daniell-lectures.aspx|title=King's College London - Daniell Lectures|website=www.kcl.ac.uk|access-date=2019-02-24}}</ref> * 2015 Royal Society of Chemistry 175 Faces of Chemistry<ref name="rsc_diversity" /> * 2012 RSC/UCL Thomas Graham Lecturer<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=https://www.elsevier.com/events/conferences/international-conference-on-ionic-liquids-in-separation-and-purification-technology/programme/speakers/bio-welton|title=Bio Welton - International Conference on Ionic Liquids in Separation and Purification Technology - Elsevier|website=www.elsevier.com|access-date=2019-02-24}}</ref> * 2012 Imperial College Rector's Award for Excellence in Teaching<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/110873/rectors-2012-awards-medals/|title=Rector's 2012 Awards and Medals {{!}} Imperial News {{!}} Imperial College London|website=Imperial News|access-date=2019-02-24|date=8 June 2012 }}</ref> * 2011 DFG Paul Walden Lecturer<ref>{{Cite web|title=Head of Department receives the Paul Walden Award {{!}} Imperial News {{!}} Imperial College London|url=https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/99583/head-department-receives-paul-walden-award/|access-date=2021-02-26|website=Imperial News|date=2 June 2011 |language=en}}</ref> * 2010 Honorary Member of the Chemical Society of Ethiopia<ref name=":4" /> * 2007 RSC Sir Christopher Ingold Lecturer<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://impact.ref.ac.uk/casestudies/CaseStudy.aspx?Id=42246|title=REF Case study search|website=impact.ref.ac.uk|access-date=2019-02-24}}</ref> * 2007 Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry<ref name="bio" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite web|url=http://www.itqb.unl.pt/events/seminars/itqb-phd-program-seminar-series-2018in-search-of-an-ionic-liquid-effect2019|title=Frontier Leaders: In Search of an Ionic Liquid Effect — ITQB|website=www.itqb.unl.pt|access-date=2019-02-24}}</ref> * 2001 American Chemical Society New Voice in Chemistry<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://pubs.acs.org/cen/125th/html/7913acs125essays.html|title=New Voices In Chemistry|website=pubs.acs.org|access-date=2019-02-24}}</ref> * 1993 Lloyd's of London Tercentenary Fellowship<ref name=":5" />
==References== {{Reflist|30em}} {{Commons category|Tom Welton}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Welton, Thomas}} Category:1964 births Category:Living people Category:Alumni of the University of Sussex Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of Chemistry Category:Academics of Imperial College London Category:British LGBTQ scientists Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire Category:British chemists Category:Gay academics