O’Hare Group researchers win 2026 Jamie Ferguson Chemistry Innovation Award

Dr Matthew Williams and Dr Emma Southall have received a 2026 Jamie Ferguson Chemistry Innovation Award for their work developing sustainable materials for uranium recovery from seawater.

With growing global energy demand and renewed interest in nuclear power, securing a sustainable and resilient supply of uranium is becoming increasingly important. Matthew and Emma’s idea explores the use of struvite-derived layered double hydroxides (LDHs) as selective sorbents for uranium recovery.

By transforming struvite - a by-product of wastewater treatment - into a functional material for resource recovery, the approach brings together waste valorisation, critical mineral security and the principles of the circular chemical economy. The technology has the potential to contribute towards more resilient nuclear fuel supply chains while creating value from an abundant waste stream.

The annual Jamie Ferguson Chemistry Innovation Awards, organised by the Department of Chemistry in partnership with Oxford University Innovation (OUI), recognise chemistry-based ideas with the potential to deliver real-world impact. The awards were established in memory of Dr Jamie Ferguson, a passionate advocate for innovation and entrepreneurship within the Department.

Matthew and Emma will now continue to explore the development and commercial potential of the technology, building on the O’Hare Group’s broader research into functional inorganic materials and sustainable chemistry.

Full list of winners: Meet the winners of the 2026 Jamie Ferguson Chemistry Innovation Awards | Department of Chemistry