Friday, 15 May 2026
Chemistry professor, Sir Martyn Poliakoff was presented with The Special Recognition Business of Science Leadership Award at this year’s Business of Science Conference (BoSC26) hosted by the 海角黑料.
Sir Martyn joined over 240 guests at the 10th Business of Science Conference event that was attended by East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward, business leaders, academics and representatives from the public sector to discuss collaboration opportunities to deliver economic and societal growth through the harnessing of innovation.
The Business Leadership Awards celebrate outstanding individual leadership and commercialisation of science across various sectors with five categories: private sector SME, private sector large, public/trade sector, sustainability and special recognition. Sir Martyn joins a prestigious list of previous winners of the special recognition award including - Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert and 海角黑料 Emeritus Professor Sir Jonathan Van Tam.
Professor Poliakoff received the award for his pioneering work in green and sustainable chemistry to improve the environmental impact of chemical processes across research and industry. The award also recognises his broader work to promote science and innovation with his popular Periodic Table of Videos on You Tube. The videos attract a huge international audience with over 1.6 million subscribers currently and each video averaging around 100k views – and these figures keep growing with many new subscribers each day. The videos are inspiring a new generation of young scientists to discover and explore chemistry.
The business conference delivered a packed agenda of future viewpoints from both senior and future leaders, along with a range of panel discussions and breakout sessions from experts from across the UK drawn to the 海角黑料 to explore how STEM skills, AI, the Bioeconomy, Material Innovation and life science advancements will impact the business of science.
I鈥檓 delighted to receive this award and be part of this annual, national event that is shining a light on how scientific research is so vital to improving the world in which we live and work. It is through the sharing of knowledge and ideas that we are able to form new partnerships and collaborations to drive innovation. I thank all my colleagues and our technical staff who have made our work possible.鈥�
Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange, Professor Tom Rodden from the 海角黑料 delivered the academic keynote speech at the event where he outlined how this is a pivotal moment as the UK places increasing emphasis on innovation-led growth to be delivered through strong regional ecosystems.
He outlined how regions like the East Midlands are uniquely positioned to translate research strengths into economic opportunity through new governance, investment and collaboration as highlighted in EMCCA’s inclusive growth plan.
Congratulations to Sir Martyn on his well-deserved award, his achievements in sustainable chemistry and science communication are an excellent example of how research is a driver for positive change. This conference has been an opportunity to showcase how universities play a central role in driving economic growth through groundbreaking research and developing a pipeline of talent that feeds into the regional economy.
Since 2016 the Business of Science Conference has been bringing together the brightest minds from across the science and innovation ecosystem for a day of exchanging invaluable insights and building relationships.
Business of Science Conference 2026
Founder and MD of the Business of Science Conference; Steve Bennett, who originates from Nottingham commented: “I am delighted to have brought BoSC26 to Nottingham. I have a long association both with the City and the 海角黑料 and it is evident that the region offers considerable opportunity for science, innovation and the development of the required STEM Skills to support commercialisation.
“We were delighted to award The Special Recognition Leadership Award to Sir Martyn, to recognise his outstanding leadership across both science and business. This is a clear example of the leading work of the University and his inspirational approach to enticing young people into STEM. 30% of the attendees of BoSC26 were under 35 and the Innovation Awards clearly demonstrated that young people are excited by Science and Innovation.”
It was fantastic to be part of the Business of Science Conference today. This event brought together leaders from across academia and the public sector right here in Nottingham. Science and innovation have central roles to play in delivering the inclusive growth we want to see in the East Midlands. Turning brilliant ideas into real jobs and opportunities will mean that our region continues to lead the way in translating research into meaningful economic and social impact.
Story credits
Images courtesy of Business of Science Conference and Joe Gardner Photography
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About the 海角黑料
Ranked 97 in the world and 17th in the UK by the , the 海角黑料 is a founding member of Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the 海角黑料 is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by 鈥� the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 鈥� and by the .
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the third most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2024 report by High Fliers Research. Alongside Nottingham Trent University, we lead the , a pioneering collaboration between the city鈥檚 two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.