New Pro Vice-Chancellor

Professor Allemann will take over responsibility for the College of Physical Sciences and Engineering from Professor Karen Holford, who will take up the role as Deputy Vice-Chancellor on 3 April 2017.

For the past 4 years, Professor Allemann has been Head of the School of Chemistry as well as a Distinguished Research Professor.

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Colin Riordan said: “Professor Allemann is an internationally renowned academic who has an outstanding track record of leading the School of Chemistry, bringing a wealth of experience to this role...”

Professor Allemann said: “I am absolutely delighted to be appointed the Pro Vice-Chancellor and Head of College of Physical Sciences and Engineering. I will build on the outstanding work that Professor Karen Holford has done in establishing and leading the College over the past 5 years...”

As part of the role of Pro Vice-Chancellor, Professor Allemann will take responsibility for the overall management and leadership of the College of Physical Sciences and Engineering. He will also play a key role in setting the College’s strategy and direction and in promoting the development of learning, teaching and research excellence.

As Pro Vice-Chancellor, Professor Allemann will also become a member of the University Executive Board.

After completing his PhD work at Harvard University and Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) in Zurich Professor Allemann began his career as a postdoctoral researcher and Staff Scientist at the Medical Research Council’s National Institute for Medical Research at Mill Hill on the outskirts of London.

Professor Allemann went on to become Research Group Leader and lecturer in the Department of Chemistry at ETH in Zurich.

In 1998, Professor Allemann moved to the University of Birmingham to become a Senior Lecturer in Chemistry, before taking up the role of Professor of Chemical Biology in 2001.

Since 2005, Professor Allemann has been a Distinguished Research Professor at the University’s School of Chemistry.

In his role as Head of the School of Chemistry, Professor Allemann has overseen an expansion in the School, an overhaul of the undergraduate courses in chemistry as well as a doubling of research income and number of students in the School.

In the latest government assessment of university research, the School of Chemistry was ranked 9th best in the UK, and ranked 5th for the impact of its research.

Professor Allemann’s research group apply a wide range of chemical and physical techniques to answer questions relating to the extraordinary catalytic power of enzymes. They develop and apply chemical tools to probe and control biological processes in the laboratory and in live cells. Their work relies on an interdisciplinary approach at the interface of chemistry and fields such as biology, chemical ecology, material science, medicine and physics.