The University of Plymouth is proud to present the Inaugural Professorial Lecture of Professor Mark Fitzsimons.

Nitrogen is an element of life. It is an essential nutrient for living organisms and the most abundant component of the air we breathe. However, despite its key role in sustaining life, human intervention in the nitrogen cycle has created an abundance of ‘reactive’ nitrogen leading to negative environmental impacts on natural waters.

Nitrogen has been described as ‘the wicked element’, and its application to the environment is now strictly regulated in many countries. Does it deserve such a title?

Professor of Environmental Chemistry, Mark Fitzsimons, uncovers the fascinating chemistry of nitrogen, examining how its environmental transformations support biological and physical processes on earth. Drawing from three decades of expertise, he discusses some of the effects of the nitrogen imbalance we have created and how an equilibrium might be re-established.

Need to know

This event is open to the public and free to attend. This is a hybrid-delivery event, meaning there will be some limited seating available for in-person attendance or alternatively you can participate in the event live using Zoom. You’ll have the opportunity to ask questions during the live Q&A session with Mark at the end.

This event is delivered as part of the University of Plymouth's Public Research Programme, a year-long programme of research-focused events for captivating explorations of science, engineering, arts, culture, health, medicine and more.