Jas S. Ward

	Position, Location:	Academy research fellow, Department of Chemistry, University of Jyväskylä (Finland)
	Homepage:	https://www.jyu.fi/en/people/james-ward
	ORCID:	orcid.org/0000–0001–9089–9643
	Education:	2010 MChem under Prof. A. Welch, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh (UK) 2015 PhD under Prof. A. Hill, Australian National University, Canberra (Australia) 2015–2016 Postdoctoral Fellow with Prof. P. Kruger, University of Canterbury (New Zealand) 2017–2019 Teaching convenor with A/Prof. M. Ellison, Australian National University, Canberra (Australia) 2019–2021 Postdoctoral fellow with Prof. K. Rissanen, University of Jyväskylä (Finland)
	Research:	X-ray crystallography, halogen bonding, halogen(I) complexes, and iodination
	Hobbies:	Cycling, reading, kayaking, and baking

The most important future applications of my research are the synthesis of pharmaceutical compounds and smart materials.

My first experiment was reducing and capping a carborane.

Chemistry is fun because you're often the first person in history to have ever made that particular new compound.

I have fun in the lab when sketching out random ideas on the fumehood.

My favorite research conference is OZOM (Australasian Organometallic Meeting) due to the great company and atmosphere.

The most rewarding aspect of refereeing is lending your expertise to others to enhance their research.

I advise my students to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst, especially in terms of safety.

The most important quality of a role model is to lead by example.

My favorite thing about my lab group is the teamwork.

I am most proud of my group when they apply the skills I've taught them.

I can never resist running a crystal.

I recharge my batteries by sleeping in whenever I can.

If I were not a scientist, I would be a (failed) writer.

My favorite time of day is late at night, because that's when all the ideas seem to come to you.

My favorite band is probably R.E.M. as I grew up listening to them, but of course it's hard to choose just one band.

If I were stranded on a desert island and could have only one book, I would choose The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas because it's a great novel and long enough to keep me going.

Behind the Science

Photoresponsive halogen(I) complexes was the idea I proposed in my first successful grant application, so I was strongly invested in the idea. However, when we attempted it experimentally we got the unusual mixed iodine(I) complex, which despite its novelty, wasn't what we wanted. Nevertheless, we persevered and determined a way to cleanly crystallize the mixed iodine(I) complex. Once we had that, the other solid-state studies (photoconversion, Raman spectroscopy) naturally followed on from there. It's a great feeling that we got this idea to work, and a good reminder to follow the chemistry wherever it may lead.

International edition: DOI: 10.1002/anie.202509959

German edition: DOI: 10.1002/ange.202509959