Video recorded 2004-2005.  Interviewed by Harry Kroto and Jim Feast.

In this interview Richard discusses in section one his research work and in section two: his childhood, education, the importance of fixing things, views on science and what science is, sustainability and resulting scientific challenges, religion and science, the research environment, the empowerment of having a scientific education, what makes him angry and whether or not science should be useful!

This video is available in the following formats:

 

Professor Sir Richard Friend is Cavendish Professor of Physics and part of the Optoelectronics Group at the Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge.

His research interests cover:

1) Conjugated Polymers, in particular the development of new semiconducting polymers (with Dr. A. B. Holmes, Department of Cambridge and Melbourne Universities). Characterisation of properties in semiconductor device structures, including: - Polymer Light-Emitting Diodes, Thin-Film Field-Effect Transistors and Photovoltaic and Photoconductive Diodes;

2) Time-resolved optical spectroscopy: Sub-picosecond time-resolved spectroscopy, with 100fsec \'white-light\' laser system, used to study formation and evolution of excitonic and polaronic electronic photoexcitations 

3) Molecular conductors and magnets, the investigation of charge-transfer complexes containing pi-conjugated molecules showing metallic, antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic behaviour.