Thomas Player

MChem Chemistry 2013
DPhil Physical and Theoretical Chemistry 2017
Lecturer in Study Skills

Thomas grew up on the south coast, and came to Keble in 2013 from his local comprehensive. He found university a big adjustment; for any (soon-to-be) students reading this he is keen to acknowledge the rough that inevitably comes with the smooth, and the invaluable support of family, tutors and friends. Happily, many of his closest friendships have been forged across Keble’s Dining Hall tables.

He fondly remembers his undergraduate tutor Steve Faulkner’s regular end-of-tutorial exhortation: “Now, go have some fun”. To this end, Thomas made the most of the opportunities Keble afforded: conducting the string orchestra; writing crosswords for the student paper; serving on the MCR committee; and acting as a peer supporter to fellow students. He stayed on for a DPhil in 2017, studying how migrating birds navigate using the Earth’s magnetic field. He remains fascinated by the rich sensory world enjoyed by many animals; a world which we do not, as yet, fully understand.

In 2021, he became one of the College’s inaugural Study Skills Lecturers—dedicated teaching that was not offered when he studied here, but is now available to all Keble students. Thomas is proud to be working towards Keble’s founding mission: supporting the brightest students to develop their academic potential, regardless of circumstance.

Today, as well as teaching, Thomas works as a Communications Manager, translating the science happening in Oxford’s chemistry laboratories for the wider world. He is never happier than when making something, and is currently writing his first book: a popular science title that reveals how the properties of everyday chemicals can be explained by their molecular shapes.