Professor Joseph Keddie awarded prestigious Sir Eric Rideal Award for lifetime achievements in colloid science

Professor Keddie, who is Professor of Soft Matter Physics at the University of Surrey, has received the prestigious lifetime achievement award, which honours individuals who have made sustained and distinguished contributions to colloid and interface science. Professor Keddie is internationally known for his pioneering work on polymer colloids, soft matter physics, sustainable materials and living materials, with an academic career spanning more than three decades. 

A Royal Society Industry Fellow and Fellow of Surrey’s Institute for Sustainability, he has authored more than 150 journal articles and book chapters, holds multiple patents and co-authored the book Fundamentals of Latex Film Formation. His research at Surrey has previously been recognised with the Paterson Medal from the Institute of Physics and the RSC/SCI Graham Lectureship. His work continues to impact sectors ranging from coatings and adhesives to nanocomposites, wastewater treatment and bioremediation. 

Professor Keddie will deliver his lecture, ‘More than Watching Paint Dry,’ on 8 April 2026 at the Rideal Lecture and Symposium: Polymer Colloids – From Engineering to Biology. The lecture will present highlights from his research career, including studies of drying using magnetic resonance imaging, coatings that are self-layering, and “living paints” that store carbon and produce oxygen. 

Registration for the Rideal Lecture and Symposium: Polymer Colloids – From Engineering to Biology is now open. Those interested in attending on 8 April can find further details and register via the Society of Chemical Industry website here. 

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