Anthony West is Professor of Electroceramics and Solid State Chemistry in the Department of Materials Science & Engineering at Sheffield University. Having spent most of his academic career at the University of Aberdeen, where he developed a lifetime interest in the then-emerging field of solid state chemistry with special interest in synthesis of new oxide materials, their crystal structures and electrical properties, Professor West moved to Sheffield University in 1999 as Head of Department, a post he held until 2007. In addition to writing several bestselling books on Solid State Chemistry, Tony was founding editor of the Journal of Materials Chemistry and founding Chairman of the Materials Chemistry Forum of the Royal Society of Chemistry. He is a former President of the Inorganic Chemistry Division of IUPAC. Professor West is a Fellow of the RSC, the Institute of Physics, the Institute of Materials, Mineral and Mining, and the Royal Society of Edinburgh. He previously received an Industrial Award in Solid State Chemistry from the RSC, 1996, the Griffiths Medal and Prize from the IOM3, 2008, the Epsilon de Oro Award from the Spanish Society of Glass and Ceramics, 2007, and the Chemical Record Lectureship from the Chemical Societies of Japan, 2009. He has been awarded the 2013 RSC John B. Goodenough Award in Materials Chemistry, a lifelong recognition award for his contributions to the field.