Who are Firebat Glass?
Gayle Price
A Master craftsperson in the fields of Lampworking and Glassblowing, Gayle cut her teeth in the field at the University of Glasgow, apprenticing under Master Glassblower William McCormick.
Whilst there, Gayle grew her expertise, developing glass for scientific use, including work for SUERC (Scottish Universities Environmental Research Center) and NERC (National Engineering Radiocarbon Laboratories).
Gayle’s life took her to the University of Hull next, where she helped to fully refurbish the workshop which had suffered extensive flood damage. Whilst there Gayle worked with multiple departments, furthering research in many fields.
During her tenure at the University of Leicester, Gayle’s work reached new heights as she partnered with many inspiring artists, taking her work on the road, across the UK and beyond.
Gayle’s collaborative work has been featured on BBC One’s ‘The One Show’, ‘The Great British Bake Off’ and ‘Inside Science’. It has been exhibited at the Wellcome Trust, Rugby Museum, Berlin Museum of Natural Science and various other galleries and museums across the country.
Gayle is now very excited to move forward with Firebat Glass, continuing the work of discovery, expression and creativity for which she is so well known.
Simon Price
Simon looks after the administrative side of Firebat and maintains this website, as well as helping with all the associated lifting, carrying and driving.
Simon’s background is primarily in customer service, content management and web sales.
A lifetime of being practically glued to a computer as a hobby and through work, leaves him perfectly placed to carry out all the tech-based duties that leave Gayle free to concentrate on her art.
However, his most important duties by far, are endeavouring to keep Gayle sane and functional, with plenty of coffee and sweets!
Testimonials
“Gayle was instrumental to many aspects of my research work. She helped me build my research lab from scratch, assisting with the design of bespoke kit for highly specialised air-sensitive work and producing some sensational pieces of glassware. The quality of her glasswork is simply outstanding, combined with precision and attention to detail.
Her customer service is equally amazing. Gayle has always been incredibly helpful and supportive, not only to me but also to members of my research team. Quite simply, I could have not asked for a better collaborator!”
- Dr Fabrizio Ortu, Associate Professor of Chemistry
“I am currently a second-year PhD student in chemistry. My project focuses on using single-atom catalysts to selectively oxidize amines into several different nitrogen-containing products under aerobic conditions. Our reactions are carried out under 40 bar of air, and most of the glass liners used in our high-pressure reactors were made by Gayle. After I showed her a picture and the dimensions of one of our original glass reactors, she completed ten new liners for us in less than a week, which was incredibly impressive. She is also a very cool and friendly person and communicating with her has always been easy and enjoyable.”
- Yuhe, Chemistry PhD Student
“I have had the pleasure of knowing Gayle since my undergraduate studies, when she was an enormous help with inert chemistry and speciality glassware, and she has remained an invaluable source of support throughout my PhD.
From Schlenk line assembly and maintenance to glassware modifications and the creation of custom pieces, Gayle’s skill, precision, and creativity are truly exceptional. With her talented hands, almost anything is possible!”
- Monika, Chemistry PhD Student
Interviews
‘The art of Scientific glassblowing’
Meet Gayle Price, a glassblower whose work for chemists, physicists and medics shows that craft skills and creative thinking are essential to science.
Interview with the Wellcome Collection - 2018
‘The chemist’s best friend’
Interview with Chemistry World - July 2018
‘The culinary chemist: Out of the lab and into the tent’
On Firebat’s collaborations with Josh Smalley
Science Direct - June 2024
‘Articles of Glass’
Interview with Morwenna Kearsley - 2022
‘Everything is Alive’
Podcast appearance - 2020
Our Values
Here at Firebat Glass, we believe in accessibility, diversity, sustainability, and maintaining heritage crafts.
Science, learning and expression are for everyone, and being compassionate and responsible members of the human race only serves to benefit us all. As such, we use NO GENERATIVE AI in any of our processes or promotional materials. We reuse and recycle where possible and treat all people we deal with, with the dignity and respect they deserve. We make this statement openly, because we want you to know how we operate and how you’ll be treated in working with us. We all deserve better than what some would have the world be, let’s work together for that future.
Gayle & Simon