The fellowship will allow Dr Oliver to pursue fundamental studies of solvated electrons - a critical species in radiation damage, redox chemical transformations and charge-transfer in biology.

He will also pioneer new spectroscopic techniques to unravel the complex and deleterious photoionization reactions of aromatic amino acids and DNA after absorption of ultraviolet light.

As part of the fellowship he will become a visiting Professor at the University of California, Los Angeles working with Professor Benjamin Schwartz, and at the University of Southern California working with Professor Stephen Bradforth.