People

Management and Delivery Team

Professor Jonathan Clayden
Director
Jonathan oversees all aspects of the programme: from interviewing prospective students to running problem sessions with the cohorts. Fundraising, developing national and international collaborations and liaising with our Research Councils are all aspects of this busy role.
Dr Sbu Mbatha
Course Manager
Sbu is responsible for day-to-day operations of the Centre and is in daily contact with students. She leads on all aspects of cohort training and new course development.
Miss Krissy Stothard
Administration Manager
Krissy is the first point of contact for all queries from current and potential students, academic staff and external collaborators. She is responsible for managing all aspects of student administration, marketing and communications.
Mrs Rebecca Schultz-Graham
Specialist Technician
Rebecca is working mainly with the automated synthesis platform Chemspeed Workstation. She is also responsible for using and maintenance of a range of chromatography analytical instruments (GC-MS, LC-MS).
Dr Ella Gale
Subject Specialist
Ella is a machine learning and data science expert able to offer advice and support on applying machine learning techniques to synthesis, as well as general statistics, data science and theory support.
Professor Varinder Aggarwal FRS
Industrial Technology Chair
Varinder is leading the way with automation in the department with his recently acquired ChemSpeed workstation. His industrial links have been key to shaping this innovative centre.
Professor Chris Willis
Professor of Organic Chemistry and Recruitment Chair
Chris plays a key role in the overall recruitment process. She ensures that students from all backgrounds are well represented and the Centre benefits from her extensive experience in postgraduate recruitment and training.
Professor Charl Faul
Professor of Inorganic & Materials
Charl has a strong background on international recruitment and brings many international links with China and Latin America. He leads a multi-disciplinary materials chemistry research group.
Professor Simon Hall
Head of the Inorganic & Materials Section
Simon's previous role of Director of Graduate Studies brings a vast knowledge base of postgraduate students and processes to the team. He plays an active role in recruiting students with an inorganic background, which is key to ensuring a balanced cohort of students.
Dr Natalie Fey
Senior Lecturer in Computational Inorganic Chemistry
Natalie supports the Centre’s ambitions for linking chemical synthesis with all aspects of scientific computing, with a particular focus on computational chemistry. She is a member of the School’s EDI committee and specialises in outreach and public engagement of women with STEM subjects.

Supervisors

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Name	Supervision areas
Professor Varinder Aggarwal FRS	acyclic stereocontrol organoboron chemistry organometallic chemistry catalytic asymmetric synthesis synthesis of natural products
Professor Robin Bedford	new catalysts novel organic reactions organic chemistry inorganic chemistry catalyst development organic reactions
Dr Wuge Briscoe	soft matter nanotoxicity biolubrication
Professor Craig Butts	NMR of complex chemical structures reaction dynamics, kinetics and reactivity computetional modelling
Professor Jonathan Clayden	new synthetic methods organolithium chemistry stereochemistry and conformational control synthesis of biomimetic structures
Professor Matthew Crump	medicinal chemistry and biologics structural biology using NMR and X-ray crystallography application of chemical probes in biological systems
Professor Tony Davis	supramolecular chemistry carbohydrate recognition anion recognition and transport crystal engineering computer-aided molecular design
Professor Charl Faul	soft functional materials self-assembly conductive organic supramolecular materials aniline-based conjugated materials
Dr Natalie Fey	transition metal complexes organometallic chemistry catalytic reactions catalysis
Professor Carmen Galan	oligosaccharide and glycoconjugate synthesis catalysis in carbohydrate chemistry stereoselective glycosylation methods nano-materials for glycobiology
Professor Simon Hall	superconductors nanoparticles crystal growth x-ray diffraction electron microscopy organic crystals semiconductors biomimetics biomineralization
Dr Beatrice Le Fanu Collins	design and synthesis of artificial molecular machines transition metal reactivity for autonomous directional motion
Dr Alastair Lennox	development of green synthetic processes organic electrochemstry (synthetic and analytical) physical organic chemistry and mechanistic studies homogenous organometallic catalysis
Dr Tom Oliver	DNA photo protection nanomaterials photochemistry photoshynthesis protein interactions
Professor Andrew Orr-Ewing	photochemical and reaction mechanisms of organic molecules in solution, on a range of timescales from femtosecond upwards controlled use of photochemistry for synthesis
Dr Mike Price	Design of new molecules for organic optoelectronics: photovoltaics, light emitting devices and lasers Ultrafast spectroscopy of novel semiconductors and organic molecules Photophysics and photochemistry of semiconductors/molecules for hydrogen photocatalysis or carbon dioxide capture Device engineering of new photovoltaic and laser designs
Dr Sebastien Rochat	Photo- and electrocatalytic polymers Energy harvesting and conversion Hydrogen storage Composite materials engineering Stimuli-responsive materials
Dr Chris Russell	coinage metal catalysis main group elements as transition metals phosphorus as a carbon copy
Professor Chris Willis	new methods for the synthesis of natural products and molecules of biological interest biotransformations reaction mechanisms isotopic labelling
Professor Dek Woolfson	protein sequence and 3-D structure design and synthesis of non-natural peptides and proteins peptide-based biosensors and materials for synthetic biology