Who we are

Bryan undertakes interdisciplinary research that focuses on developing nanostructured functional coatings. He also graduated from the University of Surrey with a MEng in Mechanical Engineering. In his spare time, he enjoys cooking, going to the gym, and watching anime. 

From the United States originally, John graduated from the University of Virginia with his undergraduate before moving to Birmingham to join the CDT in Topological Design and pursue his PhD in developing advanced heat sink materials in nuclear fusion reactors. Outside of the lab, you’ll probably find him playing "soccer" or squash, going for a hike, or in the kitchen struggling to keep his sourdough starter alive. 

Lizzie completed her MSci in Chemistry at the University of Birmingham, spending her third year studying at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada. She is now in the first year of her PhD and is working on developing and applying surface science techniques to the understanding of novel two-dimensional magnets. In her spare time, Lizzie enjoys going to the gym, hiking, and cooking. 

Vinnie conducts his research in the field of topological physics and metamaterial antenna design and hence is an interdisciplinary member of both the physics and electrical engineering departments. He graduated from the University of Birmingham with an MSc in Physics and has continued to pursue his PhD at the University of Birmingham. He is an avid enthusiast of politics, in particular how science and technology play an intermate role in driving politics as well as being affected by it. He also enjoys listening to science (and political) podcasts and discussions of religion in science. 

Mario undertakes research in the field of computational materials physics, focusing on the modelling of materials for quantum applications. He graduated from the University of Warwick with an MSc by Research in Physics and the University of Philippines Diliman with a BS in Applied Physics. He enjoys traveling, playing video and board games, and listening to pop culture and science podcasts.

Amy undertakes interdisciplinary research between Mathematics and Engineering. She also graduated from the University of Birmingham with an MSci in Mathematics. In her spare time, she likes to do home workouts, long walks (preferably surrounded by trees and with her music playing), and learn new languages. 

Fabian is a UKRI Future Leaders Fellow with a main interest in developing mathematical approaches to address real-world problems. The focus of his work is on biomedical problems, for example, cancer and cardiovascular diseases, and he enjoys working in interdisciplinary collaborations. In his free time, he enjoys time with his kids, outdoors and travelling.

Ilija is a Lecturer in Materials and Natural Sciences and the current Director of Natural Sciences. He is a materials scientist with particular interests in the fundamental science of carbon nanomaterials and their application in biomedical contexts, as well as interdisciplinary science education. He loves sport, music and learning about the world.