Like Slash, Lemmy, Wedgwood and Mitchell before him, James grew up in Stoke-on-Trent, famous for oatcakes, pottery and darts players. He obtained his BSc Chemistry degree from Keele University in 2009 and then moved to Sheffield to undertake his PhD under the supervision of Professors John Harding and Derek Sinclair. After completing his studies, James was awarded a prestigious JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship at Kyoto University, which allowed him to achieve his ambition of living in Japan. Upon conclusion of the fellowship, James returned to the UK to take up a postdoctoral position at the University of Cambridge and then the University of Bath, before joining Newcastle University as a NUAcT Fellow in January 2020. Outside of research, James enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter, travel, live music and sport.
PDRA, Design and Understanding of Solid Electrolytes for Energy Applications (May 2023–)
PDRA, Atomistic Simulations of Liquid Electrolytes and SEI Formation in Anode-Free Batteries (July 2023–)
PDRA, Mechanochemical Modelling of Battery Materials (September 2023–)
PDRA, Exploring Ion Transport and Interfaces in Solid- and Semi-Solid-State Batteries
(December 2024–)
PDRA, Understanding Microstructure and Interfaces in Battery Cathodes
(January 2025–)
PDRA, Modelling Microstructure and Interfaces in Solid-State Batteries
(March 2025–)
PhD, Li-Ion Transport, Defects and Interfaces in Li3PS4 for Solid-State Batteries
( October 2020–)
Alex Bell
PhD, Understanding Electrode-Electrolyte Interfaces in Solid-State Batteries and Supercapacitors
(September 2021–)
George Rudman
PhD, Fluorine Doping of Anti-Perovskite Solid Electrolytes for Solid-State Batteries (co-supervised with Dr. Karen Johnston at Durham University)
(September 2021–)
PhD, Development of Mixed Anion Argyrodite Solid Electrolytes
(September 2022–)
PhD, Understanding and Optimising the Formation and Electronic Properties of Metallo-DNA (co-supervised with Dr. Ben Horrocks and Prof. Andy Houlton)
(September 2022–)
PhD, Novel Modular and Eco-Designed PEM Electrolysers Integrated for Green Hydrogen Production (co-supervised with Dr. Lu Xing and Dr. Vincent Barrioz at Northumbria University)
(September 2022–)
Victoria Watson
PhD, Synthesis and Characterisation of Palmierites for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (co-supervised with Prof. Abbie McLaughlin at the University of Aberdeen)
(January 2023–)
Xudong Mao
PhD, Exploring Ion Transport in Halide-Based Solid Electrolytes
(January 2023–)
Oscar Ballantyne
PhD, Computational Design of New Fuel Cell Materials
(September 2023–)
Rebecca Wignall
PhD, Development of Solid Electrolytes by a Combined In-Operando XPS-Theoretical Approach (co-supervised with Dr. Elisabetta Arca)
(September 2023–)
Alanoud Aloufi
PhD, Ion Transport and Interfaces in Hybrid Perovskites for Optoelectronics
(September 2024–)
Abeer Abdu Hdadai
PhD, Modelling and Experimental Studies of Next-Generation Supercapacitor Materials
(September 2024–)
Lauren Gardiner
PhD, Computational Design of Argyrodite Solid Electrolyte-Electrode Interfaces
(September 2024–)
Felix Scott
PhD, Elucidating Ion Transport at the Interfaces of Hybrid Solid-State Batteries
(September 2024–)
Shaojun Hao
PhD, Understanding the Role of Alkali Metals in Hybrid Perovskites
(September 2025–)
PDRA, Stanford University with Aaron Lindenberg
(February–March 2020)
Head of Strategy for Government Science & Engineering Profession, Government Office for Science
(November 2021–April 2022)
Veni Laureate and PDRA, TU Delft with Marnix Wagemaker
(January 2022–February 2022)
PDRF, North-West University with Dmitri Bessarabov
(February 2022–March 2022)
PDRF, National University of Singapore with Piero Canepa
(March 2022–April 2022)
BSc, Alexandria University
(November 2024–)
PhD, University of Bouira
(December 2024)
PDRA, Nano- and Microstructural Modelling of Solid Electrolytes for Solid-State Batteries
(May 2021–)
Phoebe Goodrich
FUSE Intern, Atomistic Modelling of Electrolyte Degradation in Batteries
(June 2025–July 2025)
Jing Xuan (Michelle) Lim
PhD, Efficacy of artificial imprinted antibodies in driving unwarranted immune responses (co-supervised with Dr. Shoba Amarnath and Dr. Marloes Peeters)
(February 2022–April 2025)
PhD + PDRA, Lithium and Sodium Anti-Perovskite Solid Electrolytes for Energy Storage Applications
(May 2021–March 2025)
Alex Watkins
MChem
(October 2023–June 2024)
Dylan Spraggon
MChem
(October 2022–June 2023)
MChem
(October 2021–June 2022)
MChem
(October 2021–June 2022)
MChem
(October 2020–June 2021)
MChem
(October 2020–June 2021)