Kathryn is an established academic researcher and Professor working in the broad field electrochemistry. Her research focuses on sustainable energy and processes, with specific projects relating to the valorisation of CO2 and electrochemical energy storage  in particular long duration storage such as in flow batteries and green hydrogen. Her research also explores analytical electrochemistry, novel materials, water splitting and all manner of electrochemical processes.  Her research has been funded by the EPSRC, CO2Chem Network and the ERC via their H2020 Starting Grant programme to explore a novel electrochemical approach to CO2 conversion and valorisation. 

While the Toghill Group has grown, so has the Toghill-Adamson family, with Arthur joining in 2019 and Robbie in 2023. They can make working life a juggle, but also help inspire research project that will make way for a greener, cleaner world. 

At Lancaster University Kathryn lectures in the Department of Chemistry, teaching Skills for Chemists, Electrochemistry, and Solar Energy Conversion and Storage.  She is active in departmental outreach activities. Outside Kathryn is founder and coordinator of the UK Redox Flow Battery Network. 

Background: Kathryn moved to Lancaster University in November 2014, to commence a lectureship in the newly opened Chemistry Department. Prior to this post, Kathryn was a Research Associate Ecole Polytechnique Federal de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland, working in the group of Prof Hubert Girault (LEPA), for three years. At EPFL Kathryn led research on redox flow batteries and hydrogen evolution, overseeing the installation of a 40 kWh hybrid energy storage system. Her work also involved the utilisation of carbon dioxide, specifically high pressure and supercritical fluid, where strategies for photochemical and electrochemical reduction were explored.  Kathryn completed her DPhil (PhD) and EPSRC Postdoctoral Award at Oxford University under the supervision of Prof Richard Compton. here her research focused on the analytical applications of modified boron doped diamond electrodes, and the design and implementation of an electrochemical atomic force microscopy cell. Her undergraduate years were spent undertaking an MChem at Swansea University, with a year abroad spent in the University of Waterloo, Canada, working with Prof Linda Nazar. Kathryn's work in her third year abroad led to her first publication, in Nature Materials, and put her on the academic path with a focus on electrochemical energy storage and energy materials. 

Research Portal Profile   

Postdoctoral Researchers

Dr Daniel Smith

Daniel studied his Natural Science degree at Lancaster University between the years of 2009 and 2012, studying various topics from both physics and chemistry. He undertook a MSc in Birmingham and then transitioned into the field of electrochemistry by joining the CDT in Fuel Cells and their Fuels at Nottingham University under the guidance of Dr Darren Walsh.  His thesis concerned the use of ionic liquids as fuel cell solvents. 

Daniel is with us on the ERC DeCO-HVP CO2 Reduction Project and is enthusiatic about the many avenues this project offers. 

Dr Hamza Annath

Hamza joined the Toghill Group officially in January 2023. Prior to this, he was an innovation fellow for Lancaster University's GISMO programme seeking to link academia and business to solve research challenges.  Hamza has a rich background in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, having worked in industry and straddled academia and industry projects in the UK. He joins us with a wealth of strategies to make new catalyst materials. 

Hamza is with us on the ERC DeCO-HVP CO2 Reduction Project and is focussed on the design and synthesis of new catalyst materials. 

Dr Luis Pinho

Luis joined the Toghill Group in January 2023. Prior to this, he was an innovation fellow for Lancaster University's GISMO programme seeking to link academia and business to solve research challenges.  Hamza has a rich background in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, having worked in industry and straddled academia and industry projects in the UK. He joins us with a wealth of strategies to make new catalyst materials. 

Hamza is with us on the ERC DeCO-HVP CO2 Reduction Project and is focussed on the desing and synthesis of new catalyst materials. 

Dr Sonal Bajpai 

Sonal joined the Toghill Group in May 2021 transferring from the Fielden Group. She recently passed her PhD viva  on developing non-enzymatic electrochemical platforms for indicators of kindney disease. Following a brief research associate post in the group to evaluate albumin sensing, Sonal is now Entreperneural Lead for an iCURe Explore market discovery programme with Innovate UK. This is to explore the market potential of the creatinne sensing platform developed as part of her PhD research. 

s.bajpai@lancaster.ac.uk 

Sam Robertshaw (2019 - 

Sam joined the Toghill Group in October 2019. He completed his MChem undergraduate degree in Bangor University, and a year in research on catalysis at Cardiff University in the Hutchings Group. His work is part of the ERC Starting grant funding, and concerns the application of MXenes as heterogeneous CO2 reduction catalysts.

s.robertshaw3@lancaster.ac.uk

Beth Murdock (2019 - 

Beth joined the Toghill Group in October 2019 and is co-supervised by the Tapia-Ruiz Group also in Lancaster Chemistry Department.  She completed her MChem undergraduate degree at Lancaster University, completing her final year project with the Tapia-Ruiz Group in 2019. Now, as part of the MSI Material Social Futures Leverhulme Doctoral Training Centre (MSF DTC) Beth will explore sustainable cathode materials for high voltage lithium ion batteries, approaching the work from a materials synthesis and electrochemistry perspective. 

b.murdock@lancaster.ac.uk

Mark Potter (2021 - 

Mark has returned to the group to undertake a PhD on the ERC CO2 Reduction Project. He was formally with us for his MChem project in 2019-20 where he first evlautaed the iron mnt complex as a homogeneous catalyst for CO2 reduction. His role in the group now will be looking at redox mediators for decoupled reduction reactions. 

m.potter@lancaster.ac.uk 

Brian Lewis (2023 - 

Brian joins the group after acheiving a first class Natural Science degree from Lancaster University. He has held a deep interest in electrochemistry since his second year studies and after a successful final 4th year project evaluating scanning probe tips for electrochemical systems, and an internship producing lithium ion battery materials, he has joined the Toghill Group to delve into affordable and scalable grid scale storage solutions. Brian will focus mostly on aqueous organic redox flow batteries. 

b.lewis@lancaster.ac.uk