Accessibility statement

Professor Duncan Bruce group members

Current research group

Postdoctoral Fellow

Postgraduate students

  • Jordan Herod (from October 2016)
    MChem with a year in industry, University of York
    Ionic Polycatenar Liquid Crystals based on the N-phenylpyridinium unit: synthesis and phase behaviour.
  • Alice McEllin (from October 2018)
    MChem, University of York
    Working on gold mesogens.

External collaborators

Our work requires collaborations with scientists with expertise complementary to our own, and we have worked with several different groups over the years. Current collaborators include:

  • Dr Daniel Guillon and Bertrand Donnio, IPCMS, Strasbourg, France (X-ray, dilatometry).
  • Professor Geoffrey R. Luckhurst, University of Southampton, UK (2H NMR).
  • Professor Koen Binnemans, KU Leuven, Belgium (Lanthanide mesogens).
  • Dr Andreja Lesac, Ruder Boskovic Institute, Zagreb, Croatia (chiral and bent-core mesogens).
  • Professor Thomas Maschmeyer, TU Delft, Netherlands (catalysis).
  • Professor John Seddon, Imperial College, UK (metallosurfactants)
  • Dr Wuzong Zhou, St Andrews, UK (electron microscopy).

Former group members

(Do email if you can provide information.)

  • Dr M Nurul Abser (BSc Jahangirnar, PhD Central Lancashire). Now Associate Professor, Jahangirnar University, Bangladesh (PDRA 1994-95).
  • Dr Maria Amela Cortes (Ingenier, Universidad Ramon LLull, Barcelona; PhD, Exeter) Maître de Conferences, University de Rennes, France (PhD 2006).
  • Dr Marie-Andrée Amoroso (née Guillevic) (Maitrise, DEA, PhD, Rennes). Now research scientist at RSR Ltd (PDRA 1997-99).
  • Dr Kate Amos (MChem, PhD Exeter). Now working for Dyson. (PhD 2005).
  • Dr Rachel Parker (MChem Edinburgh, PhD, York). Working as a formulation chemist with AssetCool (PhD 2020).
  • Professor Koen Binnemans (PhD, Leuven). Member of academic staff at KU Leuven. (PDRA 1997).
  • Dr Sandrine Bousquet (Maitrise, DEA, PhD, Toulouse). Now seeking a position in France. (PDRA 1999-2001).
  • Dr Rebecca Butcher (née Cox) (BSc PhD, Sheffield). Resource Manager, Pilkingtons. (PhD 1997).
  • Dr Chris Cabry (MChem, PhD York). Currently a PDRA in Manchester (PhD 2017).
  • Professor Francesco Carrion Vilches. (BSc, PhD Murcia). Now Professor Catedrático, Universidad de Murcia, Spain. (PDRA 1995-96).
  • Dr Viorel Cîrcu (BSc, PhD, Bucharest). Professor, University of Bucharest. (PDRA 2003-04).
  • Dr Simon Collinson (BSc, PhD Sheffield). Now Senior Lecturer in Chemistry, The Open University (PDRA 1996-99).
  • Dr Lucia D'Andrea (PhD Barcelona). Schoolteacher (PDRA 2014-1016).
  • Dr Mark Danks (MChem, PhD Exeter). Working for Johnson Matthey. (PhD 2002).
  • Dr Richard Date (BSc, PhD Southampton). Seeking a position in the UK. (PDRA 1998-2004).
  • Dr Rupinder Dhillon (BSc, Essex, MPhil, PhD, Sheffield). Working in the UK (PhD 1991).
  • Dr Bertrand Donnio (Maitrise Rennes 1, PhD, Sheffield). Now Directeur de Recherche 1, IPCMS, Strasbourg. (PhD 1996).
  • Qiaochu Du (MSc York). Now an R&D Engineer for Botanee in China (MSc 2017).
  • Dr Holger Eichhorn (PhD Bremen). Now staff member, Windsor University, Canada. (PDRA 1995-96).
  • Dr Daniela Fazio (Laurea, Messina; PhD Exeter). Working in the semiconductor industry in Italy. (PhD 2001).
  • Dr Eva Fernandez Iglesias (Licenciado, Oviedo, PhD Exeter). Schoolteacher. (PhD 2002).
  • Dr Aurélie Friang (Ingénieur, ENSC Montpellier, PhD Exeter) Senior Chemist, Johnson Matthey (PhD 2008).
  • Dr Deborah Huck (MChem, PhD Exeter/Strasbourg). Now working for Malvern Instruments. (PhD 2004).
  • Dr Adrian Gainar (BSc Bucharest, MSc York, PhD Manchester). PDRA Imperial College (MSc 2012).
  • Dr Kate Gransden (née Rowe) (BSc, PhD Sheffield). Director of External Innovation at GSK. (PhD 1996).
  • Professor John Holbrey (BSc, PhD Newcastle-on-Tyne). Professor of Chemistry at the Queen's University Belfast. (PDRA 1992-94).
  • Dr Sarah Hudson (BSc Aberystwyth, PhD Sheffield). Associate Professor, Rennes School of Business, Rennes, France. (PhD 1991).
  • Dr Zhang Hui. Now assistant professor, University of Xiamen, China. (PDRA 1996-97).
  • Dr Jon Hunt (BSc Cardiff, PhD Exeter) Director of Business and Skills, West of England Combined Authority. (PhD 2000).
  • Dr Helen Jervis (BSc, PhD Exeter). Working in an instrument company. (PhD 1999).
  • Dr Valery Kozhevnikov (BSc, PhD, Urals State Technical University, Ekaterinberg, Russia). Senior Lecturer, University of Northumbria (PDRA 2005-2009).
  • Dr Nicky King (MChem, PhD Exeter). Now working in the School of Biosciences, University of Exeter. (PhD 2005).
  • Dr Sarah Kirchhecker (BSc, Kings, London, PhD, Max Plank, Potsdam). PDRA Leibniz Institute for Catalysis (PDRA 2015-18).
  • Dr Ronan Le Lagadec (DEA, PhD Rennes 1). Now on the Faculty at UNAM, Mexico.
  • Professora Elena Lalinde (PhD, Zaragoza). Now Profesora Catedrátrica, Universidad de la Rioja. (Postdoctoral visitor, 1985 and 1986).
  • Dr Andreja Lesac (BSc, MSc, PhD Zagreb). Research Associate, Ruder Boskovic Institute, Zagreb. (PDRA 1996-97).
  • Dr Xiao-Hua Liu (PhD Sheffield). Now working in property in Canada. (PhD 1997).
  • Dr Julian Marsden (BSc, PhD Sheffield). Now working as a teacher. (PhD 1993).
  • Dr Françoise Martin (DEA Rennes, PhD Exeter). Commercial Director, Mercer, France (PhD 2000).
  • Dr Pamela Martin (MChem, Exeter; PhD York). Research Scientist at the Tun Abdul Razak Research Centre, (PhD 2008).
  • Dr Carole Mongin-Bulewski (Maitrise, DEA, PhD, Toulouse). Senior Scientific Director at Chameleon Communications. (PDRA 1998-2000).
  • Dr Stefania Morrone (Laurea, PhD Calabria). Now working at the Università della Calabria. (PDRA 1994-97).
  • Dr Jaishri Naidu (BSc, MSc Pune, India; PhD, Mangalore, India) Working in industry in India (PDRA 2004-06).
  • Dr Loc Nguyen (DEA, PhD, Bordeaux). Research Chemist at High Force Chemicals (PDRA 2000-03).
  • Dr Stephen Nugent (BSc, PhD New South Wales). (PDRA 1993-96).
  • Dr Laurent Omnes (DEA Rennes, PhD Exeter). Consultant Engineer Dix Septembre. (PhD 2001).
  • Dr Andrew Pidwell (BSc, PhD Exeter). Teacher at Ivybridge School Devon. (PhD 2000).
  • Dr Nathalie Pinault (DEA Rennes, PhD Exeter). Research Engineer, Oril, France. (PhD 2000).
  • Dr Daniel Price (BSc, PhD Sheffield). Senior Lecturer at the University of Glasgow. (PhD 1995).
  • Dr Carsten Präsang (BSc, Oldenburg; PhD, Marburg). Member of academic staff, University of Saarland (PDRA 2006-2008).
  • Dr Alessio Riccobono (Laurea and PhD, Universita di Palermo). Practising pharmacist in the UK (PhD 2018).
  • Dr Jonathan Rourke (BSc, PhD Sheffield). Reader in Chemistry at Cardiff University (PDRA 1993-94).
  • Dr Amedeo Santoro (Laurea, Napoli, Italy, PhD York). Development chemistry at Johnson Matthey (PhD 2010).
  • Dr Julia Sarju (PhD student 2012-2016). Associate Lecturer in Teaching and Scholarship, University of York.
  • Dr Navpreet Sethi (PhD York). PDRA in China (PhD 2013).
  • Dr Imelda Silalahi (PhD York). Associate Professor, University of Tanjungpura, Indonesia (PhD 2017).
  • Dr Antonina Smirnova (BSc, MSc, PhD, Ivanovo University, Russia). Now Researcher at Ivanovo State University (PDRA 2010-2011; 2005-2007 and 2001).
  • Professor Peter Styring (BSc, PhD Sheffield). Now Professor of Chemical Engineering at Sheffield University. (PhD 1988).
  • Dr Shashi Indudhara Swamy (BSc, MSc, Mysore; PhD, Mangalore, India). Now working in industry in India (PDRA 2007-2008).
  • Dr Ali Tajbakhsh (PhD Sheffield). Retired. (PDRA 1991-92).
  • Dr Ching-Wei (Jing) Tseng (PhD, National Dong Hwa university) now Postdoctoral fellow at National Kaohsiung Normal University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan (Visiting PhD student 2015-2016).
  • Dr Anna Thomas (née Thornton) (BSc, PhD Sheffield). Now living in Western Australia. (PhD 1993).
  • Dra Mari Carmen Torralba (PhD, Murcia). Profesora Titular, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain (PDRA 2003).
  • Dr Steve Wainwright (MChem & PhD York). Senior Scientist at Johnson Matthey (PhD 2011).
  • Dr Qing Min Wang (PhD Sheffield). Senior Research Scientist at Dow Electronic Materials, USA. (PhD 1995).
  • Dr Jonathan Watkins (BSc, PhD, Sheffield). Now working in industry. (PhD 1992).
  • Dr Alex Williamson (BSc, PhD Sheffield). (PhD 1996).
  • Dr Kimberley Willis (née Smith) (BSc, PhD Sheffield). Sheffield Diocese Ordinand and NHS Chaplain (PhD 1998).
  • Dr Linda Wilson (née McAllister) (MSci, Durham; PhD York). Technologist at Infineum (PhD 2014).
  • Joanna Wong (MSc York). Working in pharmaceutical marketing in Malaysia (MSc 2010).