Background

Bob studied at Durham University for his MChem (2009) and PhD (2013, with Prof. Andrew Beeby). He then held Alexander von Humboldt [Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg with Prof. Todd Marder] and Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 [University of Oxford with Prof. Stephen Faulkner] Fellowships.

In 2018 he joined the University of Strathclyde as a Chancellor's Fellow and Lecturer in Chemistry.

Research Interests

We are interested in the design, synthesis, photophysics, and applications of conjugated materials with uses ranging from fluorescent dyes in super-resolution microscopy to photosensitizers for phototherapy. See Research Interests tab for further details.

External Committee Membership

Bob is the treasurer of the RSC Glasgow and West of Scotland Local Section and was Secretary of the RSC Photophysics and Photochemistry Group (2017-2021).

We design conjugated molecules for a range of applications and have capabilities for their air-free synthesis and characterisation.

In addition to extensive experience in steady-state absorption and emission spectroscopy across the visible and near-infrared regions, we have experience in time-resolved fluorescence measurements (TCSPC, TAS), including capabilities for variable temperature measurements (77-373 K). Our work is often underpinned by other methods including electrochemistry and DFT/TD-DFT calculations.

We are also involved in several collaborative projects accessing central facilities for neutron spectroscopy [ISIS and ILL] and (super-resolution) fluorescence microscopy [ESRIC and Central Laser Facility].

We are always interested in establishing new collaborations with academics or industry.