About Simon

Interests and Skills

I am an inorganic/physical chemist whose career has focused on the function of metals in biology as well as in catalysis and materials science.  I have studied these using a range of physical techniques like spectroscopy, electrochemistry and kinetics. I am a leading expert in the application of infrared (IR) spectroscopy to biological systems and I am an experienced EPR and synchrotron X-ray (EXAFS, Soft X-ray and XMCD) spectroscopist with over half my publications involving these techniques.  Much of my work has involved the development of novel instrumentation for this work as well as software tools for instrument control and the analysis of complex data.

My interest and enjoyment in working in biological chemistry stems not only from its relevance (it’s about life!) or its huge potential applications (in biotechnology, agriculture, bioinspired industrial catalysis, novel materials and so forth).  It's also because these problems are often technically challenging as experimental materials are often impure, severely limited in quantity and dilute in the metal of interest.  The field has responded by developing a diverse range of sensitive physical techniques, and I very much enjoy working with and developing these as they provide their own challenges.  I also like the interdisciplinary nature of the subject as it draws on the all the main branches of physical science (chemistry, physics, biology) as well as aspects of engineering, making a scientifically diverse and exciting working environment.

These web pages summarize my main research themes and experience:

•   Research (academic)
•   Instrument and Software Development