Dr Michael L. Baker MRSC FHEA – Lecturer and Diamond-Manchester Research Fellow
Mike Baker completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Exeter in 2007 (Physics BSc Hons). He obtained a PhD in neutron spectroscopy via an Institut Laue Langevin fellowship with supervisors including Prof. David Collison, Prof. Hans Güdel, Prof. Eric McInnes, Dr Hannu Mutka and Prof. Richard Winpenny (2007 – 2011). He was a JSPS postdoctoral fellow at the Institute for Material Research, Tohoku University within the group of Prof. Hiroyuki Nojiri (2011-2013). He spent a short stint in the groups of Prof. Myriam Sarachik (CCNY, Dept. Physics) and Prof. Andy Kent (NYU, Dept. Physics). He then obtained a Cross-Disciplinary Fellowship from the Human Frontiers Science Program to work for Prof. Edward I. Solomon at Stanford, Dept. Chemistry (2014-2017). In 2018 Mike was appointed as Diamond Light Source – Manchester Research Fellow at the University of Manchester at Harwell and Department of Chemistry. In 2020 he was awarded a Comunity for Analytical Measurement Fellowship. In 2021 he obtained a New Investigator Award from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.
Dr Myron S. Huzan – PDRA
Myron is originally from Nottingham, the same city in which he graduated with an MSci in Physics from Nottingham Trent University; during which he experienced several experimental research opportunities at large-scale research facilities including CERN, ESRF, ISIS and CLF. His current research involves the utilisation of experimental and theoretical X-ray spectroscopic techniques to study the magnetic and electronic structure of single ion dopants within crystalline matter.
Dr Timothy G. Burrow – Beamline Scientist, MARS, Synchrotron SOLEIL
Tim graduated from the University of the West of Scotland with a BSc(Hons) in chemistry, where between his studies he worked for the Royal Society of Chemistry and as a research assistant for a variety of projects. His research seeks to exploit the sensitivities of RIXS and develop the technique for the quantification of actinide electronic structure. [Linkedin]
Rasmus Tang Christiansen – PhD Student
Rasmus obtained a BSc in Physics at the Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen (2014-2018). He has an MSc from the same institution (2014-2018). His MSc project was spent within the group of Prof. Kim Lefmann. Since 2021 Rasmus has started an Institut Laue Langevin PhD studentship studying valence delocalised spin excitations.
Nathan Alcock – PhD Student
Nathan obtained an MChem(Hons) degree from the University of Manchester (2017-2021), during which time he completed research projects with Dr Louise Natrajan (2019) and Prof. Nik Kaltsoyannis (2020-2021) in both experimental and computational radiochemistry. He joins the group to carry out PhD research using RIXS measurements and computational quantum chemical methods to probe the electronic structure of actinides
Alban B. Riey – PhD Student (Maths)
Alban Bloor Riley graduated from The University of Manchester with an MMath and is now a PhD student working on an interdisciplinary project with Mike Baker and Marcus Webb (from the Mathematics Department). His research focuses on developing new algorithms for solving the inverse eigenvalue problem associated with inelastic neutron spectroscopy experiments.
ZhiBo (Alan) Qi – PhD Student
Alan is studying f-block electronic structure and magnetism. He has a Diamond Light Source studentship and is co-supervised by Dr Shu Hayama (I20-scanning) and Dr Peter Bencok (I10-BLADE). Alan conducted his MChem studies in the Baker group working on the inelastic neutron scattering of lanthanide molecular magnets.
Matei Pascariu – MChem Student
Matei is an MChem student studying U(IV)-S bonding using ligand K-edge XANES measurements and excited state simulations. He spent his third university year at the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source working on applications of inelastic neutron scattering and Raman spectroscopy and developing methodologies for combining solid-state and gas-phase DFT simulations.
Sayantan Sarkar – MSc Student
Sayantan is a MSc student trying to understand the fundamental electronic transitions in uranyl compounds using U L3-edge HERFD-XANES. He graduated with a BSc in Chemistry from St. Xavier’s College, University of Mumbai in 2023. Before joining his MSc at Manchester, Sayantan carried out a research project on carbon dioxide capture and utilization using porous materials at CSIR-Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute.
Previous Group Members
Chad Keeling – MChem Student
Chad is an MChem student studying the magnetic properties of a metal-doped lithium nitride compound by electron paramagnetic resonance measurements. During his third year, he was a placement student at CPI’s National Formulation Centre.
Ryan Dempsey – MChem Student
Ryan was an MChem student working on the simulation U X-ray spectroscopy with particular emphesis on RIXS. Ryan went on to a PhD with Prof. Nikolas Kaltsoyannis to apply DFT to model iron-actinide chemistry with importance to UK nuclear waste clean-up.
Joy Chiappella – MChem Student
Joy was an MChem student studying the dynamic electronic structure of spin-crossover and valence tautomeric molecules through variable temperature L3-edge and K-edge RIXS. As part of her studies, she conducted an analytical chemistry industrial experience placement for GlaxoSmithKline.
JiaFu Xian – MSc Student
Jiafu was an MSc student studying the electronic and magnetic properties of dopant ions by high-field electron paramagnetic resonance. Before starting her MSc at Manchester Jiafu obtained a BSc in Chemistry at Shenzhen University, that included research investigating Mn doping within Graphine.
Jin An – MSc Student
Jin An was an MSc student studying the effect of dysprosium-doping on magnetic properties with X-ray spectroscopy and multiplet theory calculations. She obtained a BSc in Applied Chemistry from Nanjing Tech University and worked on the use of a spinel catalyst in the complete oxidation of methane at low concentrations under the supervision of Prof. Chuan Wang.