We are delighted that Professor Saiful Islam is to join the department as the next Statutory Chair in Materials Modelling. Saiful will take up his appointment in January 2022, when he will also join the Fellowship of St Anne's College.
Saiful's research interests are in modelling of materials processes and structures at the atomistic scale, particularly in energy materials including batteries and solar cells. His work has generated deeper insight into conduction mechanisms and pathways for lithium ion transport in electrolytes for innovative solid-state battery technologies. He currently leads the CatMat project for the Faraday Institution on next-generation cathode materials where modelling is being used to help accelerate development of new battery technologies to improve performance of electric vehicles.
Another significant research area for Saiful is in using simulation to understand the structure, stability and properties of the organo-lead halide perovskites for advanced solar-cell applications. Here the importance of studying lattice defects and their effect on transport properties are critical.