Research Interests: Preparation and Properties of p-n Molecular Junctions

My research is primarily interested in the synthesis and characterisation of molecules that contain two conjugated ring systems which are separated either by a bridging double bond, or a central carbon atom. Molecules in which the two conjugated ring systems are different are particularly desirable, as it is hoped that these molecules will have important applications in organic field effect transistors (OFETs), and photovoltaic devices.

Personal Biography:

I was brought up in the quiet, pleasant surroundings of the peak district (just outside Matlock), and have always been fascinated in understanding how things work. This ultimately resulted in the decision to pursue a career in Chemistry, which started at the university of Durham in 1996. After a successful and rewarding four years, I decided however that I was still keen to learn new things, and pursue other dreams. To this aim, I
moved to Manchester in 2000, and began a postgraduate performance diploma (on Viola) at the Royal Northern College of Music. On completing my course, I remained in Manchester as a freelance musician, performing frequently as part of a string quartet for a whole range of occasions.

More recently, I returned to Chemistry, where I am currently undertaking my PhD with Professor Turner in the field of organic electronics. I do still maintain a wide range of other interests however, and still continue to perform occasionally. I have also developed a keen interest in Japanese, and recently achieved A* at GCSE level! Other interests include, walking, cycling, food and film.

Publications:

New pyrimidine and fluorene-containing oligo(arylene)s Hughes, G.; Wang, C.; Batsanov, A. S.; Fearn, M. J.; Frank, S.;

Bryce, M. R.; Perepichka, I. F.; Monkman, A. P.; Lyons, B. P.
Org. Biomol. Chem. 2003, 1, 3069.