Shakharan Al-Zangana is a current PhD student, who joined the liquid crystal group-school of physics and astronomy in 2013. I am investigating the effect of functional nano- and micron sized particles and clusters, such as ferroelectric and ferromagnetic particles of different shapes on the phase transition behaviour and physical properties of the liquid crystal. Different achiral and chiral materials with nematic and fluid smectic phases are considered as a host material.