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Biography

Graham Newton M欧美AV is a professor of chemistry at the University of Nottingham, where he leads a multidisciplinary research group operating at the intersection of inorganic molecular materials, electrochemistry, and energy鈥恉evice engineering. His work focuses on the design and integration of next generation materials for advanced battery technologies, with an emphasis on translating fundamental chemistry into practical energy solutions. He is a co-founder of the Nottingham Applied Materials and Interfaces (NAMI) research group.
 
Originally from Edinburgh, he earned his MSci (2005) and PhD (2009) at the University of Glasgow before undertaking a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Tsukuba. He joined the faculty there as an assistant professor in 2011. In 2015, he moved to the University of Nottingham as a Nottingham Research Fellow, progressing to associate professor in 2022 and full professor in 2024.

For the development of hybrid molecular metal-oxide redox materials and their applications in energy storage.

Graham Newton

Q&A

Can you tell us more about your work?

Redox reactions 鈥� processes in which materials gain or lose electrons 鈥� underpin many of the technologies modern society depends on, from batteries and fuel cells to industrial catalysts and environmental clean-up systems. The efficiency, stability, and sustainability of these technologies all hinge on how well we can control redox behaviour. Yet traditional redox materials, bulk metal oxides, offer limited atomic level control, making it difficult to fine tune their properties or, at times, understand exactly how they work.
 
My research addresses this challenge by developing molecular approaches to redox materials. I use well defined molecular metal oxides, especially polyoxometalates (POMs), as atomically precise redox units whose structures and electronic properties can be systematically tuned. He has pioneered the creation of hybrid molecular-nanoscale redox systems by efficiently integrating these charged, water-loving clusters into the cavities of single-walled carbon nanotubes. This results in stable, tuneable molecular redox materials that lend themselves perfectly to fundamental studies around electron and ion transfer. This molecular precision opens new pathways to improved energy storage, cleaner catalysis, and more sustainable redox based technologies.

What have been the biggest challenges that you have faced over the course of your time in science, and what have you learned from those experiences? 

One of the biggest challenges early in my career was how strongly my confidence rose and fell with the progress of my project. I could swing from feeling completely at home in the lab to believing nothing I did would ever work. When I finished my PhD I wouldn't have felt like I could imagine a career in academia. I now recognise this as a form of imposter syndrome, even though I didn鈥檛 have that language at the time. With experience, those highs and lows have evened out, but remembering what that period felt like helps me support early career researchers who may be going through something similar.

In what ways does creativity influence how you think about or carry out your work? 

One of the pleasures of working at the interface between disciplines is that progress often depends on finding imaginative solutions 鈥� whether that鈥檚 shaping the direction of a research programme or navigating the day-to-day challenges that arise in discussions with students. New ideas rarely appear in isolation, so finding time to talk about your science with colleagues is invaluable. Those conversations, especially with people outside my field, are often what spark the most productive and unexpected creative leaps.

What does good research culture mean to you, and why does it matter? 

Good research culture is based on commitment, shared purpose and respect. It means everyone's voice is heard and people feel empowered to ask questions and take risks (safely). I love it when a student comes to talk to me about a 'blue-sky' experiment. That sense of curiosity and freedom is exactly what a healthy research environment should nurture. 

Most groups go through phases where the culture feels perfectly aligned and others where something is slightly off. Those moments can be challenging to navigate, but as a group leader you need to find a way to fix it. When everyone is pulling in the same direction, the science is so much stronger.

How important would you say collaboration is for producing high quality science? How has collaboration influenced your work? 

Collaboration has been absolutely central to my research career. Working with talented colleagues across disciplinary boundaries has opened up ideas and possibilities that simply wouldn鈥檛 have emerged in isolation, and the science is unquestionably stronger for it. Just as importantly, collaboration makes every bit of the process more enjoyable. Sharing the highs and lows, and building friendships with researchers around the world, adds a richness to the work that goes beyond the publications we produce.