Welcome to our lab!
Principal Investigator:
Professor Alex Forse
I'm Alex, from Coventry in the UK. I moved to Cambridge for my undergraduate and then PhD degrees, where I worked on the energy storage mechanisms of supercapacitors. I then moved to the University of California, Berkeley, where I worked on metal-organic framework materials for carbon dioxide capture. Time living in San Francisco rekindled my love of the ocean, and I spent my spare time surfing in the Pacific. Now back in Cambridge as a group leader, I enjoy outdoor swimming, and can also be found venturing to north Norfolk, Devon and Cornwall in search of waves. I am also a budding amateur gardener and am happy to provide cuttings!
Postdocs:
Dr. Xinyu Liu
My name is Xinyu Liu.(刘芯妤）I was born and raised in Jilin, a very northern city and the earliest automobile industry base in China. I completed my undergraduate studies majoring in materials physics at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, during which I focused on investigating the intrinsic defects in semiconductors through solid state NMR. I am now studying for my PhD at Cambridge, having previously completed my MPhil in the Forse group, and I am investigating pore accessibility of various activated carbons in supercapacitors through NMR spectroscopy. During my spare time, I enjoy cooking and trying new food.
Dr. Malina Seyffertitz
Hi, I’m Malina. During my PhD at the University of Leoben in Austria, I developed and applied in-situ and operando synchrotron and neutron techniques to better understand aqueous supercapacitors for energy storage. Now, as a postdoctoral researcher in the Forse Group, I am exploring how these systems can also be used for carbon dioxide capture via Supercapacitive Swing Adsorption (SSA). My main research interest lies in developing a better understanding of the fundamental mechanisms behind SSA to help advance it as a sustainable carbon-capture technology.
When not in the lab, I enjoy going high up (climbing), deep down (diving), and everything in between (from foraging for mushrooms to solving crosswords). Having moved from the Alps to the Fens, I do sometimes miss the mountains, but I’ve found plenty of adventures here too. Always happy to swap routes, reefs, or riddles - just hit me up!
PhD Students:
Ben Rhodes
I’m originally form Leamington Spa in Warwickshire before I moved south to undertake my undergraduate at Oxford University in chemistry. I completed my masters project there in laser spectroscopy of plasmas, as well as various summer projects in computational methods, before crossing to over to Cambridge (a.k.a. ‘the Other Place’) for my PhD starting in Jan 2022. My projects here aim to improve understanding of the mechanistic details of CO2 capture process in materials synthesised in the group. Through the combined use of computational methods and solid-state NMR techniques, the ultimate aim is to feedback into the synthesis process to act as a guide to potential future target CO2 capture materials. Away from chemistry I enjoy playing sports: touch rugby, cricket, cycling and running, and also a bit of violin playing, when I have the time.
Jack Taylor
Last year I worked in the Forse group for my masters project in synthesising quinone derivatives for their application in electrochemical CO₂ capture. For my PhD studies I am carrying on with this work while also adding a component of computational modelling. In my spare time I love to read and when the conditions are just right, I also enjoy sailing.
Zeke Coady
Hello! My research in the Forse group seeks to better understand electrochemical carbon capture mechanisms using NMR spectroscopy. Prior to joining the group, I completed my undergraduate degree with Honours at the Australian National University in Canberra 2019. In my Honours I investigated the design, synthesis and properties of molecules with host-guest binding activity for use in catalysis under the supervision of Dr Nicholas White. I subsequently worked in the Australian federal government on sustainable transport policy, before coming to Cambridge as a Gates Cambridge Scholar. Outside of the lab, I spend my time cooking and travelling.
Zugus Trisukhon
สวัสดีค่าา ! (Sawasdee Ka), this is Zugus, your favourite doll imported from Thailand. I received a BSc in Chemistry from Chulalongkorn University in 2020 before moving to Cambridge for my master’s in 2022. My master’s project focused on CO₂ capture using a new material called Charged Adsorbents, which can perform Direct Air Capture (DAC) of CO₂. I then continued to my PhD in 2023, focusing on energy storage materials, particularly MOFs, which allow me to conduct systematic studies on electrode–electrolyte interactions and degradation mechanisms. Outside the lab, I love exploring and discovering all-you-can-eat restaurants, so feel free to join me if you’re up for a food adventure!
Cerys Walsh
I am originally from Kildare in Ireland. In 2019 I moved to Scotland to study chemistry at the University of Edinburgh. In the final year of my MChem, I did an industrial placement at Roche in Switzerland where I worked on the crystallisation of small molecule pharmaceutical compounds. I am now starting my PhD where I will be using carbon supercapacitors for electrochemical CO2 capture. This project is co-sponsored by the CDT in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (NanoDTC). Outside of chemistry, I like to spend time knitting socks and going for walks in nature.
Ian Cahuzac
Hi! I am originally from Lamorlaye, in the north of France. I moved to Durham in 2019 to study an integrated master’s degree in Chemistry and Physics. During this time, I completed my placement year at GlaxoSmithKline, working on chemical swab analysis and method development, and worked on dry laundry product formulation at Proctor & Gamble. My PhD project now focuses primarily on using solid-state NMR to identify defects within MOFs used in energy storage. Outside of the laboratory, I enjoy running, swimming and cooking!
Selina Wiesner
I am originally from Munich, Germany. In 2024, I joined the Forse group to work on my Master's thesis, focusing on supercapacitive swing adsorption. Currently, my PhD project is centered on developing in-situ NMR methodologies to investigate different adsorbent materials used in carbon capture. Outside of chemistry, I enjoy hiking, rowing, reading, and cooking.
Benji Hodgson
Hi, I’m Benji! I’m originally from Sheffield, though I moved to Birmingham in 2021 to do my Integrated Masters in Chemistry at The University of Birmingham. I completed my year-in-industry at Johnson Matthey, where I investigated highly porous platinum-on-carbon dispersions and catalyst ink systems using NMR spectroscopy. I’m currently studying highly disordered carbons for improved energy storage in supercapacitors, using solid-state NMR. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, swimming, dancing, and cooking! P.S. I hope you like Terry the T-rex as much as I do – I love dinosaurs!
Amelia Jones
I’m originally from Worcester (like the sauce!) in the West Midlands. I studied Chemistry as an undergraduate at the University of Oxford. After graduating, I worked as a data analyst in the mobile gaming industry and completed a sustainability programme with placements at Moorfields Eye Hospital and eBay. I am now returning to academia to begin a PhD focused on barocaloric liquid crystals for zero-carbon heating and cooling. My project is co-supervised by Xavier Moya in the Centre for Materials Physics, and I will be using NMR techniques within the Forse group. Outside of the lab, I enjoy hiking, running, playing netball, and cooking for friends and family.
