Welcome to our lab!
Principal Investigator:
Dr 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!
PhD Students:
Grace Mapstone
I completed my undergraduate masters degree in chemistry at the University of Warwick where my masters project centred around the synthesis of battery anode materials. For my postgraduate study I am a NanoDTC student. Through the masters year I have undertaken research projects looking at the solid state NMR of perovskites, designing hydrogels and looking at materials for supercapacitor electrodes. I am now completing a PhD project co-supervised with Professor Michael De Volder (Department of Engineering) investigating carbon capture using supercapacitors.
Chloe Balhatchet
I came from Leicester to Cambridge to study for a BA in Natural Sciences. In the summer of 2019, I worked in the Clarke group on metal-organic frameworks which inspired me to do an MSci in chemistry. I am passionate about the environment to work in a group whose research was aligned with my values, so in my masters project I worked with Alex and Jamie on studying the structure and electrolyte adsorption of two-dimensional electrically conductive metal-organic frameworks for supercapacitors, using diffraction, solid-state NMR and DFT. I found research was hugely rewarding, and so I decided to continue with a PhD. I have also worked with Dr Eloise Marais on rocket emissions and Dr James Keeler on the 12th Edition of Atkins’ Physical Chemistry. Outside of chemistry, I really enjoy vegan cooking (the pig in the photo is at a rescued animal sanctuary, not a farm!), and long walks in nature.
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.
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.
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 South East Asia. I’m from Thailand. I received a BSc in Chemistry (1st Class Honour) from Chulalongkorn University in 2020. My first time travelling abroad was when I went to Texas A&M University for my summer internship. The experience was wonderfully amazing and challenging. My project during the internship was mainly focusing on synthesis of new Chemiluminescent Energy-Transfer Cassettes between iodo-cyanine dye and luminol via Suzuki Coupling Reaction. As for my senior project, I also worked on organic synthesis; however, the application of the final compounds was what made me pivot to another research area. I synthesised phthalocyanine dyes, which can be used as catalysts in a process of electrochemical reduction of CO2. That was the moment when I realised that I can save the world in some way, so I decided to work on projects tackling CO2 problems, and yes, here I am in The Forse Group. As for my project here in Cambridge, I will be focusing on CO2 capture by electrochemical method called Supercapacitive Swing Adsorption, and Charged Adsorbents. I saw everybody mentioned about their leisure time activities, I really do not have anything specific, so if you know that I am free, please give me a call!
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 solid-state NMR to identify defects within MOFs used in energy storage. Outside of the laboratory, I enjoy running, swimming and cooking!
MPhil Students:
Cameron Morgan
Hi! I’m from Santa Cruz, California, in the US. I studied Environmental Engineering during undergrad at Arizona State University while conducting research in catalysis and polymers applied to direct air capture of CO2. My MPhil research in the Forse group focuses on developing quantitative in-situ NMR methods for understanding CO2 capture in multi-component environments (i.e. under humid conditions). Next fall I will begin my PhD at Yale in Chemical and Environmental Engineering. Outside of lab I enjoy producing music, sports, and sci-fi movies.
Part III Students:
Amelia Turner
I came to Cambridge from a village in north Surrey in 2021 to study Natural Sciences. I have since specialised in the physical and materials side of chemistry, and joined the Forse group in October 2024 for my integrated master's project. My research, supervised by Zeke Coady, aims to develop new techniques for measuring pH in electrochemical systems. In my free time, I enjoy rowing, reading, baking, playing the piano and guitar, singing, and watching and listening to comedy.
Visiting Students:
Selina Wiesner
Hello! I am originally from Munich, Germany, where I am studying a Master’s in Chemistry at the Ludwig-Maximilians University (LMU). So far, I have worked on the synthesis of covalent organic frameworks for their application in CO2 reduction reactions. I joined the Forse group for a summer project on supercapacitive swing adsorption (SSA) as a visiting student. As I really enjoy working in the group I decided to come back to Cambridge for my Master’s Thesis and study the mechanisms of electrochemical carbon dioxide capture. Our goal is to eventually improve the performance of this technology! In my free time I enjoy hiking (as does the dog in the picture!), going to the gym and reading.