Dr Stephen Cox

Royal Society University Research Fellow

Research Interests

The behavior of liquids and their interfaces underlies many important phenomena across the biological and physical sciences. I use molecular simulations and statistical mechanics to elicit the microscopic details of interfacial systems, with an emphasis on perhaps the most important of all liquids: water and its salt solutions.

Recent research has focused on improving simulations methods to give a better description of ions adsorbed to charged interfaces [1], which is important for tackling complex problems such as ice nucleation [2]. I also have a keen interest in understanding dielectric response in water [3,4] and its implications for aqueous ion solvation [5].

Dr Cox discusses his research

[1] T Sayer & SJ Cox, J. Chem. Phys. 153, 164709 (2020) [publisher,arXiv]

[2] T Sayer & SJ Cox, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 21, 14546 (2019) [publisher,arXiv]

[3] SJ Cox, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 117, 19746 (2020) [publisher,arXiv]

[4] SJ Cox & M Sprik, J. Chem. Phys. 151, 064506 (2019) [publisher,arXiv]

[5] SJ Cox, DG Thorpe, PR Shaffer & PL Geissler, Chem. Sci. 11, 11791 (2020) [publisher,arXiv]

Recruitment

Possible PhD projects involve improving simulation methodology to understand the structure and dynamics of charged interfaces in solution; using molecular simulations to understand how polar crystals grow; or pursuing theoretical approaches to improve our understanding of complex fluids.

If you are interested in joining the team, please get in touch to discuss opportunities.

Biography

2021-present: Royal Society University Research Fellow, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, UK
2017-2021: Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 Research Fellow, visiting Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, UK
2018-present: College lecturer, Churchill College, University of Cambridge, UK
2020-2021: Undergraduate Tutor, Churchill College, University of Cambridge, UK
2015-2017: Postdoctoral research fellow, Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Ca. USA
2010-2014: PhD student, Department of Chemistry, University College London, UK

Awards

2020 Journal of Chemical Physics Best Paper by an Emerging Investigator

Publications

Active sites in heterogeneous ice nucleation-the example of K-rich feldspars

A Kiselev, F Bachmann, P Pedevilla, SJ Cox, A Michaelides, D Gerthsen, T Leisner

– Science (New York, N.Y.)

(2016)

355,

367

(doi: 10.1126/science.aai8034)

Toward Accurate Adsorption Energetics on Clay Surfaces

A Zen, LM Roch, SJ Cox, XL Hu, S Sorella, D Alfè, A Michaelides

– The Journal of Physical Chemistry C

(2016)

120,

26402

(doi: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.6b09559)

Crystal Nucleation in Liquids: Open Questions and Future Challenges in Molecular Dynamics Simulations.

GC Sosso, J Chen, SJ Cox, M Fitzner, P Pedevilla, A Zen, A Michaelides

– Chemical Reviews

(2016)

116,

7078

(doi: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.5b00744)

Can Ice-Like Structures Form on Non-Ice-Like Substrates? The Example of the K‑feldspar Microcline

P Pedevilla, SJ Cox, B Slater, A Michaelides

– J Phys Chem C Nanomater Interfaces

(2016)

120,

6704

(doi: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.6b01155)

The Many Faces of Heterogeneous Ice Nucleation: Interplay between Surface Morphology and Hydrophobicity

M Fitzner, GC Sosso, SJ Cox, A Michaelides

– Journal of the American Chemical Society

(2015)

137,

13658

(doi: 10.1021/jacs.5b08748)

Molecular simulations of heterogeneous ice nucleation. I. Controlling ice nucleation through surface hydrophilicity.

SJ Cox, SM Kathmann, B Slater, A Michaelides

– Journal of Chemical Physics

(2015)

142,

184704

(doi: 10.1063/1.4919714)

Molecular simulations of heterogeneous ice nucleation. II. Peeling back the layers.

SJ Cox, SM Kathmann, B Slater, A Michaelides

– J Chem Phys

(2015)

142,

184705

(doi: 10.1063/1.4919715)

Benchmarking the performance of density functional theory and point charge force fields in their description of sI methane hydrate against diffusion Monte Carlo.

SJ Cox, MD Towler, D Alfè, A Michaelides

– The Journal of Chemical Physics

(2014)

140,

174703

(doi: 10.1063/1.4871873)

The microscopic features of heterogeneous ice nucleation may affect the macroscopic morphology of atmospheric ice crystals

SJ Cox, Z Raza, SM Kathmann, B Slater, A Michaelides

– Faraday Discuss

(2013)

167,

389