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

Publications

A classical density functional theory for solvation across length scales
AT Bui, SJ Cox
Journal of Chemical Physics
(2024)
161
Impedance of nanocapacitors from molecular simulations to understand the dynamics of confined electrolytes
G Pireddu, CJ Fairchild, SP Niblett, SJ Cox, B Rotenberg
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
(2024)
121
Dynamics and nano-rheology of interfacial water: general discussion
XR Advincula, KE Blow, M Bonn, AT Bui, Y Cheng, SJ Cox, F Della Pia, U Diebold, L Fumagalli, G Goel, JA Hayton, Y Jiang, V Kapil, N Kavokine, K Koga, D Laage, M Lahav, S Miao, A Michaelides, P Montero de Hijes, K Morgenstern, T Mukherjee, N O'Neill, D Pan, PM Piaggi, SLB Rempe, M Salvalaglio, CG Salzmann, T Sayer, M Shepelenko, GC Sosso, S Wang, B Webber, AP Willard, Y Yao
Faraday Discussions
(2024)
249
Soft matter-water interface: general discussion
EHG Backus, G Ben Ari, S Benaglia, M Bonn, AT Bui, SJ Cox, F Della Pia, J Fraxedas, G Goel, Y Jiang, D Jin, K Koga, D Laage, S Miao, A Michaelides, K Morgenstern, T Mukherjee, Y Nagata, H Naito, O Nir, M Olvera de la Cruz, H Orlikowska-Rzeznik, D Pan, SLB Rempe, CG Salzmann, A Taira, A Vilangottunjalil, S Wang, AP Willard, Y Yao, J Yu
Faraday Discuss
(2024)
249
The limit of macroscopic homogeneous ice nucleation at the nanoscale
JA Hayton, MB Davies, TF Whale, A Michaelides, SJ Cox
Faraday Discuss
(2024)
249
Ice interfaces: General discussion
XR Advincula, EHG Backus, T Bartels-Rausch, S Benaglia, G Ben Ari, KE Blow, M Bonn, AT Bui, SJ Cox, F Della Pia, U Diebold, AR Finney, G Franceschi, L Fumagalli, G Goel, JA Hayton, C Holdship, Y Jiang, D Jin, V Kapil, N Kavokine, K Koga, D Laage, M Lahav, S Miao, A Michaelides, N Mohandas, K Morgenstern, T Mukherjee, Y Nagata, M Olvera de la Cruz, D Pan, PM Piaggi, SLB Rempe, P Ryan, CG Salzmann, T Sayer, RJ Saykally, M Shepelenko, GC Sosso, TF Whale, JJ White, AP Willard, P Zhang
Faraday discussions
(2024)
249
Electrified/charged aqueous interfaces: general discussion
XR Advincula, EHG Backus, M Bonn, SJ Cox, U Diebold, A Fellows, AR Finney, G Goel, J Hedley, Y Jiang, D Jin, V Kapil, N Kavokine, J Klein, D Laage, N Mohandas, K Morgenstern, T Mukherjee, M Olvera de la Cruz, H Orlikowska-Rzeznik, S Perkin, PM Piaggi, CG Rodellar, P Ryan, T Sayer, M Seyffertitz, M Shepelenko, GC Sosso, M Thämer, A Vilangottunjalil, R Walker-Gibbons, Y Wang, AP Willard, P Zhang
Faraday discussions
(2024)
249
A classical density functional theory for solvation across length scales
AT Bui, SJ Cox
(2024)
The limit of macroscopic homogeneous ice nucleation at the nanoscale
JA Hayton, MB Davies, TF Whale, A Michaelides, SJ Cox
(2023)
Remembering the work of Phillip L. Geissler: A coda to his scientific trajectory
GR Bowman, SJ Cox, C Dellago, KH DuBay, JD Eaves, DA Fletcher, LB Frechette, M Grünwald, K Klymko, J Ku, AK Omar, E Rabani, DR Reichman, JR Rogers, AM Rosnik, GM Rotskoff, AR Schneider, N Schwierz, DA Sivak, S Vaikuntanathan, S Whitelam, A Widmer-Cooper
(2023)

Research Group

Research Interest Group

Telephone number

01223 336384 (shared)

Email address