Ian Coates obtained his MChem from the University of Durham in 2016 after completing his master’s research on fluorescence spectroscopy of organometallic compounds for circularly polarised luminescence applications. He subsequently obtained an Erasmus Mundus masters degree in materials science after studying at the Grenoble Institute of Technology, France, and the Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany. During these two years, Ian completed research projects focussing on a range of vacuum-based thin-film deposition techniques for microelectronics and solar energy applications.

Ian is now completing his PhD studies within Leverhulme Research Centre for Functional Materials Design and is working under the joint supervision of Prof. Chalker (Dept of Engineering), and Prof. Cooper. His research focusses on the development of inorganic photocatalysts for hybrid organic-inorganic water splitting applications and on photocatalyst surface modifications via atomic layer deposition.