Rob Jackson

Biography

I was appointed as a Lecturer at Keele in April 1988, and since then have been promoted to Senior Lecturer (1996) and Reader (2000). Previously I did postdoctoral research at UCL, Birkbeck College and Keele. My first degree, BSc (Hons) Chemistry and Physics, was from UCL (1978), and my PhD, on computer modelling of molecular crystals, was obtained in 1984 under the supervision of Dr S H Walmsley. I got my DSc degree from the University of London in 2003.

Research and scholarship

My research interests are in the computer modelling of inorganic materials, particularly those with industrial applications. Most recently I have been looking at mixed metal fluorides and oxides, which have applications in electronics and in optical devices. The functionality of these materials often depends on doping by other metals, including rare earths and transition metals, and the aim is to use computer modelling to predict materials or combinations of materials which will be useful for particular applications. A range of computer modelling techniques are being employed, ranging from energy minimisation to quantum mechanical methods.

I am also interested in the potential uses of social media in teaching and research. I have a Facebook teaching page which is an example of my activities in this area.

Further information can be obtained from my personal web pages.

Teaching

Year 2

• CHE-20042: Digital Forensics
• CHE-20059/65: Physical & Structural Chemistry

Year 3

• CHE-30050: Chemistry Research Project
• CHE-30042: Inorganic, Physical and Solid State Chemistry
• CHE-30043: Materials Chemistry and Catalysis
• CHE-30029: Forensic Dissertation
• CHE-30033: Evaluation of Evidence: Explosives and Arson
• CHE-30035: Advanced Topics in Forensics Analysis