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I’m considering options for my Part II. Have I found the right webpage?

Absolutely! There’s some information here on what a Part II in the group might look and feel like, and answers to some of the most common questions.

What sort of projects does the group offer?

We’re a materials chemistry group, so think somewhere between inorganic and physical. We specialise in structural disorder of various kinds. We’re also one of the few groups that mix computation and experiment. Some projects involve mostly being the lab, making new and interesting materials. Others are based on measuring and interpreting complex data to help us understand what those materials do. And a third type focuses on applying and developing computational approaches to key problems in materials chemistry. One way or the other, most Part IIs learn to code during the year.

How many Part II students do you take?

Usually between 2 and 4. There’s often a bit of flexibility as some projects are supervised in collaboration with other group leaders or with research fellows in our own group.

How do you choose who gets in?

More than anything we want our Part IIs to enjoy the year and our key criterion is to make sure that there’s a really strong match between student and project. Ultimately, whether or not the year is a success correlates much more strongly with engagement than with marks in Part I.

I want to get out of Oxford. Can I travel as part of the project?

Good question. There’s often a number of chances to travel. First of all, everyone in the group would normally attend at least one conference during the year. This gives each student a chance to talk about what they’re doing (always good practice for the viva), to get a feel for what is happening in the broader field, to meet some people from other UK chemistry departments, and to find out what research-level discourse feels like. We also have a strongly international network of collaborators, and it’s often been possible to send Part II students overseas for their project — for a few days, or even a few months.

Sounds great. What are the next steps and how do I find out more?

Fantastic! Best is to get in touch with me and arrange a time in Hilary to have a chat. We’ll have the chance then to talk through projects in more detail. I’ll be keen to learn of your interests and to try to answer any questions you might have. It’s often helpful too to connect up with some current and past Part II students in the group to get a student perspective of what the experience is like. We can make that happen.