Alumni — Our People Are Our Product
We are proud that since 2019 LVN-Group has trained a diverse set of researchers who have moved on to PhDs, postdoctoral positions, and industry roles. Many began with us as undergraduates or summer interns and went on to secure competitive scholarships and publish internationally recognised work.
Our alumni reflect the LVN-Group’s mentoring culture and training impact. Several joined first as undergraduates, progressed through funded internships, and went on to complete PhDs and postdocs. Their contributions show how our group creates people outcomes as well as research outputs.
Key Alumni & Outputs
- Dr Daniel Malcolm, a true pipeline success: from BSc → PhD (EPSRC DTP) → PDRA → Postdoc abroad, producing 4 publications and a thesis, now placed internationally.
- Daniel joined the LVN-Group in 2019 as her first BSc student, completed a PhD (EPSRC DTP, 2020–2024) on the computational modelling of polyoxometalates (2024), and continued as a postdoctoral research associate until December 2024. He is now a postdoctoral researcher with Prof. Carsten Streb in Mainz (Germany).
- Outcomes:
- PhD Thesis (2024): Improving accuracy of polyoxometalate computational models
- Malcolm, D.; Vilà-Nadal, L. Transition metal oxide–based storage materials. In Polyoxometalates: Advances, Properties, and Applications; Jenny Stanford Publishing: Singapore, 2022; pp. 243–274. doi:10.1201/9781003277446-6
- Malcolm, D.; Vilà-Nadal, L. Computational study into the effects of countercations on the [P₈W₄₈O₁₈₄]⁴⁰⁻ polyoxometalate wheel. ACS Org. Inorg. Au 2023, 3 (5), 274–282. doi:10.1021/acsorginorgau.3c00014
- Malcolm, D.; Vilà-Nadal, L. First steps in the inverse design of porous metal oxide materials: lacunary Wells–Dawson anion. ChemRxiv 2022. doi:10.26434/chemrxiv-2022-db0z9
- Malcolm, D.; Vilà-Nadal, L. Exploring the Theoretical Landscape of the Hexalacunary Wells–Dawson Anion: A Comprehensive Study. ChemRxiv 2024. doi:10.26434/chemrxiv-2024-2qfxx—
- Outcomes:
- Daniel joined the LVN-Group in 2019 as her first BSc student, completed a PhD (EPSRC DTP, 2020–2024) on the computational modelling of polyoxometalates (2024), and continued as a postdoctoral research associate until December 2024. He is now a postdoctoral researcher with Prof. Carsten Streb in Mainz (Germany).
- Dr Jake A. Thompson — PhD Student (Oct 2020 – Nov 2023), co-supervised with Dr Rebeca Gonzalez-Cabaleiro (TU Delft).
- PhD Thesis (2024): Using theoretical chemistry to model the redox properties of polyoxometalates and their potential as ammonia synthesis catalysts
- Publications:
- Mr. Jake Thompson , Dr. Rebeca Gonzalez-Cabaleiro, Dr. Laia Vilà-Nadal. Structural and Electronic Properties of Aqueous Transition−Metal−Substituted Polyoxotungstates. ChemRxiv. 07 November 2022.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26434/chemrxiv-2022-mr2mr - Mr. Jake Thompson, Ms. Fiona Todman , Prof. Mark Symes , et al. Ion-Pair Proximity in Cyclic Voltammetry and DFT studies of Aqueous Transition-Metal-Substituted Polyoxotungstates . ChemRxiv. 17 June 2024.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26434/chemrxiv-2024-kfdkg - J. A. Thompson and L. Vilà-Nadal, “Computation of 31P NMR chemical shifts in Keggin-based lacunary polyoxotungstates,” Dalton Transactions, 2024. DOI: 10.1039/D3DT02694A.
- J. A. Thompson, R. González-Cabaleiro, and L. Vilà-Nadal, “Reducing systematic uncertainty in computed redox potentials for aqueous transition-metal-substituted polyoxotungstates,” Inorganic Chemistry, 2023. DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.3c01115.
- R. González-Cabaleiro, J. A. Thompson, and L. Vilà-Nadal, “Looking for Options to Sustainably Fixate Nitrogen. Are Molecular Metal Oxides Catalysts a Viable Avenue?”, Frontiers in Chemistry, 2021. DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.742565.
- Mr. Jake Thompson , Dr. Rebeca Gonzalez-Cabaleiro, Dr. Laia Vilà-Nadal. Structural and Electronic Properties of Aqueous Transition−Metal−Substituted Polyoxotungstates. ChemRxiv. 07 November 2022.
- Dr Maria José Aliaga-Gosalvez — Postdoctoral Research Associate (May 2022 – Mar 2023).
- Outputs: Mr. Jake Jacobs , Dr. Maria Jose Aliaga-Gosalvez, Prof. Vihar P. Georgiev, et al. Advanced Modelling of Polyoxometalate Counter-Cations: Bridging Explicit Counter-Cation Inclusion and Solvent Effects for Electronic Applications. ChemRxiv. 31 July 2024.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26434/chemrxiv-2024-z45x9
- Outputs: Mr. Jake Jacobs , Dr. Maria Jose Aliaga-Gosalvez, Prof. Vihar P. Georgiev, et al. Advanced Modelling of Polyoxometalate Counter-Cations: Bridging Explicit Counter-Cation Inclusion and Solvent Effects for Electronic Applications. ChemRxiv. 31 July 2024.
- Mr Jake Jacobs — Part-time Research Associate (Apr 2023 – Aug 2024).
- Outputs: Mr. Jake Jacobs , Dr. Maria Jose Aliaga-Gosalvez, Prof. Vihar P. Georgiev, et al. Advanced Modelling of Polyoxometalate Counter-Cations: Bridging Explicit Counter-Cation Inclusion and Solvent Effects for Electronic Applications. ChemRxiv. 31 July 2024.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26434/chemrxiv-2024-z45x9
- Outputs: Mr. Jake Jacobs , Dr. Maria Jose Aliaga-Gosalvez, Prof. Vihar P. Georgiev, et al. Advanced Modelling of Polyoxometalate Counter-Cations: Bridging Explicit Counter-Cation Inclusion and Solvent Effects for Electronic Applications. ChemRxiv. 31 July 2024.
- Stacey McLellan — joined the LVN-Group as an EPSRC Vacation Intern (2024), then completed her BSc project on Colorimetric detection of zirconium: a combined experimental and computational approach. She is now undertaking a CDT-funded PhD.
Undergraduate & Masters Alumni
- Ms Katherine Hillian (MSci Project, Oct 2021 – May 2022) — Ugi reactions with chromophores. She is now doing a PhD with Dr Will Peveler.
- Mr Aidan Delaney (BSc Project, Oct 2021 – Apr 2022) — Modelling single-atom catalysts
- Mr Antonio India (MSci Project, Oct 2020 – May 2021) — Origami modelling of POMs
- Mr Tobias Jütten (MSci Project, Oct 2022 – May 2023) — Scottish lignin: structural modelling and sources
- Noah Wilson (US Arcadia visiting student Summer 2025)