Sadaf was born in Pakistan and moved to the UK in 2005. She graduated from the University of Bradford having completed her MChem with Industrial Experience in 2014. As part of her final year, she undertook a placement in Czech Republic's largest oil refinery; Unipetrol where she worked on making a jet fuel precursor using second generation feedstock over a heterogeneous catalyst. She will be working on producing cleaner jet fuels under the supervision of Prof. John Irvine at University of St Andrews. In her spare time; she enjoys baking, watching documentaries and travelling.

Arshad completed his BSc and MChem at the University of Bradford where he worked under the guidance of Dr Tasnim Munshi in heterogeneous catalysis. His research focussed on the modification of zeolites to increase the reactivity and selectivity of the catalyst. During his Masters, he went on a placement to Czech Republic where he used modified zeolites to produce a precursor for jet fuels. His CRITICAT CDT project involves the modification of lignin with Dr John Andresen. He enjoys playing football and has great love and passion for automobiles.

Daniel completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Oxford where he graduated with a Masters in Chemistry. In the fourth year he performed research in the lab of Prof. Jose Goicoechea where he synthesised and characterised novel tricoordinate phosphorus species with the aim of using them for small molecule activation. The project he will undertake on the CRITICAT CDT will be on a different class of molecules, frustrated Lewis pairs, but with the same aim of using them for small molecule activation. This research will be carried out at the University of Edinburgh with Dr Michael Cowley and Dr Stephen Thomas.

Sarah completed her MChem at the University of St Andrews in 2015. Her fourth year project was supervised by Dr Eli Zysman-Colman and involved the synthesis of ligands for luminescent iridium complexes. Sarah also completed a summer placement looking at gold and silver nanoparticles in Dr Euan Kay’s group. Under the supervision of Prof. Russel Morris, Sarah undertook her final year project, developing nitric oxide releasing Metal Organic Frameworks for use in novel antibacterial coatings. For her PhD project, Sarah will be working with Dr Neil Robertson and Dr Stephen Thomas looking at light mediated hydrogenation via water splitting at the University of Edinburgh. Outside of chemistry, Sarah enjoys baking, painting her nails, walks with the dogs and meeting up with friends for coffee and chats.

Jaime studied at the University of Granada where he graduated in Chemical Engineering (MEng). He carried out his final year project designing a vinyl acetate monomer plant, at University College London in the frame of the Erasmus Programme. He also carried out a placement at the University of Liverpool, synthesising SPIONs, under the supervision of Prof. Dave Adams. In his CRITICAT PhD he will investigate in the synthesis of fine chemicals from agricultural waste, under the supervision of Dr Fernando Cárdenas-Lizana (Heriot-Watt). Jaime is fond of football and every type of sport, music and cinema.

Sophie graduated from the University of Cambridge with a MSci and BA in Natural Sciences in the summer of 2015. Her last year was spent in the Abell Group examining fragment based drug discovery; synthesising and testing a range of fragment analogues that targeted a CYP enzyme from T.B. She was also employed in the Abell Group over the summer as a Research Assistant, working on a different set of analogues for a different T.B CYP. She has also carried out summer studentships in the labs of Prof. Nick Westwood, Prof. Paul Wyatt and Prof. Mike Ferguson. Her CRITICAT PhD is with Matt Clarke in St. Andrews, and is looking for homogeneous catalysts to hydrogenate unconventional organic products enantioselectively. In her spare time she enjoys music, comedy, film and drama… particularly getting injured at music gigs.

Connor graduated from the University of York with an MChem in Chemistry in 2015. His final year project was conducted in the group of Dr Jason Lynam where he investigated the interaction between gold acetylides and ligated gold(I) cationic species ([AuL]+) leading to the first observation of unusual trinuclear gold frameworks in systems applicable to homogeneous dual activation catalysis. His CRITICAT CDT project will focus on the use of ligated uranium complexes in the activation of arene and related 6π-electron systems by inverse-sandwich formation under the supervision of Prof. Polly Arnold.

Claire grew up in Edinburgh and obtained an MChem degree from Heriot-Watt University in 2014. She carried out her masters project with Dr Ai-Lan Lee looking at the development of catalytic oxidative Heck reactions on 2,2-disubstituted cyclopentenediones. She also took a year out working as analytical research scientist in the Scotch whisky industry and enjoys photography and playing hockey. Her PhD project will look at Pd(II) catalysed C-H functionalisation and enantioselective catalysis under the supervision of Dr Ai-Lan Lee.

Bethany studied at the University of St Andrews and graduated with a Masters Degree in Chemistry. She undertook her final year project with Prof. Derek Woollins working on the synthesis and crystallography of various rhodium and iridium dithiolato complexes. Her PhD will focus on the synthesis of p-block molecules via catalytic dehydrogenative coupling under the supervision of Dr Petr Kilian. Outside of chemistry, Bethany enjoys going out jogging, listening to music and catching up with friends.

Hannes obtained his BSc (Biochemistry) and MSc (Biochemistry & Molecular Biology) degree from the University of Bayreuth (Germany). During his studies he focused on the field of structural enzymology under the supervision of Prof. Wulf Blankenfeldt. His MSc course work included studies abroad working with Prof. James H. Naismith and Prof. Garry L. Taylor (both St Andrews). After his graduation, he continued his work on the (engineered) biosynthesis of macrocyclic peptides in Prof. Naismith’s lab, which will be continued during his CRITICAT PhD project. In particular, he will focus on macrocyclases – enzymes that catalyse the N- to C-terminal cyclisation of peptides. Outside chemistry Hannes plays ultimate frisbee competitively.

Liz studied at the University of Oxford where she graduated with an MChem in Chemistry. She completed her final year project in the laboratory of Prof. Martin Smith, working on cation- directed kinetic resolutions of chiral 1,4-acceptors. She will carry out her PhD under the supervision of Prof. Andrew Smith in St Andrews working on developing challenging catalytic kinetic resolutions of tertiary alcohols and amines using isothioureas. In her free time she enjoys ice skating, live comedy and Pokémon training.

Alan studied at the University of Orléans in France where he completed his BSc in Chemistry and then graduated with an MSc in Organic Chemistry. He spent five months in St Andrews for a training period in the Nolan Group where he worked on the hydrofluorination of alkynes catalysed by gold bifluorides. He improved his computational chemistry skills during a six-month training period in the SB&C team in Orléans where he developed procedure to prepare and analyse fragments related to protein kinase. He will carry out his CRITICAT CDT project with Dr. Rebecca Goss focusing on new antibiotics accessed through understanding and harnessing multifunctional enzymes for biocatalysis. Outside the university, he likes heroic fantasy and comics related books or movies.

Bec graduated with an MChem in chemistry from the University of St Andrews in 2015. During her fourth year she worked under the supervision of Dr Eli Zysman-Colman, where she focussed on the synthesis of a conjugated ligand for multi-metallic coordination. For her final year project, Bec synthesised salicylic acid derivatives, which were used for boronate ester formation in Dr Euan Kay’s lab. Her CRITICAT PhD project entails researching coordination capsules for photoredox catalysis at the University of Edinburgh under the supervision of Dr Paul Lusby. Outside of chemistry, Bec enjoys baking sweet things, seeing friends and spending far too much money on new clothes and shoes.