Current Group

Dr Andrey Protchenko

Andrey is a graduate of Moscow State University, did his PhD with Michail Bochkarev in Nizhny Novgorod and post-doctoral work with Mike Lappert in Sussex. He has worked on a number of projects in the group on small molecule activation and is currently working on novel FLPs for sensing applications. Click on his photo for a link to some of his silicon chemistry...

Dr Mathias Ellwanger

Mathias joined the group in October 2020 to work on nucleophilic group 13 complexes for the activation of highly stable molecules. During his Masters studies, he worked with Prof. Gary Schrobilgen at McMaster University, and with Prof. Ingo Krossing at Albert-Ludwigs Universität Freiburg. He completed his PhD work in 2019 at Freie Universität Berlin with Prof Sebastian Riedel on the synthesis and application of fluorido organogold complexes, followed by a short post-doc with Prof. Josef Michl on fluorinated carboranes.

Dr Yuwen Wang

Yuwen was born in Shandong, China and obtained her Masters degree at Fudan University. She then completed her Ph.D. degree under the supervision of Prof. Matthias Driess at the TU in Berlin. She joined the Aldridge group in February 2021 with a Walter Benjamin fellowship funded by the DFG. She is currently working on low-valent group 13 and 14 chemistry. Some of her work with Matthias can be found by clicking on her photo.

Dr Josef Boronski

Joe is a Junior Research Fellow at St John’s College. He joined the Aldridge Group in 2021 to investigate the reactivity of novel aluminylenes with small molecules. Prior to this, Joe completed his undergraduate degree at University of York in 2017 and his PhD at University of Manchester in 2021. His doctoral research involved investigations of organometallic actinide complexes, a sample of which can be found by clicking his photo.

Dr Marcel Schorpp

Marcel studied in Freiburg including a research stay with Prof. Jose Goicoechea and obtained his PhD in 2020 under the supervision of Prof. Ingo Krossing, working on novel oxidising agents and reactive main-group cations. He then joined the group of P.D. Dr. Lutz Greb to explore triggerable main-group Lewis super acids. In November 2021 Marcel joined the Aldridge group as a Feodor-Lynen fellow, to investigate metalla-substituted main-group compounds in a joint project with Prof. Cameron Jones. Click on the photo for a link to some of his work with Ingo.

Dr Debotra Sarkar

Debotra was born in Kolkata, India. He completed his PhD at TU Munich under the supervision of Prof Shigeyoshi Inoue. After stints with Profs P Roesky and V Chandrasekhar, he joined Prof. Aldridge's group in September 2022 with a DFG Walter Benjamin fellowship. Outside of chemistry, he likes cooking, traveling, and playing and watching cricket.

Andreas Heilmann

Andreas is from Eberdingen, Germany and did his undergraduate degree in Oxford. He joined the group in 2017 as a Part 2 student, and continues as a DPhil student working on small molecule activation using low valent Group 13 complexes. In his free time he enjoys gardening, cooking and rowing. Click on Andreas' photo for a link to some of his aluminium imide chemistry.

Xiongfei Zheng

Xiongfei is from China and got his Bachelors and Masters degrees from Fudan University, Shanghai. He started his DPhil in 2018, working on designing new ligands for supporting low-valent main group elements and FLP catalysts. Outside the lab, he enjoys playing baseball, reading and writing. Click on the photo for a link to his recent work on reversible CO capture.

Simon Thölke

Simon is from Rheinberg, Germany and studied at the University of Duisburg-Essen including a summer stint in the Aldridge group. After obtaining his Masters degree he rejoined the Aldridge group as a DPhil student in 2019 investigating novel homo- and heterocyclic silazanes and siloxanes as part of a collaborative project with Infineum. He spends most of his free time ballroom dancing, but he has been seen on a bicycle as well.

Aisling Roper

Aisling Roper obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Bristol before joining the OxICFM CDT in 2019. Her doctoral work is joint with the O’Hare group, looking at surface supported FLPs for use in small molecule activation and catalysis. In her spare time, Aisling enjoys travelling and running with the ARC (of which she is a co-founder). Aisling also runs the group's Instagram profile...

Aggy Crumpton

Aggy Crumpton obtained his first degree from Oxford, carrying out his final year (Part 2) project in the Aldridge group, and winning the Inorganic chemistry thesis prize for his work on tin catenation. His DPhil project, part of the OxICFM CDT program, is joint with the Weller group and in centred on Main Group systems for small molecule binding, activation and catalysis in the solid state.

Lewis Wales

Lewis is originally from London and completed his undergraduate degree in Oxford with his Part 2 year spent in the Aldridge group. His DPhil research as part of the OxICFM CDT is on Main Group systems for catalytic hydroamination, joint with the Goicoechea group. In his free time Lewis enjoys playing and watching sport and running with the ARC (Aldridge group Running Club!) of which he is a co-founder...

Liam Griffin

Liam completed his undergraduate studies at Jesus College in Oxford. His main interests in chemistry are focused on main group chemistry – his masters' project looked at catenation in tin and germanium complexes, and his DPhil project as part of the OxICFM CDT is on Al(I) chemistry. Outside of chemistry, he is a keen cook, and he also enjoys rowing, climbing, and singing in a choir.

Job Struijs

Job completed both his bachelor's and master's degrees at the Eindhoven University of Technology, being interested in both chemistry and chemical engineering. His Masters thesis research was concerned with carbon dioxide hydrogenation on reducible oxide supports. He is currently a DPhil student on the OxICFM programme working on a new collaborative project with Véronique Gouverneur's group. Besides chemistry, he enjoys playing the saxophone, mountain biking and playing tennis or squash.

Jianqin Tang

Jianqin is from China, and did his Master's degree at the University of Manchester. He joined the group in 2021 and started his work on group 13/14 complexes for catalysis in variable oxidation states. Outside the lab, he is fond of playing basketball, watching the NBA, and playing Moba games.

Aidan Murray

Aidan - completed his final year (Part 2) research project in the group in 2022 and is now part of the OxICFM CDT working on a joint project with the Goicoechea group. In his leisure time he enjoys playing chess and going on long walks.

Caroline Conder

Caroline - from Brasenose College - is undertaking her final year (Part 2) research project in the group looking at magnesium aluminyl compounds. Outside of the lab, Caroline enjoys playing tennis and singing.

Charlotte Bogle

Charlotte is doing her final year (Part 2) research project looking at acyclic aluminyls. She is at Wadham College and is a keen rower and committee member for their boat club. She also loves hiking and camping in her spare time

Amy Sankey

Amy is an undergraduate at Lady Margaret Hall and is completing her Part 2 project involving synthesising and investigating the reactivity of T-shaped tetrylenes. Outside of chemistry she enjoys running and coxing for her college boat club

Julie Willrett

Julie comes from Freiburg, Germany, and obtained her Bachelor’s degree in the group of Prof Ingo Krossing, working on cationic Al(I) compounds. She joined the Aldridge group in October 2022 for a five-month research stay during her Master’s studies. Outside of the lab, Julie enjoys swimming, reading and playing the piano