Synchrotron Electrochemistry Workshop 2026 -

Overview

The aim of the workshop is to create a space for synchrotron users with different interests and degrees of experience to share their expertise and their vision on the use of Synchrotron-based techniques for applied and fundamental problems in electrochemistry.

The event will not be focused on a single technique or on a specific electrochemical topic, it will instead be open to a broad community and will aim to create a stimulating environment for discussion and exchange.

In addition, the workshop will be an opportunity for users of the electrochemistry community to showcase their research.

The event will take place at Jesus College, in Oxford. The venue is located in the centre of Oxford, and it is easily accessible by public transport.

Topics

X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy
Photoelectron Spectroscopy
Resonant Methods
Surface X-ray Diffraction
X-ray Reflectivity
Synchrotron IR Spectroscopy
Electrochemical Cell design
Electrode preparation
Application of synchrotron techniques to:
Corrosion Science and Technology
Fuel Cells, Electrolyzers, and Energy Conversion
Organic and Bioelectrochemistry
Physical and Analytical Electrochemistry
Electrocatalysis
Electrosynthesis
Solvation
Photoelectrochemistry
Batteries and Energy Storage
Electroanalytical chemistry
Coatings and electrochemical surface treatments
Molecular electrochemistry

Invited Speakers

Professor Erwin Reisner, University of Cambridge
Dr Philip Ash, University of Leicester
Dr Uta Hejral, Chalmers University of Technology
Dr Iris Nandhakumar, University of Southampton
Dr Reshma Rao, Imperial College London
Professor Robert Weatherup, University of Oxford

Registration

Access to this event is upon registration only. The event is at full capacity.

Agenda

Monday 13th July
12:00	Registration & Lunch
13:30	Invited talk Erwin Reisner, University of Cambridge: Photoelectrodes for the solar valorisation of CO2
14:00	Andrey Shavorskiy: Time-Resolved Dip-and-Pull APXPS for Studying Kinetics of Electrochemical Reactions
14:15	Roxy Lee: Operando Investigations into Nickel-based Electrocatalysts for Green Hydrogen Production in Alkaline Anion Exchange Membrane Environment
14:30	Edward Brightman: Operando XAS of polyoxometalate redox mediators for decoupled electrolysis and biomass-to-hydrogen systems
14:45	Taniya Purkait: Synchrotron Radiation Enabled FTIR Microspectroscopy for Operando Study of Ca²⁺ Storage Mechanism in Poly(tetra-sulfonamide) based Coordination Polymers
15:00	Invited talk Philip Ash, University of Leicester: Electrifying crystallography: combining techniques for mechanistic insight
15:30	Coffee Break
16:00	Invited talk Uta Hejral, Chalmers University of Technology
16:30	Siyu Jin: Operando Synchrotron XRD Investigation of Hydrogen Embrittlement in Micro-Forged Al-Zn-Mg-Cu Alloys
16:45	Liesbet Deconinck: Advancing hydrogen embrittlement studies using synchrotron in-situ electrochemical GI-XRD with simultaneous mechanical straining
17:00	Stephen Lyth: Advanced Characterisation of M-N-C Electrocatalysts
17:15	Longxiang Liu: Potential-driven irreversible restructuring of Cu-N-C electrocatalysts
17:30	Sponsored presentation Alvatek
17:50	Group photo
18:30	Dinner
19:30 - 21:00	Poster Session and drinks

Tuesday 14th July
09:00	Invited talk Reshma Rao, Imperial College London: Electrocatalysis for the production of green hydrogen and beyond: Materials and Mechanisms
09:30	Nipon Deka: On the microstructure of the electrode-electrolyte interface during oxygen evolution reaction (OER) using operando XAS
09:45	Raffia Nimal: Metal-Quinizarin Coordination Complexes as OER Electrocatalysts: Structural Insights from Synchrotron Characterisation
10:00	James Counter: Potential Controlled In-Situ Soft X-Ray Spectroscopy for Insights into the Electrocatalysis of Iridium Oxide to the OER
10:15	Yifeng Wang: Active Phase of Nickel Electrocatalysts driving Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution
10:30	Coffee Break
11:00	Invited talk Iris Nandhakumar, University of Southampton: Three-Dimensional Soft-Templated Nanoarchitectures for Enhanced Catalytic Activity
11:30	Mengnan Wang: Resolving Ionomer–Catalyst Interactions in Fuel Cell Electrodes via Operando X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy
11:45	Stefanie Punke: The electrochemical oxidation of Pt nanocatalysts – an operando X-ray scattering study
12:00	Chen Han: Investigating Oxide-Derived Catalysts for Electrochemical CO₂ Conversion to Fuels
12:15	Soumyajit Maitra: Investigating the Role of Crystal Phase Driven Surface and Bulk Reconstruction in Triggering Lattice Oxygen-Mediated Oxygen Evolution in Perovskite Oxides
12:30	Lunch
13:30	Invited talk Robert Weatherup, University of Oxford: Accessing Electrochemical Interfaces in Batteries and Electrolysers with Operando X-ray Spectroscopies
14:00	Robert Temperton: Perspectives from MAX IV Laboratory about the future of battery research at synchrotrons
14:15	James Le Houx: The Topographic Origin of Chemomechanical Failure in High-Nickel Cathodes Revealed by Operando Dark-Field X-ray Microscopy
14:30	Farheen Sayed: Li-ion batteries (LIBs) and Na-ion batteries (NIBs)
14:45	Li Zhao: In-Situ and Operando Cell Environments for Reliable Synchrotron Studies of Batteries
15:00 – 15:30	Discussion and closing remarks
15:30 – 17:00	The doctor is in! Have a coffee and discuss ideas for beamtime and experiment feasibility with the Diamond beamline scientists.

Abstracts

The full list of abstracts (Invited Talks, Selected Talks and Posters) can be downloaded here as a pdf.

Venue

The event will take place at Jesus College (Oxford).

Jesus college

Located in the heart of Oxford, just a few minutes’ walk from the University’s libraries, science and humanities buildings, Jesus College combines the highest standards of academic excellence in teaching and research with a vibrant, inclusive and supportive community.

The College was founded in 1571 by Queen Elizabeth 1, at the request of a Welsh lawyer and clergyman called Hugh Price, and our beautiful Dining Hall, Chapel, and Principal’s Lodgings are still used for their original purposes today. The historic Fellows’ Library houses our collection of early printed books, and its stunning quadrangles provide an oasis of green, bustling with life in the summer months. The College embraces all of the wonderful Oxford traditions, and it also celebrates some unique to Jesus College itself, such as the annual St David’s Day celebrations to mark its Welsh origins.

Accommodation

A limited number of single en-suite guest rooms (with breakfast) are available at Jesus College for the duration of the conference. The rooms are on general sale and they are available on a first-come-first-served basis.

Other accommodation options in central Oxford include: