Keith Refson

Prof. Keith Refson is a leading researcher in condensed matter physics and quantum matter theory, specializing in density-functional theory (DFT) and materials modelling. He is a lead developer of CASTEP, a widely used DFT-based computational tool for materials science. His work spans energy-related materials, magnetic systems, phonon spectroscopy, and defects in spin-ice pyrochlore oxides. He holds a joint appointment with the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, where he integrates computational simulations with experimental techniques like vibrational spectroscopy.

His research addresses UN Sustainable Development Goals through energy-related applications, including battery materials and thermoelectrics. He collaborates with the UK Car-Parrinello consortium to leverage supercomputing resources like ARCHER. Recent projects include phase stability studies of MgCO₃, magnetic defect analysis in ytterbium titanate, and thermal expansion mechanisms in silicon-based compounds.