Saiful Islam

Saiful Islam is a Professor of Materials Modelling in the Department of Materials at the University of Oxford and a Professorial Fellow at St Anne's College. His research focuses on atomistic processes in energy materials, particularly lithium-ion batteries, solid-state batteries, and perovskite solar cells. He has held academic positions at the University of Bath (2006-2021), University of Surrey (1990-2005), and Eastman Kodak Research Labs (1988-1990). He earned his BSc and PhD in Chemistry from University College London under Professor Richard Catlow FRS.

• Education: BSc Hons Chemistry (1984-1988), PhD in Solid State Chemistry (1984-1988) from University College London

His research spans Materials Chemistry for Clean Energy Applications, with an emphasis on computational modeling of electrode materials, solid electrolytes, and perovskite solar cells. He leads major projects such as the Faraday Institution's Li-ion Cathode Materials programme and EPSRC's Stable & Scalable Perovskite Solar Cells grant. His work has been recognized by the Royal Society, RSC, and IOM3, including the 2022 Hughes Medal and 2025 RSC Environment & Energy Prize.

Recent publications highlight trends in Solid-State Battery Electrolytes, Perovskite Solar Cell Stability, and Advanced Computational Methods for Energy Materials. His articles frequently explore ion migration, defect clustering, and surface degradation in battery systems, alongside strategies for enhancing solar cell efficiency through bandgap engineering and surface passivation.

• Awards: Royal Society Hughes Medal (2022), RSC Peter Day Award (2017), Faraday Institution STEM Outreach Award (2024)

He has secured over £5.2 million in research funding, including EPSRC Programme Grants and Faraday Institution multi-million-pound projects. As a public figure in STEM outreach, he has been profiled in The Guardian, interviewed on BBC Radio 4, and featured in international media coverage for the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures (2016).