Angel Cuesta Ciscar

Professor Angel Cuesta Ciscar is a Personal Chair in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Aberdeen, within the School of Natural and Computing Sciences. He holds a leading role in electrochemical research and is actively involved in teaching and PhD supervision. His office is located in the Meston Building at the Old Aberdeen Campus.

Education:

• PhD in Chemistry, 1996
• Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Ulm, Germany (Marie Curie Fellow)

Research Interests:
His research focuses on understanding the electrode-electrolyte interface at the molecular level. He integrates classical electrochemistry with advanced in situ techniques like optical spectroscopy and scanning probe microscopy. Key areas include electrocatalysis (especially reaction mechanisms and dynamics), surface nanostructuring, CO2 electroreduction, and energy conversion/storage. His work emphasizes both fundamental insights and practical applications in sustainable energy.

Recent Research Trends:
His latest publications highlight a strong focus on the role of cations and interfacial water structure in electrochemical processes, particularly in CO2 reduction and alcohol oxidation. He employs time-resolved spectroscopic methods (e.g., ATR-SEIRAS) and computational modeling to uncover reaction mechanisms on platinum and gold surfaces. The work spans fundamental interfacial science to applied systems like hydrogen-based energy conversion and desalination.

Scientific Awards and Honors:

• CIDETEC Prize for Scientific Research (2006)
• Visiting Professor, Catalysis Research Centre, Hokkaido University (2007)
• Special Visiting Professor, UFSCAR, Brazil (2013–2016)
• Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Advising and Grants:
Professor Cuesta supervises numerous PhD students and postdoctoral researchers in the Ab-Elektro Research Group. He has secured significant funding as Principal Investigator from major agencies including EPSRC (e.g., EP/X000931/1 on electrocatalysis in plasmas) and The Leverhulme Trust (e.g., RPG-2021-342 on time-resolved interface dynamics, RPG-015-040 on CO2 electroreduction). He has also collaborated with researchers across disciplines and institutions.

Labs and Research Teams:
He leads the Ab-Elektro Research Group (Aberdeen Electrochemistry Group), established in 2013. The group is based in the Meston Building and includes PhD students, postdoctoral assistants, and visiting researchers from institutions in Brazil, India, and Germany. The team is part of the Advanced Centre for Energy and Sustainability (ACES) and focuses on experimental and computational studies of electrochemical interfaces.