Susan Perkin

Susan Perkin is a Professor of Physical Chemistry at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Trinity College, Oxford. She leads a research group focused on the physics and physical chemistry of liquids and soft matter, particularly concentrated electrolytes, ionic liquids, and nanoconfined fluids. Her work bridges fundamental physical chemistry with applied technologies like battery science and nanoscale lubrication.

• Education: MChem (St. John’s College, Oxford, 2002), DPhil (Balliol College, Oxford, 2006)
• Research Interests: Concentrated electrolytes, ionic liquids, nanoconfined liquids, molecular friction mechanisms, and surface force measurement techniques.
• Methodologies: Custom-built Surface Force Balance (SFB) for high-resolution mechanical and electrical property analysis of nanoscale liquid films.

Her recent research trends, as seen in publications from 2023-2025, emphasize ion solvation dynamics in battery electrolytes, hydrogen bonding effects in deep eutectic solvents, and electrostatic screening in nanoconfined systems. She has pioneered electrotunable friction control and quantized friction measurements in ionic liquids.

• Scientific Awards: ERC Starting Grant (2015), Harrison-Meldola Prize (2016), Philip Leverhulme Prize (2016), Soft Matter Lectureship (2018), ERC Consolidator Grant (2020).
• Leadership Roles: Deputy Chair of Royal Society’s Physical Sciences Research Grants Board, Chair of RSC Faraday Standing Committee on Conferences, Trustee of Trinity College, Oxford.