Dr. Jeremy Cockcroft

Biography

Jeremy Karl Cockcroft obtained a first-class degree in Chemistry from the University of Oxford, followed by a Doctor of Philosophy at the same institution, where he performed his research thesis at the Institut Laue-Langevin in Grenoble. He has worked in the field of crystallography for 45 years, starting with an internship as an undergraduate. During his doctoral studies, he utilized powder neutron diffraction to study orientational disorder and phase transitions in solids containing small molecular cations and anions. After obtaining his D.Phil., he secured a position at the Max Planck Institute for Solid-State Research in Stuttgart, where he led magnetic diffraction studies on rare-earth halides and continued working with small molecule systems. Notably, he solved crystal structures using a novel combination of synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction and neutron diffraction. Upon returning to the UK, he helped set up a single-crystal X-ray diffraction lab at Durham University, followed by X-ray diffraction facilities at Birkbeck College and finally at University College London, where he heads the X-ray diffraction facilities in the Department of Chemistry. Over the decade, he has focused his research on phase transitions and properties related to simple molecular adducts such as C6H6:C6F6 and surfactants. Despite his lengthy career, he remains actively involved in experimental work and mentors students and post-docs in large-scale laboratory facilities.

Research Interests

Experience