Angelos Michaelides

From working on the Theory and Simulation of Materials, Materials and Molecular Modelling, the national supercomputer centre for materials and molecular modelling and also running the London marathon

Professor Angelos Michaelides is attempting to set a new world record for the "fastest marathon dressed as a scientist (male)".

Angelos Michaelides is a Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, a Co-Director of the Thomas Young Centre: The London Centre for the Theory and Simulation of Materials, and the founding Director of the Materials and Molecular Modelling Hub; the UK’s national supercomputer centre for materials and molecular modelling.

Angelos grew up in Donegal, Ireland, and studied chemistry at Queen’s University Belfast. Following this he held fellowships in Cambridge and Berlin. In 2006 he joined UCL and has been a Professor since 2008.

His research involves the development and application of computer simulation approaches, aimed at reaching molecular understanding of chemical and physical processes at surfaces. Along with his many collaborators, his work has advanced knowledge and understanding of water-solid interfaces and heterogeneous catalysis. This has included the development of theoretical models to understand the structure of water and ice at surfaces and models to understand and predict the performance of catalysts. Work from his team has also pushed the boundaries of simulation methods in terms of accuracy and realism.

Angelos likes challenges in science and beyond! His current "non-scientific" challenge is to set a new world record for the "fastest marathon dressed as a scientist (male)". This will be an official Guinness World Records sanctioned attempt and requires him to wear a lab coat, safety glasses, lab gloves, trousers, and to carry a piece of scientific equipment. He is doing this to raise sponsorship for WaterAid; an international charity that brings clean water and sanitation to people all over the world. The choice of WaterAid is particularly apt given his research interests. Students and researchers in his group have supported WaterAid over the years with similar endurance challenges.

To learn more about Angelos’ marathon challenge, or to learn more about the research in his group.