Imad AM Ahmed

GeoChemist

Imad Ahmed is an environmental geochemist and an RSC Chartered Chemist (CChem). Before joining the Department of Earth Sciences at Oxford University as research fellow in experimental geochemistry, Imad worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at the Environmental Magnetism and the Aquatic Chemistry research groups at Lancaster University and at the Environmental Geosciences research group at Leeds University.

Coming from a physical chemistry background, he has keen interests in understanding interfacial redox reactions at the molecular level in biological and environmental systems. Specifically, he is interested in how redox-reactive nano-materials (e.g., iron oxides) form and transform and how their structure and size define their chemical reactivity and toxicity profiles in natural systems. His current research, in collaboration with Prof Barbara Maher and Prof David Allsop at Lancaster University, focuses on the identification, structure characterisation and cytotoxicity of pollution-derived metal-oxide nanoparticles in the human body (e.g., magnetite in human brain Maher et al. (2016) Proc. Natl. Acad, Sci. USA. 113, 10797-107801).

His other key research interests include the development of novel experimental systems that integrates chemical, electrochemical and in situ time-resolved synchrotron or neutron-based scattering techniques allowing the identification and characterisation of naturally occurring redox-active layered and magnetic materials and their precursors occurring both in ancient Earth and Mars.

Imad has been involved in science outreach for many years. He served as a member of the council and as a committee member at the Mineralogical Society from 2005 – 2014. He has also served as a committee member at the RSC Environmental Chemistry Group (2009 -2011).