Professor Bob Cernik

Bob Cernik graduated in physics from University College Cardiff (University of Wales) in 1976 and obtained his PhD from the same university. He came to Manchester in 1979 to work in crystal structure analysis for the chemistry departments of UMIST and the old Manchester University. After this 3 year postdoctoral fellowship he left for industry where he joined Ferranti Electronics working in semiconductor process evaluation. In 1986 he joined Daresbury laboratory in Cheshire working on the synchrotron radiation source. He began working as a station scientist interested in powder X-ray diffraction, subsequently becoming head of the X-ray diffraction group and assistant director responsible for the physical sciences. In 2002 he renewed his association with Manchester becoming a joint appointment with the Materials Science Centre. Bob's research interests stem mainly from the development of synchrotron radiation as an analytical tool in materials science. He is chair of the Materials and Engineering College at Daresbury Laboratory and holds a visiting chair at the Department of Crystallography, Birkbeck College London.

• The development of Tomographic Energy Dispersive Diffraction Imaging (TEDDI) for non-destructive 3D images of materials including engineering components, biological systems, ceramics and cementitious materials (EPSRC funded)
• Functional electroceramics research using synchrotron based techniques to evaluate materials structure as a function of processing. (EPSRC) funded
• The development of station 6.2 at Daresbury Laboratory. The collection of ultra-rapid medium-high resolution in situ diffraction data from materials during in-service performance (EPSRC funded)
• CCP14 is a Collaborative Computational Project providing core support to benefit UK academics, researchers and students (EPSRC funded)
• The construction of Diffex, a solid-state silicon strip detector for the study of dynamic reactions that will be compatible with the very high X-ray fluxes produced from 21st century light sources (CCLRC funded)

• Eichhorn SJ; Scurr DJ; Mummery PM; Golshan M; Thompson SP; Cernik RJ. The role of residual stress in the fracture properties of a natural ceramic Journal of Materials Chemistry 2005, Vol 15, Iss 9, pp 947-952
• Cernik RJ; Barnes P; Bushnell-Wye G; Dent AJ; Diakun GP; Flaherty JV; Greaves GN; Heeley EL; Helsby W; Jacques SDM; Kay J; Rayment T; Ryan A; Tang CC; Terrill NJ. The new materials processing beamline at the SRS Daresbury, MPW6.2. Journal of Synchrotron Radiation 2004, Vol 11, pp 163-170
• Cernik RJ; Clegg W; Catlow CRA; Bushnell-Wye G; Flaherty JV; Greaves GN; Burrows I; Taylor DJ; Teat SJ; Hamichi M. A new high-flux chemical and materials crystallography station at the SRS Daresbury. 1. Design, construction and test results. (vol 4, pg 279, 1999). Journal of Synchrotron Radiation 2000, Vol 7, pp 40-40
• Attfield JP; Bell AMT; Rodriguez-Martinez LM; Greneche JM; Cernik RJ; Clarke JF; Perkins DA. Electrostatically driven charge-ordering in Fe2OBO3. NATURE 1998, Vol 396, Iss 6712, pp 655-658