Dr Liam Hughes

With a strong background in Metallurgy and Materials Science, Liam completed a PhD focused on the irradiation and corrosion behaviour of ferritic-martensitic steels for nuclear fusion applications. His research centred on advanced characterisation of Fe-9Cr steels, including Eurofer-97, using electron microscopy techniques to investigate radiation damage and corrosion mechanisms at the micro- and nanoscale.

Liam currently works as a Technical Specialist in Electron Microscopy at the Sorby Centre for Electron Microscopy, University of Sheffield. In this role, he supports both academic and industrial users in the application of advanced characterisation techniques, including transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). He routinely operates and supports advanced instrumentation, including the FEI Helios G3 NanoLab UC dual beam system for focused ion beam (FIB) sample preparation and the JEOL JEM-F200 transmission electron microscope for high-resolution imaging and analytical investigations.

Since joining the facility, he has contributed to a wide range of research projects spanning nuclear materials, advanced alloys, and functional materials. His expertise includes analytical TEM and focused ion beam (FIB) sample preparation. He is also actively involved in user training, method development, and the implementation of new instrumentation and analytical workflows to enhance research capability within the facility.