Dr Bennett's current research interests involve the investigation of the surface chemistry of transition metals, metal oxides and low dimensional structures such as thin films and nanosized dots. These materials are prepared and probed in ultra-high vacuum by many techniques both in house and at synchrotron facilities. For example, in an EPSRC funded project for Next Generation Facility Users he has examined the role of quantum well states in the bonding of nanothin metal films to zinc oxide surfaces to improve solar efficient window glass. In collaboration with Held and Jenkins (at Cambridge) he made the first quantitative structural study of a chirally terminated hcp crystal surface, Re(112bar1) which was published open access with cover art (http://centaur.reading.ac.uk/35330/). He also has an interest in spatial organisation and pattern formation by self assembly. Most recently he has been employing molecularspray deposition of large organic molecules and polymers (synthesised by Colquhoun and Hayes) to investigate functional material surfaces and interfaces.