The Goodwin Group works in the Department of Chemistry at the Unviersity of Manchester to further our understanding of the f-block elements – lanthanides and actinides.

The research focuses on non-aqueous chemistry to realise well-defined coordination geometries with which to stabilise highly reactive and unusual oxidation states and bonding motifs.

Conrad undertook his undergraduate studies at The University of Manchester (2009–2013), finding a passion for inorganic chemistry in his final year of studies while working with Dr Michael J. Ingleson on the synthesis of boronium cations. The challenge of isolating these ferrociously air/moisture sensitive boron compounds inspired him to chase after targets that others thought "had no right to exist" – be that low coordination numbers, unusual oxidation states, or simply by using highly radioactive elements on tiny scales.

After successfully completing a Ph.D under Dr David P. Mills (2013–2017), Conrad's interest in f-elements was solidified. Following a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Los Alamos National Laboratory (2018–2021), Conrad has taken up a Royal Society University Research Fellowship at The University of Manchester (2021–2026). This project aims to further develop U.K. expertise in transuranium sciences with a particular focus on unusual bonding and oxidation states.

Increasingly no longer found at the face of a fume cupboard, Conrad is now to be found reading obscure journal articles and pondering new and wilder ligands to stick to f-elements, seeking to make them less comfortable, to tease out new chemistry or physics from this fascinating area of the periodic table.