The Baker Group's research applies X-rays and neutrons to understand the electronic structure and magnetism of metal ions and clusters. This research involves applying a wide range of large scale facility techniques but with a particular emphasis on resonant inelastic X-ray scattering and inelastic neutron scattering. Specific projects currently underway include:

• the electronic structure and magnetisation dynamics of single-ion dopants in solid-state crystals
• the study of spin dynamics within molecules that exhibit valence delocalisation
• the characterisation of molecular-based switchable magnetism
• the determination of f-block element electronic structure and bonding

Mike Baker is Lecturer and Diamond Light Source – Manchester Research Fellow. He completed his undergraduate studies (Physics BSc Hons.) at the University of Exeter in 2007. He obtained a PhD in neutron spectroscopy via an Institut Laue Langevin fellowship with supervisors including Prof. David Collison, Prof. Hans Güdel, Prof. Eric McInnes, Dr Hannu Mutka and Prof. Richard Winpenny (2007 - 2011). He was a Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science postdoctoral fellow (2011-2013) at the Institute for Material Research, Tohoku University, applying pulsed magnetic fields to EPR and XMCD spectroscopies under the supervision of Prof. Hiroyuki Nojiri. He then spent a short stint in New York City with Prof. Myriam Sarachik (CCNY, Dept. Physics) and Prof. Andy Kent (NYU, Dept. Physics) before obtaining a Cross-Disciplinary Fellowship from the Human Frontiers Science Program to work with Prof. Edward I. Solomon at Stanford, Dept. Chemistry (2014-2017).

In 2018 he was appointed as Diamond Light Source – Manchester Research Fellow at the University of Manchester at Harwell and Department of Chemistry. In 2020 he was awarded a Comunity for Analytical Measurement Fellowship. In 2021 he obtained a New Investigator Award from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.