I first came to Imperial  from Cambridge in 1979 and, apart from spells working in the US and for the BBC, have been here ever since, joining the faculty in 1985. I am Head of the Optoelectronics section.  I have experienced all aspects of the academic’s job, from giving large UG lecture courses, managing MSc. Programmes and large research collaborations, to the whole spectrum of teaching, examining, recruitment and promotions tasks. I have published more than 220 papers, and graduated 23 PhD students with a 100% sucess rate. Nowadays I do a lot of committee work for other HEI’s and on international panels.

 My research centres on Quantum Optical Effects in Nanostructures. We are probably best known for making things vanish temporarily with invisible laser beams, but we also develop laser-based biomedical imaging techniques with Cancer clinicians and across the Life Sciences. On the communications side I give international public lecture tours, TV interviews and officiate at International competitions for youngsters.

My personal interests include my family,  The Great Outdoors, catamaran sailing and playing jazz. Last year I rowed across the English Channel for charity.