Dashboard – I'm an Engineer 2024/25

Profile

About Me:

I am an experimental physicist/engineer working on Quantum Light Sources at Cardiff University. I like designing and making things and figuring out how things work – which I get to do as job now. Outside of work I love exploring the hills and beaches near Cardiff.
My Work:

I am an experimental physicist/engineer working at Cardiff University. I am working to create Quantum Light Sources which produce single particles of light – one at a time.
My Typical Day:

I get up and have breakfast, then walk to work. After checking my emails, I grab a coffee and catch up with my colleagues on what they are working on.

Then I head to the lab and switch the equipment on to warm up for a few minutes, and put a sample with quantum emitters into the our confocal microscope. Once everything is ready, I turn the lights off, and the detectors on (they are very sensitive to light), and start to measure single photon emission.
What I'd do with the prize money:

I’ve been working on a demonstration experiment to show how sensitive peoples eyes are to very dim light – even down to single particles of light which we use in quantum technologies. If I won £500, I would use it to further develop the demonstration with true quantum light sources, to use in STEM events for schools and the public.

Candidate CV questions (extra)

Education:

Brownlow College (GCSEs 1994-1999),
Portadown College (A Levels 1999-2001)
Bristol University (MSci Mathmatics and Physics 2002-2006)
Bristol University (PhD Physics 2008-2013)
Qualifications:

GCSEs
Maths, Additional Maths, Statistics (OK… quite a lot of Maths)
Double Award Science
Technology & Design
English, English Literature
French
History

A Levels
Maths, Further Maths, (Again… rather a lot of maths…)
Physics,
Economics
Work History:

Lecturer, Cardiff University, 2022 – Current
Working on Quantum Light sources in Compound Semiconductors

Postdoc Researcher, Cardiff University, 2018 – 2022
Working on Quantum Light sources in Compound Semiconductors

Postdoc Researcher, University of Calgary, 2015 – 2018
Working on Quantum Light Sources and nano-optomechanics (really small things that wobble) in diamond.

PhD Researcher + Postdoc Researcher (for a short time), University of Bristol, 2008 – 2014
Working on Quantum Light Sources and Qubits – ‘Quantum Bits’ in diamond.

Website design and IT Support 2006-2008 Bristol
Working on a website and IT systems for a small financial company

Bar Chef – 2004 Henry J Beans – flipping burgers during University

My Interview
- How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
  
  Inquisitive, Enthusiastic, Goofy
  
  What did you want to be after you left school?
  
  Originally a carpenter - then for a while an engineer.
  
  Were you ever in trouble at school?
  
  Not that often - but once or twice for silly things like scuffles or accidentally messing up the RM nimbus computers
  
  Who is your favourite singer or band?
  
  Jarvis Cocker/Pulp
  
  What's your favourite food?
  
  Itallian food - Spaghetti, Pizza are all amazing
  
  If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
  
  To be able to play an instrument and a language well. More free time. 1000 more wishes.
  
  Tell us a joke.
  
  What did st Patrick say as he was driving the snakes out of ireland? "Are you alright in the back there lads?"