By Caryn Hughes, MChem PhD MRSC, External Engagement Manager

The Centre for Doctoral Training in Photonic Integration and Advanced Data Storage CDT, an exciting partnership between the University of Glasgow and Queen’s University Belfast, held its second annual Conclave on 21 and 22 June at the Radisson Blue Hotel, Belfast.

This year’s conference management was led by the 2016 cohort intake of students, who prescribed a professional and well-designed programme, impressing the Centre’s industry partners and all who attended.

Attracting over sixty attendees, this successful and vibrant meeting brought current CDT students and academics together with representatives from the Centre’s impressive industrial partners such as Seagate Technology, Compound Semiconductor Technologies Global, IQE, Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology, FEI, Stryker and Yelo, as well as senior officials from both Universities.

CDT PIADS ‘Conclave 2017’: A gathering of new and current CDT students, academics and industrial representatives

This year offered both academic and industrial keynotes, delivered by the esteemed Professor of Nanostructured Materials, Director of the Sheffield NanoLAB/RCUK Basic Technology programme in Nanorobotics and Chair of the UK NanoFIB, Beverley J Inkson (Sheffield University) and Eindhoven-based FEI Application Development Scientist, Dr Hans Mulders, respectively.

The conference was also supported by attendance from Mat Wasley, Innovate UK’s Knowledge Transfer Network Manager for Photonics, enabling key strategic networking links for both academic and industrial partners.

The conference attracted significant financial sponsorship from the Institute of Physics Ireland (IOPI). Dr Liz Conlon, IOPI Education and Outreach Advisor was present to additionally award £150 of prizes to CDT students Liam Wright and Jennifer Mackel, winners of the IOPI 2014/2015 cohort student poster session.

Many of the new 2017 cohort of students, recruited to begin in September 2017, were also able to attend the event, giving them an early opportunity to immerse themselves in the CDT environment and enhance their understanding about the programme.

About the CDT

The CDT, directed by Prof Robert Bowman (QUB) and Prof John Marsh (UoG) was established in 2014 with substantial investment from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and will help to address a skills shortage in the photonics industry by educating 50+ future scientists and engineers.

The CDT focuses on developing highly-manufacturable photonic integration technologies related to the magnetic storage of digital information. The development of these technologies will be relevant to a wide spectrum of end-users – from telecommunications to biophotonics, in which optical technologies are applied to living organisms and health care.

Note:

A small number for PhD Opportunities remain for 2017 entry - for more information, please contact the CDT External Engagement Manager or visit the website, Twitter and Facebook.

First published: 10 July 2017

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