Distinguished for his research on ultrafast laser science and technology, Professor Wilson Sibbett started his research studies in the development of picosecond electron-optical streak cameras and thier evaluation using a range of mode-locked, flashlamp-pumped lasers. This work led to the first demonstration of a linear diagnostic technique that offered direct sub-picosecond time resolution. This was followed some time later by his pioneering work on coupled-cavity (also called additive-pulse) mode locking and, in 1989, by his group's discovery of the technique of Kerr-lens (or self) mode locking that heralded a new era of practical and efficient femtosecond lasers. Although, first observed as an exploitation of the optical Kerr effect in titanium-doped sapphire, the general applicability of the "KLM" technique has opened up many new avenues of ultrafast laser science and related applications as well as enabling the commercialization of user-compatible femtosecond lasers that cover a wide range of frequency tunability . His research can be said to have made pioneering and revolutionary impacts in this area of photonics. Wilson's current research activities at St. Andrews, undertaken by the "W-Squad", are split roughly 50/50 between developing techniques in the photobiology area and work on ultrafast communication technology and material sciences.
Tom Brown received a BSc. degree from Imperial College in 1993. Following a spell working for DRA Farnborough he moved on to the Optoelectronics Research Centre, University of Southampton where he completed a PhD in crystal waveguide lasers and amplifiers. After his PhD Tom worked in IT development for a leading investment bank before moving to St Andrews to study semiconductor non-linear optics. He was appointed as a SUPA Biophotonics lecturer in the School of Physics & Astronomy in 2005, where he is currently involved in research into various biophotonics related projects through his Advanced Lasers for Interface Science research group.
Alexander Lagatsky was born in Minsk, Belarus, in 1973. He received the diploma degree in physics from Bellorussian State University, Minsk, Belarus, in 1995 and the Ph.D. degree in physics from B.I. Stepanov Institute of Physics National Academy of Science of Belarus, Minsk, Belarus, in 1998. He is currently employed as a Research Fellow at the University of St Andrews.
Alexander is involved in the development of novel ultrafast solid-state lasers.
David received a Bachelors degree in Physics from the University of Warwick in 2001. After a period in industry he then undertook the MSc in Photonics and Optoelectronic Devices in 2003/04, which was run jointly by the University of St Andrews and Heriot Watt University.
Since then he has obtained a PhD from St Andrews developing practical sources of terahertz radiation based on nonlinear optics (which have been successfully commercialised), and has worked as a Postdoctoral research fellow in the Nonlinear Optics Group. In 2010 David joined the Ultrashort-Pulse Laser Research Group and now works on the development of near infrared laser systems with controllable pulse characteristics.
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Klaus received an Engineering degree from the FH Muenchen working on a
regenerative fs-amplifier for his thesis. After completing the MSc course in
Laser physics at Heriott-Watt University he went on to work in industry on high
power Nd:YAG Lasers as well as Extended Cavity Diode Laser systems. In 2007 he
completed his PhD at St Andrews University looking at the nonlinear dynamics of
optically bound matter in a dual fibre optical trap. Currently his research
interested focuses on intracavity pulse design and its characterisation.
Ronan obtained his first degree, B.Sc. in Experimental Physics (Hons) from the National University of Ireland, Maynooth (NUIM), in 2005. He furthered his studies by attending the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG) where he graduated with a M.Sc. in Medical Physics in 2006. He began his studies at the University of St. Andrews in October 2007 where he has undertaken a Ph.D. titled “Biophysical Aspects of Photodynamic Therapy”. Ronan is investigating the theoretical, experimental and clinical sides of Photodynamic Therapy (PDT), which covers a range of areas such as programming, lasers and the actual PDT treatments carried out in theatre.
Christine is a graduate from the University of St. Andrews, and is currently studying for a Ph.D in the Ultrafast laser group under Dr. Tom Brown and Professor Wilson Sibbett. She gained both her Batchellors and Masters degree from the University of St. Andrews where she undertook multiple projects with the nonlinear optics group with a particular emphasis on applied THz technology. She travelled to ETHZ, Zurich, in order to complete her MSc project which dealt with Photonic crystal, Quantum-cascade THz lasers.