Four St Andrews physicists scoop top national honours
Professor Ifor Samuel (School of Physics & Astronomy) received the Thomas Young Prize for world-leading research into OLEDs, organic lasers and their applications in technology and medicine. His work has transformed modern display technologies and solved a decades-long challenge by demonstrating the world’s first electrically driven polymer laser, published in Nature. His team also pioneered wearable OLED light therapies for skin cancer and acne, already helping around 10,000 patients in the UK, Europe and Australia.
Speaking about the award, Professor Samuel said: “Light, and materials that generate light are my favourite topic, so I am very pleased to receive this important optics prize… The award is tremendous recognition of how work at the Organic Semiconductor Centre in St Andrews has led to the development of new light-emitting materials, new lasers and applications in displays, communications and medicine.”
Martin McLaren received the IOP Technician Award for outstanding technical leadership and innovation in establishing the University’s Centre for Designer Quantum Materials. Over two decades, he has designed and managed more than £10million of cutting-edge research infrastructure, trained generations of physicists and developed unique instrumentation now being explored for commercialisation.
Mr McLaren said: “I am very grateful to have received such a prestigious award… It gives me a real sense of achievement to know that the hard work that I have put into setting up, running, and developing our laboratories and equipment has been recognised with such a highly esteemed award.”
Professor Peter B. Littlewood, Professor and Chair of Physics at the University of Chicago and Visiting Professor at St Andrews, was awarded the Richard Glazebrook Medal for exceptional leadership of major international research institutions and for founding the Faraday Institution, the UK’s national hub for battery science. His leadership at Argonne National Laboratory (USA) and the Cavendish Laboratory (University of Cambridge) has driven collaboration, innovation and world-class research in sustainable energy and materials discovery.
Head of School of Physics and Astronomy, Professor Johnathan Keeling, said: “It is fantastic to see such a range of activity by St Andrews staff and alumni being recognised… These awards demonstrate the range of ways in which staff in our School – both academic and technical – pursue world-leading activities.”
Institute of Physics President Professor Michele Dougherty CBE FRS FInstP FRAS FRSSAf said: “On behalf of the Institute of Physics, I want to congratulate all of this year’s award winners… I hope their stories will help to inspire current and future generations of scientists.”
The Institute of Physics is the leading professional body for physicists in the UK and Ireland. Its annual awards recognise excellence at every level, from apprentices and technicians to global research leaders.