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Dr Shephard selected as first member of EPSRC forum in Manufacturing Research

Dr Jonathan Shephard, Lecturer in the Institute of Photonics and Quantum Sciences has been selected to join the new Early Career Forum in Manufacturing Research.

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) launched this initiative as part of the Manufacturing the Future theme. The new forum is comprised of twenty promising early career academics, all of whom have ambitions to shape the future UK manufacturing research agenda.

Forum membership was determined after an open application and peer review process, which saw almost seventy applicants whittled down to a final list of twenty candidates.

Dr. Derek Gillespie, Portfolio Manager EPSRC Manufacturing the Future, said, “The Forum is designed to bring together early career academics who have the potential to become future leaders in fields of UK manufacturing research. By using the Forum, we hope we can help the members grow their professional network to include other academics from a diverse range of research fields, representatives of UK manufacturing industries, and a range of relevant policy and decision makers”.

Dr Shephard 's research in Applied Optics and Photonics is targeted in number of areas: Developing novel optical fibres for flexible high power laser delivery, Technologies for integrating lasers into manufacturing processes and novel robotic devices, Adaptive optics to tailor light to specific industrial applications, Optical non destructive testing and, Novel laser processes for medicine. The emphasis is on developing multidisciplinary links with academic and industrial partners and medical end users. Since 2003 he has been an integral member of the Applied Optics and Photonics Group at Heriot-Watt.