Funding Supports Knowledge-Base in Quantum Photonics

The international society for optics and photonics, SPIE, is partnering with the University of Glasgow to establish the SPIE Early Career Researcher Accelerator Fund in Quantum Photonics. A $500,000 gift from SPIE will be matched 100% by the University, creating a fund worth a total of $1m (£785,000).

The scheme, to be managed by Professor Daniele Faccio, Royal Academy of Engineering Chair in Emerging Technologies, and Professor Miles Padgett, Kelvin Chair of Natural Philosophy, has created two new programs at the University: a new, annual SPIE Early Career Researcher in Quantum Photonics Scholarship, will be awarded to an outstanding University of Glasgow graduate student who is in the process of completing their studies.  

In addition, the SPIE Global Early Career Research programme will support outgoing and incoming placements at and from the University as part of its ongoing collaboration with leading quantum-photonics research groups across the globe. 

Each year, the programme will pair several University early-career researchers with counterparts from outside laboratories for six-month-long shared projects.

SPIE President John Greivenkamp said: “We are delighted to be participating in these exciting endeavours with the University of Glasgow. The interactive placements will offer transformative opportunities to the university’s academic and industry-based researchers and together with the annual scholarship, will develop well-prepared, knowledgeable early-career researchers who will drive the future of the quantum industry.”

Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli, principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Glasgow, added: “We’re pleased and proud to be establishing the Early Career Researcher Accelerator Fund in Quantum Photonics thanks to SPIE’s generous gift, which we’re very happy to match with our own funding.

“The University’s quantum photonics expertise is world-leading, and our researchers have found ways to see through walls, capture images at a trillion frames per second, and take the very first pictures of quantum entanglement in action. This additional funding will help the University train a new generation of graduate students to make valuable contributions to academia and industry and inspire them to make their own amazing research breakthroughs.”