Photonics and Climate Change

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Date:
31 October 2007
Venue:
Daresbury Campus
Details:
09:00 Registration
 
09:45 Welcome and Introductions to Daresbury
Professor Colin Whitehouse, Chief Executive, STFC Daresbury
Professor Whitehouse will give an overview of the current projects at Daresbury, in particular the development of the 4GLS, outlining how companies can be involved and benefit from this unique and world leading facility
10:00 Spacecraft Remote Sensing of the Environment
Dr Steve Welch, Mullard Space Science Laboratory
Earth Observation is one of the three main reasons for doing science in space. Dr Welch has more than twenty years' experience in spacecraft engineering. He will outline some of the ways that spacecraft have been used for remote sensing and new missions that are on the horizon from the European Space Agency. These future missions are going to exploit new techniques in lasers and optics and represent an opportunity for new players to enter the space supply chain
11:00 Coffee
11:30 Organic Semiconductor Solar Cells
Prof Ifor Samuel, University of St Andrews
Solar power has the potential to supply our energy needs, but cost is currently a key limiting factor. This talk will introduce organic semiconductors, remarkable plastic-like semiconductors that can be simply processed and even ink-jet printed to make low-cost semiconductor devices, and show work on their development for solar cells
12:05 Technology Strategy Board - Electronics, Photonics and Electrical Systems
Dr Nick Appleyard, Lead Technologist
Dr. Appleyard will introduce the Technology Strategy Board explaining their interaction with KTNs and Collaborative R&D and how it relates to the previous DTI Technology Programme. He will relate this to the structure of the existing strategies by underpinning technologies (eg Electronics, Photonics & Electrical Technologies) and by application areas (eg environmental sustainability) and the photonics KTN as a network that the audience should be signed up to. He will also tell us about the high-efficiency lighting, being an area that has been funded by CR&D in the past. The Technology Strategy Board is in the process of reviewing Photonics and Nick will explain how we can access the Board and feed into this policy process
12:40 Introduction to NWPA
Professor Allan Boardman, Acting Chairman NWPA
Prof. Boardman will outline the objectives of the Association and update delegates on progress and plans
13:00 Lunch
14:00 Pulsed Doppler Lidar for atmospheric dynamics and pollution monitoring
Dr Guy Pearson, Halo Photonics Ltd and Salford University
The concept, design and operating characteristics of a new, autonomous remote sensing instrument for atmospheric monitoring will be described. Contemporary fibre-optic and photonic technologies are utilised to produce an instrument capable of providing a unique data set. Examples of wind, turbulence and particulate profiles will be presented as well as a summary of the commercial applications
15:05 4GLS Technology; Opportunities, Progress and Timescales
Professor Wendy Flavell or Dr Elaine Seddon, 4GLS
4GLS is already being utilised to evaluate potential applications in a number of areas, for example:
*Advanced studies of skin cancer, and potential early diagnosis of lung cancer
*Live cell imaging to better understand action of pharmaceutical on a cell
*Evaluation of reaction pathways in real time to help develop next generation photovoltaic
*Improved understanding of chemical catalysis mechanisms
*Non-damaging "point and click" THz imaging and spectroscopy for explosives identification
The presentation will help you to understand the progress being made with 4GLS technology including investments in, and benefits derived from it. In particular it provides key industrial users with the opportunity to understand the potential benefits of 4GLS technology in key target sectors (Lifelong Healthcare, Energy, Catalysis & Fine Chemicals, Security, Semiconductors, Electronics and Nanotechnology)
16:00 Conclusions, Opportunities and Close
Professor Allan Boardman, Acting Chairman NWPA
Prof. Boardman will reiterate how you can be involved with Northwest Photonics Association and outline our plans for the next few months

For more information...

Name: Stewart Mackay
Email: trm@telecomplus.org.uk
Telephone: 01257 401401
Website: