Chris Phillips is the former Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and head of the Optoelectronics section at Imperial College London.
Chris Phillips | |
|---|---|
| Born | England |
| Known for | Research on Quantum Optical Effects in Nanostructures, Heineken Uncertainty Principle, "Digistain" imaging for Cancer Diagnosis. |
| Children | 2 |
| Awards | FInstP Institute of Physics (2005), Excellence in Teaching Award, Imperial College London (1997), Royal Society Innovation Award (2106), Cancer Research UK Pioneer Award (2019) President's Award for Outstanding Research Team (2017), FRSC Royal Society of Chemistry (2017) Innovate UK SMART Award (2022), Institute of Physics Business Startup Award 2022. |
Career
editPhillips travelled in the developing world and worked for the BBC before taking up a faculty position in the Physics department of Imperial College London in 1985, at the age of 27. He was a visiting researcher at the Quantum Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara in 1997–98. He was elected a Fellow of the Institute of Physics in 2006, and served as Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences at Imperial College London from 2008 to 2011.
His research centres on the optical properties of semiconductor nanostructures. He is known for his work on electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT), a quantum optical effect whereby a crystal can be made to effectively disappear when it is illuminated by a sufficiently powerful invisible laser.
Most recently he is applying the techniques and devices developed over his research career to make ultra-efficient solar cells, and "Quantum Metamaterials" . The latter can be used to make new types of optical components, e.g. "superlenses" that beat the normal limits to image sharpness imposed by the laws of diffraction.
In a departure from physics into the world of medicine he is developing, and now clinically trailing, a new "Digistain" imaging technology. This enables one to image human tissue in a new way that reveals the chemical changes that accompany the onset of cancer. It promises to be a better way to detect and monitor the disease.[1][2]
Phillips takes particular interest in the dissemination of knowledge to his students and to the public at large. He is known for using practical demonstrations in his lectures to illustrate critical points; for example illuminating the nature of quantum operators through their likeness to sausage machines. He believes that the fruits of scientific research should be made accessible to all, and he regularly gives media interviews and public demonstration lectures at schools and science fairs at home and abroad. In 1997 he won the Imperial College Excellence in Teaching Award. Phillips takes a close interest in his students lives, both in and out of academia - frequently described by former students as an inspiring and motivating father figure.
Personal life
editPhillips grew up in Cullercoats, a coastal town of population 10,000, in the North East of England, but his family moved south for work at an early age. He lives in West London and he has two grown-up children from a previous partner.
He enjoys adventure, music and travel. He lists his interests as Family, Cycling, distance rowing, hill-walking, catamaran racing, skiing and snowboarding.[3] He occasionally 'performs' in a Latin jazz ensemble, and it is rumoured that he also prolifically releases solo work under a pseudonym. He has cycled from John O’Groats to Land's end in 2011 and sailed the Fastnet race in 2015. He has rowed across the English Channel 3 times for charities, most notably in 2013, when he was part of a crew that won a non-stop 7-day 500 mile London-to-Paris rowing race, which he often cites as his greatest achievement.
References
edit- ^ "New technology that could detect cancer faster and more accurately wins a Royal Society Innovation Award | Royal Society". royalsociety.org. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
- ^ Writer, GEN Staff (2018-03-13). "Novel Method More Accurately Grades Breast Cancer Biopsies". GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
- ^ "Home - Prof. Chris Phillips". www.imperial.ac.uk. Retrieved 31 January 2020.