My physics research has focused on the design and development of particle accelerators and detectors, including radio-frequency quadrupole accelerators (RFQs), non-scaling fixed-field alternating-gradient accelerators (ns-FFAGs), scintillation detectors, and ion mobility spectrometry detectors (IMS). My research has particularly focused on creating automated computer models to streamline the design process. The applications of the accelerators and detectors I have worked on include cancer therapy treatment using charged particle beams, and protection from explosives and chemical and biological weapons.

Please feel free to browse my publications or connect with my professional online profiles.

GLAPA

I have recently completed work as a researcher at the Guangdong Institute of Laser Plasma Accelerator Technology (GLAPA) in Guangzhou, China. This new institute is a collaborative research initiative between Peking University and the Guangdong Ministry of Science. My work covered simulation and designs for new accelerator technologies. This included the beam dynamics design of a new beamline for the application of laser-driven protons to cancer therapy, called CLAPA-II, and a wide-aperture bending magnet for a ribbon ion beam, particularly focusing on space-charge effects.

Peking University

I was previously a postdoctoral researcher at Peking University 北京大学, in Beijing, China. My first post-doctoral placement was in the Insitute of Heavy Ion Physics, in the Accelerator Physics group. I worked with designs for RFQs and other linear accelerators, particularly focusing on issues of high-intensity beam dynamics. I then moved to the Compact Laser Plasma Accelerator Laboratory (CLAPA) and began working on beam dynamics simulations for the CLAPA-II project.

Oxford University

I completed my undergraduate Masters of Physics degree at Wadham College, Oxford University. The course was both broad and deep, and taking the Masters option gave me the opportunity to experience some research work, with a minor project in string theory and a major project investigating chaotic auditory signals.

Imperial College London

My PhD at Imperial College London was a design study for a radio-frequency quadrupole (RFQ) for accelerating carbon ions to be injected into an FFAG accelerator for charged particle therapy (CPT), which is a type of cancer treatment utilising the properties of charged hadrons to provide higher doses to cancerous tumours while reducing the dose to healthy tissue in the patient. As part of the design study, my colleagues and I developed an integrated RFQ design scheme that combined detailed computer-aided design (CAD) models from Autodesk Inventor with precise electromagnetic field modelling in COMSOL and particle tracking using GPT. More details can be found on the publications page.

Smiths Detection

After my PhD I worked for Smiths Detection in the UK, as Senior Scientist in the research and development team. The company produces various types of detectors, using diverse technologies to detect airborne, hand-held or smuggled security threats. I worked both in the lab with practical experiments and using similar simulation tools as for my PhD. I also designed and supervised experiments and simulations carried out by the R&D team.

UCL

In 2014 I joined a team of physicists and medical physicists at University College London (UCL) to investigate technology for a new particle beam therapy centre being designed and built at University College London Hospital (UCLH). I worked on a simulation of a proton calorimeter to be used for proton computed tomography (CT) scanning, which would allow imaging of the patient in situ in the treatment room. I was also responsible for installing and maintaining the Geant4 simulation software for the team.