Alex Robinson
Plasma Physics Group Leader
Alexander is a theoretical and computation plasma physicist (specialised in laser-plasma physics) based in the CLF, and leading the Plasma Physics Group (PPG)
Alix Bailie
Postdoctoral Scientist
Her work aims to understand the role that photons produced from various sources play in modulating metabolism and related biological function in mammalian cells by utilising techniques such as time-correlated single-photon counting in both a spectroscopic and microscopic (FLIM) capacity.
Andy Ward
Division Head of Lasers for Science Facility
Dr Andy Ward is the Division Head of the CLF’s Lasers for Science Facility
Archit Bhardwaj
EPAC Application Scientist
Archit is an Application Scientist, who develops computational tools and simulation workflows that support cutting-edge experimental science and industrial collaboration. His work focuses on enabling efficient modelling, data analysis, and integration of advanced instrumentation into real-world applications.
Ben Davis
Data Scientist
His research interests include developing novel data analysis approaches to maximise information extraction from biologically and clinically relevant spatial point patterns, from single molecule data to cell populations.
Benji Bateman
Senior Scientist
Benji joined the CLF in 2009 as a physics graduate and has since specialised in advanced microscopy instrumentation and technique development.
Bruce Weaver
Experimental Scientist
Experimental Scientist: Artemis, Central Laser Facility, 2024 to present.
Charlotte Sanders
Senior experimental scientist
Senior Experimental Scientist, Head of Artemis Material Science Programme, Deputy Group Leader of Artemis facility: Central Laser Facility, UK, 2018 to present
Chris Gregory
Software Controls Group Leader
In 2013 Chris rejoined the world of lasers and plasmas, working in Gemini as first a laser operator and then as a target area scientist.
Chris Spindloe
Target Fabrication Group Leader
Chris’s current research interests are high rep rate target solutions and developing novel targets for studying matter under extreme conditions.
Christopher Tynan
Senior Link Scientist
Since 2022, Chris has been in charge of the CLF’s new Abberior-Instruments MINFLUX system, the only commercial MINFLUX system currently in the UK.
Claire Dobson
Senior Microtarget Fabricator
Claire specialises in fabricating micro targets for high-powered experiments.
Claire Pizzey
Group Leader, Impact, Partnerships and Innovation (IPI)
Dr Claire Pizzey leads the Impact, Partnerships and Innovation activity at the CLF. She takes responsibility for development and growth of commercial strategic partnerships, all proprietary use of the facilities and overseeing the innovation portfolio of the CLF. Her role also includes impact and engagement activities at CLF, showcasing the broad range of science and […]
Cristina Hernandez-Gomez
Associate Director and Head of High Power Lasers
As Associate Director and Head of the CLF’s High Power Laser Division, Cristina is responsible for the development and operations of the CLF’s high peak power facilities. She is also has vast knowledge and experience in the development of laser technology and the operation of large laser facilities.
Daniel Symes
Senior Plasma Accelerator Scientist
Dan leads the design and construction of the laser wakefield acceleration beamline in EPAC Experimental Area 1.
Dave Clarke
Senior STFC fellow
Dave is a biochemist with expertise in the development and application of imaging and spectroscopy methods for biological research.
Dave Yeeles
Scientific Software Engineer
Dave joined the CLF in 2024 and works as a scientific software engineer for Octopus.
Donna Wyatt
Senior Microtarget Fabricator
She plays a key role in the daily operations of the team, liaising closely with experimental user groups to define and deliver the exact target requirements needed for successful high-power laser experiments.
Eleanor Asquith
Laser Scientist
Eleanor is a Gemini Laser Operator and is working towards a PhD in high-repetition rate, high average power laser design and engineering at the CLF.
Emily Reynolds
Target Development Scientist
Emily is a chemistry graduate working as part of the UPLiFT program on the research and development of inertial confinement fusion targets, with focus on their manufacture by two-photon polymerisation printing.
Emily Ross Hicken
Graduate Laboratory Support
Emily works in Ultra as graduate laboratory support, supporting the running of operations and the chemical preparation laboratory.
Esther Garcia Gonzalez
Microscopy Link Scientist
Esther joined the CLF in 2022. She leads the user applications for the Stimulated Emission Depletion (STED) microscope.
Gea T. van de Kerkhof
Electron Microscopist
Gea joined Octopus in 2024 as an electron microscopist, working on technical development for FIB-SEM lift-outs in cryogenic Correlative Light and Electron Microscopy.
Greg Greetham
Head of Ultra Facility
Greg joined the CLF at the beginning of the STFC & BBSRC funded Ultra project to develop the scientific application of ultrafast lasers and molecular dynamics spectroscopy techniques
Helen Towrie
Impact and Engagement Officer
I first joined the CLF as an illustrator in 2017 as an artist-in-residence. This was where I discovered my love for STEM communication. I am currently the CLF’s Impact and Engagement officer, where I communicate our laser science to the public through tours, talks, activities, articles, social media, design-work, artwork, and more.
Ian Clark
Instrument Scientist at Ultra Facility
Ian obtained his PhD in time-resolved infrared spectroscopy from the University of Nottingham in 1997 before joining the STFC in the same year.
Igor Sazanovich
Instrument Scientist at Ultra Facility
Igor joined the CLF in 2013 to support the maintenance of the Ultra laboratory infrastructure, to provide visiting scientists technical and scientific support
James Thompson
Senior Experimental Scientist
Senior Experimental Scientist, AMO science programme: Artemis Facility, CLF, UK, 2023 to present
Kenny Rodgers
Electrical Group Leader
I completed the apprenticeship in August 2000 and went straight to work in the electrical workshop in the Central Laser Facility.
Laura Arcidiacono
Scientific Software Engineer
Laura has a background in Applied Physics with a focus in soft condensed matter and crystallography.
Laura C Zanetti Domingues
Senior Staff Scientist
Laura (preferred pronouns xe/xem) joined the CLF in 2010 as a joint PhD student in Cancer Studies with King’s College London
Lee Benson
Scientific Software Engineer
Lee’s academic background is in mathematics and statistical analysis. He got his PhD in 2021 from the University of Stirling on the mathematical epidemiology of waterborne infectious disease. Following his PhD, he worked as a postdoc on the National Core Study PROTECT programme for the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds, quantifying risks of […]
Lin Wang
Senior Scientist and Professor
Professor Lin Wang is a Senior Scientist at Octopus. He obtained his PhD in Electrical and Electronic Engineering in 2010 from the University of Nottingham.
Luca Wallis
Gemini and EPAC Industrial Placement
Luca’s working on shock injection for laser wakefield acceleration.
Marilena Papadamou
Ultrafast Spectroscopy Industrial Placement Student
Marilena is focusing on ultrafast spectroscopy techniques, including 2D-IR spectroscopy, and is working on establishing an optical photothermal detection system.
Marisa Martin-Fernandez
Senior STFC fellow
Marisa joined the CLF in 2008. Her research is geared to understanding the intricate network signalling behaviour of cells in their physiological environments within tissues.
Marta Szynkiewicz
Laboratory Manager at Ultra Facility
Marta coordinates Ultra Facility operations and manages the Chemistry and Instrumentation Laboratories.
Martin Tolley
Target Fabrication Group Leader Emeritus
Martin joined CLF Target Fabrication Group in 2001 and became Group Leader in 2004.
Matthew Oliver
Senior Plasma Physics Scientist
Matthew Tang
PhD Scientist
Matthew works on super-resolution imaging of mammalian cells using stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy.
Michael Hirsch
Senior facility scientist (data analysis)
Michael joined the CLF in 2009. He is part of the data analysis team of the Octopus.
Mike Towrie
Ultra Strategy Development (Semi-retired)
Mike joined the CLF in 1989 and his research has centred on development and scientific application of lasers, detectors and spectroscopic and imaging instrumentation including the Raman Kerr-Gate.
Nicola Booth
Deputy Project Manager and Senior Facility Scientist
Nicolas Bourgeois
Senior Experimental Scientist
Nicolas is a Senior Experimental Scientist for Gemini and EPAC.
Oleg Chekhlov
Laser Scientist
Oliver Finlay
Gemini and EPAC Link Scientist
Oliver supports external users of the Gemini facility and is involved in EPAC laser wakefield accelerator design, including laser-plasma interaction simulations, gas target design, and diagnostic design.
Oliver Smith
Graduate laser scientist
Oliver joined Artemis in September 2024, where he works on the DynAMO extreme ultraviolet beamline and end station to facilitate gas phase ultra-fast spectroscopy experiments.
Partha Malakar
Instrument Scientist at Ultra Facility
Partha obtained his PhD in physical chemistry from the Department of Chemistry of the Indian Institute of Technology Madras in 2017.
Pavel Matousek
STFC Senior Fellow
Pavel is also a Fellow of RAEng, Royal Society of Chemistry and SAS, an Honorary Professor at University of Exeter and an Honorary Visiting Research Fellow at University of Oxford.
Raoul Trines
Senior research scientist
Raoul Trines is a theoretical plasma physicist at the Central Laser Facility. He specialises in analytic and numerical studies of parametric instabilities in laser-plasma interactions, as well as laser-driven particle acceleration in plasma
Robbie Scott
UPLiFT Chief Scientist
Robbie’s work focuses on developing the science and technologies required to realise laser-driven inertial confinement fusion as a future clean energy source.
Robert Lees
Link Scientist
Robert provides scientific and technical expertise and support to academic and industrial partners for all aspects of their microscopy experiments, from design to acquisition and analysis.
Ryan Phelps
Instrument Scientist at Ultra Facility
Ryan completed a three-year postdoc position at the University of Edinburgh, before joining the Ultra team in 2024 to support user experiments and assist in the delivery of the HiLUX project.
Sam Astbury
Gemini and EPAC Target Support Leader
Sam develops novel target technologies for HPL experiments such as cryogenic, tape-driven and liquid targetry systems.
Sara Mosca
Post-doctoral Research Fellow
Since 2018, Sara has been designing and developing novel solutions for non-invasive analysis of cultural heritage, material science and biological systems.
Sarah Needham
Senior Link Scientist
Sarah joined STFC as a postdoctoral researcher in 2005 and the CLF in 2008.
Sayantan Bhattacharya
Instrument Scientist at ULTRA Facility
Sayantan started work as one of the Instrument Scientists at Ultra in the summer 2024 to support the Facility’s operations and expertise.
Selene Roberts
Senior Scientist
Selene joined STFC in 2005 and the CLF in 2008. Her research aims to combine many scientific tools to advance understanding within the area of cancer cell biology.
Sneha Banerjee
Senior Experimental Scientist
Senior Experimental Scientist: Artemis, Central Laser Facility, 2025 to present
Stanley Botchway
UKRI-STFC Fellow and Research Lead
Stan joined the CLF in 1998 as the Laser Microscopy and Imaging Facility Manager and Biosciences Lead following a Postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School.
Stephen Dann
Senior Software Engineer (Data Management)
Stephen leads a team developing experimental software.
Steve Hawkes
Gemini Laser Operations Manager
High power laser technology, laser-plasma interactions, facility management
Thomas Dzelzainis
Senior Scientist
Thomas studied Physics as an undergraduate at Imperial College London, and went on to do a PhD and subsequent post-docs in Laser-Plasma Interactions at Queen’s University Belfast.
Tiffany Walmsley
Experimental Scientist
Experimental Scientist: Artemis, Central Laser Facility, 2024 to present
Victoria Marshall
Senior Software Engineer
Victoria develops and maintains the main Control System and diagnostics for Gemini.
Yu Zhang
Senior experimental scientist
Yu is a specialist in ultrafast laser photoelectron spectroscopy and low-dimensional quantum materials.
David Carroll
ESG: Link Scientist and Vulcan 20-20 experimental diagnostics work package manager
David is the Vulcan 20-20 work package manager for plasma diagnostics and data management.
Kevin Glize
Head of ESG: Senior Plasma Physics Scientist and Vulcan 20-20 Target Area 1 Work Package Manager
Kevin obtained his PhD in 2015 in laser plasma-instabilities (LPI) developing in Inertial Confinement Fusion experiments from École Polytechnique and CEA
Pedro Oliveira
Deputy technical director Vulcan 20-20
Pedro Oliveira leads the Vulcan Laser Group and serves as Deputy Technical Director for the Vulcan 20-20 upgrade, where he is also Work Package Manager for the high-energy beamlines.
Chris Armstrong
Principal Detector Scientist
Chris joined the CLF as staff in 2018, focusing on X-ray detectors and diagnostics for EPAC.
Dave Pepler
Vulcan Controls Section Leader
Dave joined the CLF in December 1978 when the Vulcan Laser Facility was still in its infancy, but already having its first major upgrade.
Hamad Ahmed
Senior Plasma Physics Scientist
Hamad’s journey with the CLF began during his PhD at Queen’s University Belfast, where he conducted most of his experimental work in the target areas of Vulcan and Gemini.
Margaret Notley
ESG
Margaret joined the Central Laser Facility in 1997 after achieving a BSc in Physics from Imperial College, University of London.
Pawala Ariyathilaka
Microtarget Physicist
Pawala joined the CLF in 2022 following six years of experience at CLF Scitech Precision Ltd as a Target Fabrication Scientist.
Philip Bradford
Detector Scientist
Philip develops diagnostics for both the Vulcan 20-20 and EPAC facilities.
Trevor Winstone
Senior Optics Facility Manager
Trevor has worked in the High-Power Laser Research Field at the Science and Technology Facility Council’s (STFC) Rutherford Appleton Laboratory for the last 37 years
Adeel Shafqat
Industrial Placement Student
Adeel focuses on improving robotic pick-and-place systems for the precision assembly of micro-targets used in high-repetition-rate laser experiments.
Ann-Marie Norton
Materials Scientist
Her work focuses on developing and refining advanced characterisation methods for analysing inertial confinement fusion (ICF) shells to support the next generation of high-energy-density physics experiments.
Jack Halliday
Experimental scientist
Jack is a hands-on experimental physicist specialising in laboratory astrophysics and plasma diagnostic development, principally X-ray spectroscopy and optical Thomson scattering.
Maks Tobiasiewicz
Lasers and Optics Technician
Maks is an optics technician specialising in the development of custom optical systems for the High Power Lasers at the CLF
Rajeev Pattathil
Deputy HPL Division Leader
Professor Rajeev Pattathil received a PhD in Physics at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, India, in 2003.
Will Carter
Laser Scientist
Will graduated from Imperial College London in 2019 with an MSci in physics. He then started on the graduate scheme at STFC, working on the operational team in Vulcan, alongside several development projects to improve the facility.
Ann Fitzpatrick
Optical systems engineer
Since joining STFC in 2022 Ann has worked at RAL Space, building and testing optical payloads for CubeSats as well as developing alignment techniques for large lenses and lens barrels
Hanna Nasir
Laser Plasma Industrial Placement
Kirstie Davies
Octopus Industrial Placement
Muhammad Tahir Jamal
Laser Scientist
Muhammad Tahir Jamal is a Laser Scientist at the Central Laser Facility (CLF), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
Ross Powell
Senior Laser Scientist
Ross is currently working on a fibre laser front end for the Vulcan 20-20 laser long pulse beamlines.
Veselin Aleksandrov
Laser Scientist
Veselin is currently working on the development of pulse stretchers and pulse compressors for the Vulcan 20-20 upgrade project and for the EPAC laser facility.
Kai Babb
Industrial Placement Laser Scientist
Kai joined the CLF in August 2025, joining the Vulcan laser system team in developing the new Vulcan 20-20 upgrade.