On 2 October 2025, the Faculty of STEM hosted the inaugural lecture of Prof Louise Bradley, Professor of Photonics in the School of Physics and CRANN.
Prof Bradley’s lecture in front of a packed large lecture theater in the Fitzgerald Building was titled “Illuminating the Nanoscale: Advances and Opportunities in Nanophotonics”, explored how engineering materials at the nanoscale opens new possibilities for controlling light. Using props and examples from her research, she demonstrated how nanostructured materials enable unprecedented manipulation of photons at extremely small scales.
The audience learned how nanophotonics, a field that emerged in the early 21st century alongside rapid advances in nanotechnology, focuses on the interaction of light with nanoscale structures. Operating at this scale allows scientists to alter fundamental material properties, uncover new physical phenomena, and achieve remarkable control over light emission and propagation.
Prof Bradley highlighted the potential of nanophotonic systems to integrate nanoscale emitters and tailored nanostructures for specific applications. These advances pave the way for ultra-compact devices, enhanced sensing, and quantum technologies, with applications spanning lighting, displays, light harvesting, communications, and healthcare.
Understanding the underlying physics, she emphasised, is key to unlocking innovative solutions and new functionalities in this rapidly evolving field.
Congratulations to Prof Louise Bradley on this milestone event!
Prof. Jonathan Coleman, Prof. Sylvia Draper, Prof. Louise Bradley and Provost Linda Doyle