Katharine Burr Blodgett Medal and Prize recipients

2024

Dr Christopher Dorman  
Coherent

For contributions to the laser industry, through executive leadership and community engagement. 

Find out more about Dr Christopher Dorman

2023

Professor Kenneth TV Grattan and Professor Tong Sun
City, University of London

For developing unique, patented, field-evaluated and now implemented photonics-based solutions for real-time monitoring of, for example, the pantograph-overhead line interface in electrified trains.

2022

Dr Andrew James Shields
Toshiba Europe Ltd

For pioneering industrial R&D over two decades on quantum communication devices and systems, leading to their commercial exploitation in the UK.

2021

Brian Corbett
Tyndall National Institute, University College Cork

For serial identification and creation of breakthrough innovative photonic device technology solutions that have driven the development and growth of several startups, and major innovations by multinational corporations.

2020

Dr Drew Nelson 
IQE plc

For pioneering efforts in commercialising compound semiconductor materials, and promoting the UK as the global leader in this field.

2019

Professor Chris Hancock
Creo Medical Ltd
For designing and patenting an electro-surgery platform enabling microwave and bi-polar radio frequency to be delivered to a range of miniature endoscopic devices to treat lesions in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

2018

Dr Michael Begg and Dr James Ramage
Tesla Engineering Ltd
For the transformation of Tesla Engineering Ltd from a manufacturer of conventional magnets for particle accelerators into a world leader of magnets for high-energy physics, MRI and oncology equipment.

2017

Professor Cliff Jones
University of Leeds
For inventions in the area of liquid crystal displays, and his role in the founding and commercial success of Displaydata – a leading supplier of graphic electronic labels for the retail sector.

2016

Dr Graeme Malcolm
M Squared Lasers
For his role in founding M Squared Lasers, and his contribution to the design and manufacture of transformative award-winning photonics products.

2015

Professor Iain Baikie
KP Technology Ltd
For his contributions to the development of Kelvin Probe (KP) method instrumentation through his company, KP Technology.

2014

Professor Michael Payne
University of Cambridge
For the development of computational techniques that have revolutionised materials design and facilitated the industrial application of quantum mechanical simulations.

2013

Dr Stuart S P Parkin
IBM Research – Almaden
For his discoveries of the underlying physics and of novel device architectures that have established the field spintronics.

2012

Sir David McMurtry and John Deer
Renishaw plc
For their role in founding Renishaw plc and leading it to become one of the world’s principal manufacturers of metrology equipment

2011

Dr Graham John Batey
Oxford Instruments NanoScience
For sustained outstanding contribution to the application of low temperature physics in an industrial high technology environment.

2010

Professor Sir Michael Pepper
University College London
For translating advances in semiconductor physics into the commercial arena, including key roles in founding Toshiba Research Europe, Cambridge Laboratory, and TeraView Ltd.

2009

Professor Sir Richard Friend and Dr David Fyfe
Cambridge University / Cambridge Display Technology
For guiding the company Cambridge Display Technology (CDT) to a pre-eminent position in the development of light-emitting polymers and in the development of the technology for flat-panel displays and lighting.

2008

Dr Donal Denvir
Andor Technology PLC
For his role in founding Andor Technology, which manufactures high-performance digital cameras, and for leading an R&D programme that has kept the company at the forefront of innovation.