Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics (Fraunhofer CAP) at the University of Strathclyde has appointed Professor Loyd McKnight as its new Head and Scientific Director.
Professor Loyd McKnight takes up the role after working at Fraunhofer CAP for 13 years, most recently as head of the Centre’s Quantum Technologies Business Unit. He succeeds Professor Martin Dawson, who had been the Centre’s Head and Scientific Director since it was founded in 2012 and who stepped down from the post at the end of 2024.
Professor McKnight has a broad range of technical expertise in fields including frequency-stabilised lasers, photon sources, integrated optics and quantum systems for sensing and information processing. He leads a number of large national and international research programmes in quantum technologies.
He will transfer into the Institute of Photonics at Strathclyde from this month as Professor of Practice, discharging his Fraunhofer role under a formal secondment, as is normal for Fraunhofer Institute leaders.
Photonics innovation
Professor McKnight said:
“It is a privilege to be chosen to lead the exceptional team at Fraunhofer, whose dedication to advancing photonics innovation drives meaningful change.
“I look forward to collaborating with my new colleagues at Strathclyde, while strengthening connections with Fraunhofer network and the wider research community to support the commercialisation efforts of our industrial partners. Together, we will pursue new achievements, guided by the principles of inclusivity and effective collaboration. “
Under Professor Dawson’s leadership, Fraunhofer CAP has grown to employ more than 70 staff and students and has undertaken around 285 competitively won R&D Projects with more than 130 industrial partners, ranging from SMEs to multinationals. Fraunhofer CAP has established itself as a strong contributor to the UK’s National Quantum Technology Programme, which it has supported since the outset, in themes including stand-off sensing and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging).
Remarkable leadership
Simon Andrews, Executive Director of Fraunhofer UK Research, said:
“Under Martin’s remarkable leadership, Fraunhofer CAP has become a key player in the innovation landscape in Scotland, the UK and globally.”
“Martin has established robust links with the University of Strathclyde and the Centre is trusted partner to a plethora of industrial customers and collaborators. We could not be happier that his successor is Loyd, who has been such a powerful and effective architect of our quantum technology portfolio.”
Professor Dawson said:
“It has been both an honour and a privilege to have been the inaugural Head of Fraunhofer CAP. I am very grateful to the University of Strathclyde, the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise and our colleagues in Fraunhofer for giving me this unique opportunity. I am very proud of the excellent team we have built up and of their outstanding contributions in developing new technologies at pace for industry in the ever-vital area of photonics. I am confident that the organisation will go from strength to strength under Professor McKnight’s new leadership.”
Professor Dawson will retain his Distinguished Professorship in the Institute of Photonics and will continue as an advisor to Fraunhofer CAP as Director Emeritus.