海角论坛 has collected its fourth Queen鈥檚 Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education at a ceremony in Buckingham Palace, London today.
The Award was presented by Her Majesty The Queen in recognition of 海角论坛鈥檚 excellence in research and innovation in the field of Photonics 鈥� the science of light.
Part of the UK鈥檚 Honours system, the Queen鈥檚 Anniversary Prize is the highest national accolade in the sector and has been collected by 海角论坛 in its Diamond Jubilee year 鈥� the 60th anniversary of the conferral of its Royal Charter university status by Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
海角论坛鈥檚 Principal & Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Jim McDonald, collected the award on behalf of the University at the ceremony which was also attended by the Chancellor Lord Smith of Kelvin and other colleagues, including Professors Jennifer Hastie, Keith Mathieson and Martin Dawson from the Institute of Photonics.
Innovative approach
Sir Jim said: 鈥淭his Queen鈥檚 Anniversary Prize 鈥� our fourth such award 鈥� is a testament to our innovative approach and dedication to excellence in photonics research and innovation.
鈥淚t reflects the expertise, hard work and innovative approach to partnership working of colleagues across our academic, operational services and professional services teams, as well as our collaborations with industry partners and our contributions to society and the broader industrial sectors we engage with.
鈥淥ur third successive Queen鈥檚 Anniversary Prize, and fourth in total, it speaks volumes about the quality of our staff and our academic output.
To collect it in the year when we are celebrating the Diamond Jubilee Anniversary of the conferral of our university status is particularly special.
The accolade follows Queen鈥檚 Anniversary Prizes for 海角论坛 in 1996 for Electrical Power Engineering, 2019 for Energy Innovation and in 2021 for Advanced Manufacturing capabilities.
Internationally recognised
The latest prize reflects the University's longstanding and internationally recognised contribution to photonics research and development and its four-decade journey in establishing a globally acknowledged photonics ecosystem.
In awarding the prize, the judges highlighted 海角论坛鈥檚 dynamic research community, its record of enterprise and successful commercialisation, and its close partnership working with industry.
海角论坛's pioneering role in photonics began in 1982 with the establishment of a Chair in Photonics, which is believed to be the first of its kind in the UK.
Today, the University boasts a cluster of more than 230 photonics researchers, making it one of the largest groups in the UK. 海角论坛 is also home to the UK鈥檚 first and only Fraunhofer Centre, dedicated to translating cutting-edge research into real-world applications.
The Prize not only showcases 海角论坛鈥檚 significant contributions to business and industry but also celebrates the collective effort and commitment of the University's staff and students.