‘‘ I run several large projects looking at various aspects of laser welding technology.

For example, I’m working on laser treatment for aluminium alloys used by the aerospace industry. The idea is that laser-based treatments protect against corrosion. A lot of this work is currently done by hand, so we’re looking at ways of using lasers to speed up the process.

I also work on smaller projects, such as using lasers for micro-machining, and have been looking at laser drilling. A successful drill could be used to perforate the wing of an aircraft with tiny holes; by sucking air through these holes, we would then be able to modify the air flow over the wing and reduce drag.

We also look at new manufacturing processes well before the production stages.

A lot of these projects are completely original but one step on from pure academic research — you can actually see how they can be applied in the real world.

We did some work a while back on an alternative method of laser welding that uses a very large diameter beam. This hasn’t been explored at all inside the laser world because the usual approach is to focus a beam on a very tight spot. We got it to work and along the way solved various practical problems. That type of work is very satisfying.

My first degree was in straight mechanical engineering and in my final year I studied laser cutting. After that I did a PhD in laser welding, taking both degrees at the University of Liverpool.

I’ve worked here for almost ten years. For this job, you need to enjoy technical challenges and have an inquisitive, flexible approach because you need to be open to solutions that may not be immediately apparent.

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