Group Members

Current Group Members

Charlie Perek-Jenning - PhD Student

Charlie completed his integrated Masters in Physics at the University of Bath, in 2024. For his masters project he created an automated spectral and spatial imaging apparatus in order to quantify and visualise modes in anti-resonant hollow core fibre optics. In October 2024, Charlie started his PHD under the supervision of Prof Valev and Dr Rusimova, researching methods of regulating quantum-optical effects in rubidium.

Brad Kerrigan- PhD Student

Brad graduated from Aberystwyth University in 2021 with an Integrated masters in Planetary and Space Physics. During his final year he spent half a year in the artic circle, researching the upper polar atmosphere, at the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS). After graduating, Brad spent just over a year working at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) on various projects. In 2023 Brad started his PhD under the supervision of Prof. Valev.

John Kerr - PhD Student

John completed his integrated Masters in Physics with Space Science at the University of Leicester in 2021. During his time there he researched the formation of space weathered rims on Apollo 17 Lunar surface sample using X-ray Absorption Near Edge Spectroscopy (XANES) and Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS). As part of his undergraduate, he was also involved in several research projects focused on Raman spectroscopy and its application in different space environments. John is a PhD student working under supervision from Prof. Ventsislav Valev and Prof. Daniel Wolverson in partnership with Renishaw to develop advanced microscopy techniques.

Dr Hoyeon Choi - Postdoctoral Fellow

Hoyeon obtained his PhD in Physics from the Optoelectronic Materials Spectroscopy Lab (PI : Dr Patrick Parkinson), at the Photon Science Institute, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester. His main research project was to develop several integrated platforms to investigate the local charge carrier dynamics in novel optoelectronic materials. Before starting his PhD, he was carrying on the research project to study the ultrafast charge transfer in organic heterojunction using ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy as a researcher in Ultrafast spectroscopy group, Advanced Photonics Research Institute (APRI), Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, South Korea.

Dr Ruidong Ji - Postdoctoral Fellow

Ruidong completed his PhD at the photon science institute (University of Manchester), under the supervision of Dr. Darren Graham. His PhD research focused on the spintronic emitters using THz emission spectroscopy. Prior to that, he studied nonlinearity in heterodyne laser interferometers during his time at the Harbin Institute of Technology in China. In 2023, he joined our research team on a research project funded by the Leverhulm Trust.

Photon - Teaching and Outreach Assistant

Photon is a Nao 4 robot. He joined the MultiPhoton NanoPhotonics group in 2014. According to him, he was born in 2006. His role is to assist in our teaching, especially as part of final year research projects in physics. His interests are in materials science, photonics and electromagnetism.

In addition to his scientific work Photon take,s part in numerous public engagement activities and regularly makes visits to primary schools in and around Bath. He lectures in our First Science Workshop about photonics and material science. He is also an accomplished story teller.

Chiral - Teaching and Outreach Assistant

Chiral is a Nao 6 robot. She joined the MultiPhoton NanoPhotonics group in 2019 though, according to her, he was born in 2006. Her main scientific interests are in material science.

Chiral makes visits to primary schools in and around Bath, where she lectures on chirality, during our Second Science Workshop. In addition, she leads the "Would a robot lie to you?" activity, where children learn to take no one at their word, for science is based on evidence. Just like her brother Photon, Chiral tells some amazing stories to the children, illustrating her words with meaningful gestures and sound effects.

Previous Group Members

Joel Collins - PhD Student

Joel graduated from the University of Southampton with an MPhys degree in 2015. This included a yearlong project developing methods to optomechanically cool trapped nanoparticles. During his time as an undergraduate, he worked with Southampton Physoc on outreach, web development, design and publicity.

Following his graduation, Joel started his PhD studying chiroptical effects in nano/meta-materials under the supervision of Prof Ventsislav Valev and the co-supervision of Dr Daniel Wolverson.

Christian Kuppe - PhD Student

Christian completed his 4 year Master's degree in Physics at the University of Bath in 2015. He wrote his thesis on the simulation of the dynamics of satellite prototypes as part of the research initiative of Airbus Defence and Space. In September 2015 he started his PhD under the supervision of Prof. Valev as a member of the MultiPhoton NanoPhotonics group. The focus of his research was on Chirality and Photonic Effects for Nanotechnology.

Dr Kristina Rusimova - Postdoctoral Fellow

Kristina obtained her PhD from the University of Bath in 2016 for her work on atomic and molecular manipulation with a scanning tunnelling microscope under the supervision of Peter Sloan. She joined the CPPM in January 2017 to work on the fabrication, characterisation and application of hollow core fibre for use with dense alkali metal vapours and for metrology. Her projects were funded by the Networked Quantum Information Technologies Hub, Innovate UK and the Light Controlled Factory under the leadership of Peter Mosley, Ventsislav Valev and William Wadsworth. She was a Research Prize Fellow in the University of Bath.

Dr David Hooper - PhD student and Postdoctoral Research Fellow

David graduated from the University Bath with an M.Phys degree in 2014. He was part of the centre for doctoral training in condensed matter physics which is a joint venture between the Universities of Bristol and Bath. Having completed the taught elements of the CDT he undertook a PhD under the supervision of Prof. Ventsislav Valev and co-supervised by Prof. Simon Bending from the nanoscience group. His research used plasmonics to probe the relationship between chirality, magnetism and light by using ultrafast lasers to measure surface magnetizations and to study superconducting metamaterials.

Lukas Ohnoutek - PhD Student

Lukas completed his bachelor’s and Master's degree in Physics, at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. During his studies in Optics and Optoelectronics, he used magnetooptical spectroscopy to study various materials and nanostructures. After graduating in 2017, he joined the Centre for Doctoral Training in Condensed Matter Physics, at the universities of Bristol and Bath. His PhD interest was on the connection between chirality, magnetism and light through plasmonics. This project was supervised by Prof. Ventsislav Valev and co-supervised by Prof. Simon Bending.

Alex Murphy - PhD Student

Alex obtained a chemistry degree from The University of Edinburgh in 2018. During this time he researched non-photochemical laser induced nucleation which involved using Nd:YAG lasers to control the growth of CsCl and LiCl. Upon graduating, he moved to Bath to begin his PhD under the supervison of Prof Valev. Despite the change in discipline, his interest remained within optics. Alex studyed chiroptical effects in chiral plasmonic nanomaterials and 2D materials.

Dr Robin Jones - PhD Student

Robin is a PhD student working with Prof. Ventsislav Valev and Prof. Daniel Wolverson in partnership with Renishaw to develop advanced Raman Microscopy techniques. Robin obtained his MSci degree in Physics at the University of Birmingham in 2012. During his undergraduate degree he was employed by the Nanoscale Physics Research Laboratory at the University of Birmingham to study atomic cluster source technology and implantation in graphite. He then did a PhD in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bath. After a postdoctoral role designing laser instruments, Robin worked as an engineering analyst in the defence and space sector. Robin has returned to Physics to pursue research with a wider global impact.

Dr Kunjalata Majhi - Postdoctoral Fellow

Kunjalata did her PhD in experimental condensed matter physics at the Indian Institute of Science Bangalore, India. During her PhD, she studied the electrical transport properties of several quantum materials. Afterwards, she joined the University of Cambridge as a research associate where she studied the optical properties of graphene and other 2D materials. Kunjalata's interest lies in exploring the fundamental properties of various material systems to understand new functionalities that can be significant for future technological applications. At the University of Bath, she worked on optics and optical fibres, on investigating optical chirality and the optical interactions of nanoparticles in hollow-core optical fibres alongside Prof Wadsworth and Prof Valev.

Ben Olohan- PhD Student

Ben graduated from the University of Hull in 2019 where he obtained an MPhys degree. As part of his masters research project, he simulated different optical systems with a particular focus in imaging focal spots. A short time after graduating, he moved to the University of Bath for a PhD project under the supervision of Prof Valev, starting in March 2020.

Dr Emilija Petronijevich - Visiting Scholar

Emilija graduated from the University of Belgrade (Serbia), in Physical Electronics, in 2014. She then completed a PhD at La Sapienza University of Rome under the supervision of Prof. Sibilia. During her PhD, Emilija studied the interaction of light with plasmonic, dielectric and hybrid nanostructures, focusing on the numerical calculations of extrinsic chiro-optical response and on phase-change materials. During her Postdoctoral period, Emilija focused on experimental work in the same fields. Emilija’s current interest lies in chiral properties at the nanoscale, directed towards novel chiro-optical functionalities and the improved sensitivity of chiral sensing. For 9 months, she was a visiting researcher at the University of Bath, under the line-management of Prof. Valev (then Head of Department), and working alongside PhD student Ben Olohan.