Prof Graham Turnbull

Prof Graham Turnbull

Deputy Head of School

Professor

Phone
+44 (0)1334 46 7330
Email
gat@st-andrews.ac.uk

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Research areas

Graham Turnbull’s research combines optical materials and nanophotonics for a range of smart lighting applications that span optical wireless communications, biotechnology, and trace chemical sensing. He has made world-leading contributions to the development of organic semiconductor lasers including the recent advance of an electrically-driven organic laser based on the world’s brightest OLEDs.ÌýHis group has developed trace chemical sensors for environmental monitoring and for land mine detection, and LED-based lighting for growing algae. Underpinning the device physics and applications are studies of light-matter interactions in organic materials and scalable processing including nanoimprint lithography.

In 2024 Graham Turnbull co-established the Photonics and Quantum Accelerator (PQA), a £5M EPSRC-funded project that brings together Scottish universities, local councils and industry bodies to advance the growth of the photonics sector in Scotland’s Central Belt.

External leadership roles

  • (58³Ô¹Ï lead 2024-2029)
  • (58³Ô¹Ï co-ordinator 2014-)
  • (Advisory Board member 2023-)
  • 58³Ô¹Ï Physics Trust FundÌý(Trustee 2015-2024, Chair 2015-2019)
  • - Scottish Universities Physics Alliance (management group 2015-2019)
  • Scottish Universities Summer Schools in Physics (Trustee 2015-2019)
  • IEEE Photonics Society Scottish Chapter (2003-2015, Chair 2010-2015)

ÌýUniversity leadership roles

  • Head of School of Physics & Astronomy (2015-2019)
  • Acting Vice-Principal (Research and Innovation) (2020)
  • Research Excellence Board member (2018-)
  • Senate Elected Member (2020-2024)
  • Director of Postgraduate Studies (P&A) (2011-2015)

PhD supervision

  • ShijuÌýPrasad

Selected publications

  • Open access
    Yoshida, K., Gong, J., Kanibolotsky, A. L., Skabara, P. J., Turnbull, G. & Samuel, I. D. W., 28 Sept 2023, In: Nature. 621, p. 746-752

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access
    Yoshida, K., Manousiadis, P., Bian, R., Chen, Z., Murawski, C., Gather, M. C., Haas, H., Turnbull, G. A. & Samuel, I. D. W., 3 Mar 2020, In: Nature Communications. 11, 7 p., 1171.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access
    Gillanders, R. N., Glackin, J. M. E., Filipi, J., Kezic, N., Samuel, I. D. W. & Turnbull, G. A., Mar 2019, In: Science of the Total Environment. 658, p. 650-658

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access
    Karl, M., Glackin, J. M. E., Schubert, M., Kronenberg, N. M., Turnbull, G. A., Samuel, I. D. W. & Gather, M. C., 1 May 2018, In: Nature Communications. 9, 7 p., 1525.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access
    Wei, M., Verstraelen, W., Orfanakis, K., Ruseckas, A., Liew, T. C. H., Samuel, I. D. W., Turnbull, G. & Ohadi, H., 23 Nov 2022, In: Nature Communications. 13, 1, 8 p., 7191.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Samuel, I. D. W., Namdas, E. B. & Turnbull, G. A., Oct 2009, In: Nature Photonics. 3, 10, p. 546-549 4 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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