2016 Annual Report Table of Contents
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DODD-WALLS CENTRE FOR PHOTONIC AND QUANTUM TECHNOLOGIES 2016 ANNUAL REPORT TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 1 Report from the Chair 2 Report from the Director 3 DWC Technologies 4 Research Themes and Highlights 5 Industry Activities 15 Educational Outreach 18 Facts and Figures 20 Finances 22 Membership, Governance and Management 23 Strategic Outcomes 30 Value Creation in the Dodd-Walls Centre: How our activities support our mission 31 Publications 32 Cover image shows a ring dye laser (orange beam at right) measuring the power and wavelength of a second laser. This is used for research into new biomedical imaging techniques using both ultrasound and light. INTRODUCTION The Dodd-Walls Centre is a national Centre of Research Excellence involving five NZ universities, hosted by the University of Otago. Our research focuses on New Zealand’s acknowledged strength in the fields of precision atomic and quantum optical physics, with our name drawn from two kiwi pioneers in these fields. Our research explores the limits of control and measurement at the atomic scale through the use of laser light, the generation and manipulation of light at its most fundamental, quantum level and the processing and physical nature of information in this quantum realm. Our Mission is • to create a research centre that is recognised as one of the world’s leading organisations in the field of photonic and quantum technologies, • to build upon the acknowledged strength of New Host University Zealand in the areas of non-linear and quantum optics and precision atomic physics, • to train and develop skilled staff and students to the highest international standards, and • to help develop the high-tech industry sector, thus ensuring economic growth and continued career pathways in New Zealand. Collaborating Partners Tertiary Partners University of Otago (Host Institution), University of Auckland, Massey University, University of Canterbury, and Victoria University of Wellington Non-Tertiary Partners Callaghan Innovation, Southern Photonics, Canterbury Development Corporation, and Otago Museum International Partners Centre for Quantum Technologies, Singapore, Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics and University of Strathclyde, UK, and the Joint Quantum Institute, USA, University of Science & Technology, Anhui, China 1 REPORT FROM THE CHAIR The CoRE initiative in New Zealand is designed to build on areas where a small country can make a contribution to global science. The country as a whole, produces less than 1% of new science, so it needs to develop critical mass in a few key disciplines where it can make a difference. Quantum optics, photonics and precision atomic physics are areas which do not require enormous capital to research, and they are areas where pioneers Jack Dodd and Dan Walls working in NZ left a legacy of world class protégés who are now mature leaders in their specialities. They in turn have attracted well over 100 new research students and postdoctoral fellows to these fields, and this represents a nationally significant platform with critical mass from a global research perspective. The Government’s investment has resulted in a small number of CoREs selected by international scientific peers in a competitive process based primarily on research excellence. The teams are drawn from multiple institutions but concentrated in a new CoRE entity funded by the Tertiary Education Commission. The CoREs primarily carry out investigator led research designed to be published in the best possible journals. The creation of the CoRE entities is however also designed to enable them to make a broader societal contribution, including educational outreach and the stimulation of new technology and derivative business activity than might otherwise be the case. The Board has had particular regard to the application of the expertise of the CoRE to technology development, and set up a subcommittee of the Board chaired by Director, Ray Thomson to develop policy and the capability to expedite this. An Industry Advisory Panel chaired by Dr Simon Poole is also helping us develop this aspect of our activities. In Dr John Harvey we have in-house executive level expertise in commercialisation of photonics and disruptive technologies via start-up enterprises. We have established our own Development Lab to accelerate new concepts with commercial potential. But we have also identified agricultural technology as an area where we can not only support NZ’s largest industry but help NZ technology companies export to service agriculture worldwide. We are building networking capability through key partnerships, such as the one with Lincoln Agritech Ltd, and through the Lighthouse Platform and Photon Factory with industry, in order to immerse ourselves more closely in current challenges and opportunities identified by the sector. New Zealand enjoys considerable success in the export of agricultural technology, thereby also making a useful additional contribution to global food production. The significant external funding of CoRE programs from the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE) underlines our potential to contribute excellent applied research outcomes, and as many of these are aligned to the engine room of the economy in agriculture, they also provide a pathway for future career development in fields where jobs are likely to emerge within mainstream local enterprises. We are under no illusions regarding the challenge which this strategy represents, so we are proceeding with deliberation and a degree of caution in order to identify what works before rushing ahead. Our direction though is unwavering, and whilst we do not expect immediate results, we do expect to see this activity flourish progressively as we build its momentum. It is an area where the current Board has been able to provide particular assistance to the Director and the science leadership team. The CoRE has made a good start, and is establishing excellent international linkages. G.A. CARNABY 4/4/17 2 REPORT FROM THE DIRECTOR 2016 began with the closing ceremony for the United Nations International Year of Light in Merida, Mexico. The DWC was well represented on this global stage, not least by our students who were part of the volunteer workforce who made sure the whole event ran smoothly. It’s great to note that chair of the IYL and the driving force behind what was an amazing success is John Dudley, an Auckland alumnus and ex-PhD student of the DWC Industry Team Leader, John Harvey. John and Cather Simpson, also from the DWC, were the co-chairs for the NZ IYL committee. Education outreach activities continued throughout the year, including hugely successful events around our annual symposium. Bianca Sawyer, one of our most active students, was recognized with the Otago Daily Times post-graduate student award for science education outreach as was Amadeo Enriquez-Ballestero (communicator award) as part of the Education Outreach Team through the Otago Museum. Andy Wang from Auckland, who together with Bianca helped at the IYL Closing Ceremony, also joined the Education Outreach Team full time to help coordinate our growing collaboration with the Museum of Transport and Technology in Auckland to augment our already active work through the Otago Museum. Awards and contracts abounded through the year including several new Marsden contracts (including an optical fibre based study of changes in the Alpine Fault in the Southern Alps), an MBIE contract worth $4.25M together with AgResearch to establish methods for validating meat quality based on optical techniques and a number of Unlocking Curious Minds contracts, highlighting our activities in all areas from the fundamental, through education, to very industry focussed partnerships. Personal awards included the RSNZ’s Hamilton Award for Miro Erkintalo and the Hector Medal for Stéphane Coen, highlighting the outstanding research quality in the Centre. Our industry partnerships, while retaining their High Value Manufacturing and Service industry links, have expanded with our agricultural focus over the past year. We have partnered well with Lincoln Agritech and new collaborations are being forged there. The link with AgResearch has already resulted in MBIE funding. We are now looking at ways to help in the horticultural sector. All these activities help add to the bottom line for NZ Inc., but more importantly I believe, these activities build capabilities and new opportunities for our students and postdocs to develop career paths which are satisfying, use their skills and retain their talent in New Zealand. This is how we contribute to the well-being of our people and to the development of the high tech economy of the future essential to New Zealand. Our success in this area is recognized by yet more awards. For example, Cather Simpson won both the KiwiNet Entrepreneur Award and the Supreme Award in 2016 through her company Engender. Engender, which uses laser-based techniques to sort bovine sperm for artificial insemination, also won the Silicon Valley Forum Tech World Cup in the Agtech sector – again making a splash on a global stage. Even at the tender age of 18 months, the DWC ranked 10th in New Zealand of all organizations (including universities and CRIs) in terms of academic impact, as determined by the Nature Publishing Group – a magnificent achievement upon which we plan to build in to the future. As befits the CoRE with a focus on light, the future DAVID HUTCHINSON looks bright. 3 DWC TECHNOLOGIES: Information networks, sensing and precision measurement The DWC engages in research spanning two domains and the overlap between them. The photonics domain utilizes laser light for optical devices, networking and communications. Sensing technologies are a key potential output of much DWC research, with a wide base of practical outcomes. Quantum technologies are in the theoretical and experimental stage currently, but the ultimate goal is to develop quantum devices that are faster and more energy efficient. An advantage of the CoRE is the potential overlap between photonic and quantum research, particularly in the area of sensing technologies.