Prof Duncan Hand has been at Heriot-Watt for 25 years, following a PhD in fibre optics at the University of Southampton. He plays a lead role in the Applied Optics and Photonics Research Group, which covers manufacturing, sensing and medical applications, and in particular he directs activity in the applications of high power lasers. Duncan's work on lasers in manufacturing includes laser precision machining; laser surface processing; and laser micro-joining processes. In this work he collaborates with a range of companies including SPI Lasers, AWE, Renishaw, Oxford Lasers and Finmeccanica. He has further research activity, in collaboration with Bath and Leeds Universities, on the delivery of high peak power laser light through novel microstructured optical fibres, with applications in manufacturing and medicine. He also has an interest in optical sensing, with current activity in optically-addressed fibre optic micro-cantilever sensors.
Duncan is the Director of the Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Laser-based Production Processes, and is a member of the Heriot-Watt School of Engineering and Physical Sciences management team as Deputy Head of School; he is also currently Acting Deputy Principal for Research for the University.
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