The Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult has marked the start of 2018 by announcing two key appointments.
Dr Alastair McGibbon joins the Catapult as Business Development Manager for power electronics, having most recently served as the CTO of TechWorks (formerly NMI), where he managed PowerElectronicsUK, the industry association for power electronics.
Dr McGibbon will now apply his expertise and 30 years of business and R&D experience in the electronics sector, to support UK companies realise the potential for applications innovation in compound semiconductor-based systems. Based in Glasgow, Dr McGibbon’s Scottish location places him at the heart of one of the UK’s clusters of compound semiconductor activity.
Following his appointment, Dr McGibbon said: “The application of compound semiconductors will drive revolutionary changes in the power electronics sector, and this is an exciting time to come on board with the Catapult. I look forward to collaborating with UK companies within the field, aiding their growth and establishing the UK as a world-leader in the field.”
Dr Andy Sellars, Chief Business Development Officer at the Catapult, said: “Alastair’s industry knowledge will accelerate Catapult support for companies working on new applications within the power electronics sector, such as vehicle electrification, helping to grow UK based supply chains”.
Dr Peter Aaen of the University of Surrey and the National Physical Laboratory, joins as the Catapult’s first Researcher in Residence.
Supported by the Engineering and Physical Research Council (EPSRC), the Researcher in Residence scheme partners leading academics with Catapult centres, giving the companies they work with direct access to the latest ideas and techniques.
As the Director of the Nonlinear Microwave Measurement and Modelling Labs (n3m-labs), a joint venture between the National Physical Laboratory and the University of Surrey, Dr Aaen’s work places him at the forefront of research, development and validation of multi-physics based modelling methodologies for high-power and high-frequency electronic devices.
Commenting on the appointment, Dr Aaen said: “I am delighted to be working with this Catapult, where the advanced metrology we have developed in conjunction with the National Physical Laboratory will help companies accelerate the uptake of compound semiconductors in new applications.”
Dr Andy Sellars commented: “We were particularly impressed with Dr Aaen’s work in simulation and modelling, which uniquely spans device physics to systems. Working with the National Physical Laboratory, Dr Aaen has developed advanced metrology techniques that will assist the Catapult in rapidly scaling up support for business”.
The appointments mark the latest step in the Catapult’s commitment to collaboration with leading UK industry experts and organisations when exploring novel applications of UK designed compound semiconductor technology, to programmes relating to power electronics, photonics, RF and microwave.
For more information on how your company can collaborate with the Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult, email info@csa.catapult.org.uk
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