Dr Susan Spesyvtseva

Personal statement

I greatly enjoy working at the interface between research and innovation, and am driven by the exciting potential for new technologies to have real societal impact on the world. I am passionate about use-inspired research, and work to ensure that the best and most exciting new ideas, observations and concepts that emerge from the research laboratory progress to real-world applications with societal impact.

As a Knowledge Exchange expert, I am experienced at working with industry and other external partners. With a focus on business priorities, I support industry partners to access University expertise, research and emerging technologies to maximise economic and societal impact. Our unique partnership approach can help companies to solve business challenges, identify new opportunities and enable business growth.

Based in Strathclyde’s Physics Department, I work closely with industry, RTOs, and the public sector, to facilitate collaboration and knowledge transfer of the department’s applied research with key academic strengths in photonics, quantum technologies, space, plasma, and enabling technologies.

At Strathclyde, we work with industry through a number of mechanisms, including consultancy, Innovate UK-funded projects, contract research projects (directed by you), proof of concept, feasibility studies, PhD student projects, knowledge transfer partnerships (KTPs), intellectual property (IP) licensing, and continuing professional development (CPD). I am expert at making use of all available grants and funding streams and can advise on which support mechanisms can be used to leverage your resources. Get in touch in confidence to let me better understand your needs and see how I can help you connect to the right research, partners, and innovators.

My technical expertise is in photonics and I have a research background in optical trapping, beam shaping and plasmonics. I studied for an MPhys Physics at the University of St Andrews before receiving my PhD in optical trapping from University College London in 2013. I then took up postdoctoral research positions at the Photonics Advanced Research Center, Osaka University, Japan, and University of St Andrews, before joining the Physics Department at the University of Strathclyde in 2017.

I currently hold the role of Associate Dean (Knowledge Exchange) for the Faculty of Science and therefore have additional remit to grow activity with external organisations and in particular those with key industrial partners and government organisations in research areas across the Science Faculty.