Invited Speakers

Nema Abdelazim, University of Southampton
Ismaeil Alnaab, University of Southampton
Nick Bailey, University of Sheffield
Timothy Lambden, Cambridge University
Yasir Noori, University of Southampton
Benjamin Stratton, University of Bristol
Maria Violaris, Oxford Quantum Circuits

Nema Abdelazim

Dr Nema Abdelazim is an Assistant Professor (Lecturer) in the Sustainable Electronic Technologies group at the School of Electronics and Computer Science, University of Southampton (UoS). She earned her Ph.D. in Physics and and Material Science from City University of Hong Kong in 2017, where she conducted her research under the supervision of Prof. Andrey Rogach. Her doctoral research focused on the development of infrared colloidal quantum dots for optoelectronic applications. Following her Ph.D., Dr. Abdelazim joined the Quantum Young group as Lancaster University as a postdoctoral researcher. There, she contributed to research on quantum security devices. In addition to her academic role, she has collaborated with Quantum Base Ltd, where she is involved in the R&D of security tags utilizing low-dimensional materials for marketing purposes, specifically focusing on quantum security tags.

Dr. Abdelazim's research group is dedicated to experimental quantum nanotechnology, with a particular emphasis on the application of quantum dots and 2D materials. They are developing a diverse array of photonic and electronic devices, including field-effect transistors, solar cells, plasmonic devices, and quantum optical security devices.

Ismaeil Alnaab

Ismaeil Alnaab is a dedicated researcher with a strong academic background in electrical engineering. He holds an MSc in Electrical Power Engineering from Newcastle University, UK, where he achieved a Distinction and was ranked 3rd in his class of 73 students. Prior to that, he earned a BSc in Electrical Power Engineering from the Southern Technical University, Iraq, with a Distinction and a class rank of 1st out of 81 students. With experience as an Assistant Lecturer at Basra University for Oil and Gas, Ismaeil has a proven track record in teaching and research. He has authored 3 research papers, delivered over 20 training courses, and organised multiple events in the field of electrical and electronic engineering. He has also been the recipient of two scholarships, recognising his academic achievements and potential.

Nick Bailey

Nick is a research associate at the National Epitaxy Facility (NEF), based at the University of Sheffield. After receiving a Masters degree in Microelectronics from the University of Sheffield in 2017 he stayed in the city to undertake a PhD in Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) growth of dilute bismide III-V alloys with Dr Robert Richards. In 2022 he joined the NEF and has since been working on MBE and Metal-Organic Vapour-Phase Epitaxy (MOVPE) growth of semiconductors for a range of EPSRC-funded research projects.

Yasir Noori

Yasir obtained a first-class degree in Electronic Engineering from the University of Dundee, then obtained a PhD in Physics from Lancaster University, specialising in quantum communications. He is currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Southampton working on developing 2D material-based photonic and electronic devices such as digital memories, single photon sources and transistors.

Timothy Lambden

Timothy Lambden is a final year PhD student at Cambridge University, and an affiliated PhD student with the NanoDTC program, and splits time between the Material Science and Metallurgy department as well as the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology. His PhD explores using electron microscopy to understand the nanoscale structure of radiation-sensitive materials, and studied the structures of organic polymers, pharmaceutical drug formulations and metal organic frameworks, for applications in biosensing, drug storage and catalysis and carbon capture.

While electron microscopy is a powerful high-resolution tool, there is a trade-off between resolution and damage. The high-energy electrons used to achieve high resolution can ionise the sample, destroying it. Understanding the interactions between the electron beam and the sample is key to maximising useful information to maximise resolution and is especially important in imaging soft, radiation-sensitive materials. In particular in the field of structural biology, with the development of direct electron detectors leading to a resolution revolution and the rise in cryoEM becoming a dominant technique for determining the structure of wide range of biological molecules and proteins.

Benjamin Stratton

My name is Ben Stratton and I am a third year PhD student at the University of Bristol studying a range of problems in quantum information theory, ranging from thermodynamics to communication and computation. Originally from Devon, England, I studied for my MSci in physics at the University of Bristol between 2016-2020, before returning to Bristol in 2021 to join the Quantum Engineering Centre for Doctoral Training.

Maria Violaris

Maria Violaris recently completed her PhD in quantum information at the University of Oxford, and is a prize-winning science communicator. She now works at Oxford Quantum Circuits doing quantum computing research and advocacy. Additionally she hosts a Quantum Foundations Podcast and other videos about quantum science on her YouTube channel. Alongside her PhD, she worked with IBM Quantum to create a 14-part video series for the Qiskit YouTube channel, using quantum computers to demystify paradoxes. Previously she interned at Riverlane, where she built a “Raspberry Pi quantum computing lab” simulation. She writes quantum news articles for Physics World; is on the IOP QQQ group committee; and founded Oxford Quantum Information Society. She frequently creates and participates in events, initiatives, talks and workshops aimed at High School students, public and learners, and has published research in quantum education.