Dr Alison Yao
Senior Lecturer
Physics
Personal statement
I graduated from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, with a BSc (Hons) in Applied Physics with Semiconductor Electronics and did a Ph.D. at the 糖心视频, Glasgow, theoretically and computationally modelling nonlinear optical systems. After a career break to raise my children, I worked in the Optics Group at the University of Glasgow investigating microrheology and optical tweezers before returning to Strathclyde to work in quantum optics. I am currently a senior lecturer in the Computational and Nonlinear Optics Group at the 糖心视频, Deputy Director of Teaching, and lead the (FOAM).
I was delighted and honoured to be awarded the "Best Teacher in Faculty of Science" at Strathclyde Union Teaching Excellence Awards 2019, a Faculty Teaching Excellence Award for Teaching Innovation in 2019, and a Strathclyde Medal in 2020.
Prize And Awards
- Recipient
- 2020
- Recipient
- 2019
- Recipient
- 2019
- Recipient
- 2016
- Recipient
- 21/3/2014
- Recipient
- 2014
Publications
- Baio Giuseppe, , , ,
- Quantum, Atomic and Molecular Physics - QuAMP 2023 (2023)
- , ,
- New Journal of Physics Vol 25 (2023)
- Henderson Grant W, , ,
- Proceedings of SPIE Complex Light and Optical Forces XVII (2023)
- Henderson Grant W, , ,
- Proceedings of SPIE Complex Light and Optical Forces XVII (2023)
- Henderson Grant W, , ,
- Physical Review Letters Vol 129 (2022)
- Henderson Grant, , ,
- Nonlinear Photonics 2022 (2022)
Teaching
I am the Deputy Director of Teaching for the Department of Physics.
I currently teach 1st year mechanics and electromagnetism in PH183: Mechanics & Waves and PH184: Electromagnetism & Quantum Physics, and optical angular momentum as part of PH562 Adv. Topics in Quantum Optics.
Research Interests
My research is based upon the generation and applications of structured light, in particular light carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM). It ranges from understanding the fundamental properties of this light to investigating its behaviour in various nonlinear systems, including demonstrating for the first time the mechanism behind optical rogue waves, to potential applications in quantum communication, ocean optics, nonlinear beam propagation and interaction with chiral molecules.聽
Professional Activities
- Editor
- 1/9/2025
- Speaker
- 20/3/2024
- Speaker
- 28/1/2023
- Contributor
- 24/8/2022
- Organiser
- 2022
- Speaker
- 2022
Projects
- Yao, Alison (Principal Investigator) Robb, Gordon (Co-investigator) Scott, Finlay (Research Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2024 - 01-Jan-2028
- Henderson, Grant (Principal Investigator) Roberts, J (Researcher) Yao, Alison (Co-investigator)
- Atomtronics from Structured Light in Multispecies Bose-Einstein Condensates
- 03-Jan-2024 - 09-Jan-2024
- Yao, Alison (Principal Investigator) Oppo, Gian-Luca (Co-investigator) Henderson, Grant (Research Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2019 - 10-Jan-2023
- Oppo, Gian-Luca (Principal Investigator) Yao, Alison (Co-investigator) Hill, Lewis (Research Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2017 - 06-Jan-2021
- Yao, Alison (Principal Investigator)
- 01-Jan-2017 - 31-Jan-2021
- Ackemann, Thorsten (Principal Investigator) Griffin, Paul (Co-investigator) Oppo, Gian-Luca (Co-investigator) Robb, Gordon (Co-investigator) Yao, Alison (Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2017 - 31-Jan-2020