We are delighted to announce Professor Miles Padgett, Principal Investigator of QuantIC, has been appointed as Interim Executive Chair of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

Miles is Royal Society Research Professor and holds the Kelvin Chair of Natural Philosophy at the University of Glasgow, with research interests spanning optics and quantum enhanced imaging and sensing.

Professor Padgett said: “I am delighted to be joining the wonderful team at EPSRC and UKRI. Together, we’ll develop the kind of research environment in which we all want to work, and delivers the economic and social benefits that the engineering and physical sciences can create."

“I’m also looking forward to continuing my team's research work in the Advanced Research Centre at the University of Glasgow in my continuing capacity as a Royal Society Research Professor.”

The current EPSRC Executive Chair, Professor Dame Lynn Gladden, is stepping down following five years in the role.

UKRI Chief Executive Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser said: “Lynn has provided exceptional leadership to EPSRC and on the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Senior Leadership Team over the past five years. 

“She has been pivotal in establishing UKRI and our first five-year strategy, including our transformative technologies programmes which are an integral part of the Government’s Science and Technology Framework.

“I am deeply grateful for all her work for UKRI and I wish her many more successes in the future.”

Professor Padgett takes up the post on July 3 and will serve as Interim Executive Chair until the appointment of a permanent replacement.

Miles has won various national and international prizes including the 2021 the Quantum Electronics and Optics Prize of the European Physical Society and the IEEE Quantum Electronics Award.

During his term as Vice-Principal for Research at the University of Glasgow, Miles championed improved research culture and he is a member of the UKRI Committee on Research Integrity.

Dame Ottoline said: “I am delighted that UKRI will benefit from Professor Padgett’s experience and expertise and I look forward to working with him at this exciting time for research and innovation in the UK.”


First published: 21 June 2023