Dr Adam McKenzie he/him
Lighting the way with compound semiconductors
Research Fellow in Semiconductor Photonics
James Watt School of Engineering
Research interests:
III-V Semiconductors, Epitaxy, Electron Microscopy, Laser Diodes, Photonic Integration, Photonic Crystal Surface Emitting Lasers
Research fields:
Semiconductor Photonics, Materials Science, Photonic Integration, Data & AI, Quantum Technologies, Sensing & Connectivity, Energy & Sustainability, Machine Learning & Digital Twinning
Strategic Research Areas
Why do you want to join the DiveIn community?
I believe that building diverse teams is one of the key drivers of innovation. I am excited by the DiveIn CDT ethos of co-creation and interdisciplinary projects, and see it as an excellent opportunity to widen my research interests whilst mentoring a talented, creative, and driven cohort of students.
Personal profile:
I’m currently 1851 Research Fellow and proleptic Lecturer (Oct. ’27) in the James Watt School of Engineering. I’m the co-lead on the Glasgow Epitaxy Facility, and have established my own research group focused on epitaxial growth of III-V semiconductors for next-generation photonics technologies.
My main expertise is in MOVPE growth of GaAs and InP for nanostructured Semiconductor Lasers, such as DFBs and PCSELs, and Photonic Integration. I’m a materials scientist by training, so my real interests have always been on understanding how material growth happens at the nanoscale (making extensive use of advanced Electron Microscopy techniques), and how we can engineer materials to enable devices with new functionality. This is vital for developing platforms that can address the needs of emerging applications in Data & AI, Quantum Technologies, Sensing & Connectivity, and Energy & Sustainability. I have recently developed an interest in the application of Machine Learning & Digital Twinning to semiconductor devices and fabrication processes in ways that accelerates the innovation cycle whilst reducing the significant material and time costs of developing new material systems and devices.
Previously, I worked for many years within the Scottish photonics industry, and have built a strong network of industrial partners and collaborators. I’m still involved in a number of industry initiatives, including as a steering board member for Opening Up Photonics – an initiative established to promote best practice of EDI thinking and expand pathways into the industry. More widely, I have active research projects with groups across the UK (Aston University), Europe (Ferdinand-Braun-Institut), Japan (University of Tokyo), and North America (University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign).
I currently co-supervise two PhD students and one PDRA, all of whom are industrially sponsored, and I’m actively looking for ways to expand both my research group and the III-V epitaxy research capability of JWSE. As an early career academic at the very start of my independent research journey, I think that this CDT is an excellent opportunity for me to expand my group and develop my skills as a mentor, whilst widening my research interests and exploring exciting interdisciplinary projects.
