Colin Lambert

Colin Lambert serves as a Research Professor in the Department of Physics at Lancaster University and holds a Visiting Professor position in the Department of Materials at Oxford University. His academic career at Lancaster spans from Lecturer (1983-1990) to Professor of Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics (1990-2010) and currently Research Professor (2010-present). He has held significant leadership roles including Associate Dean of Research for the Faculty of Science and Technology (2005-2010) and Founding Director of the Lancaster Quantum Technology Centre (2010-2014).

Professor Lambert's research centers on single-molecule electronics, molecular-scale thermoelectricity, and quantum transport phenomena. He has developed theoretical tools for predicting charge, spin, and thermal transport through nanostructures, most notably the internationally recognized SMEAGOL code with over 1,300 citations used by 150+ research groups worldwide. His work establishes critical connections between theoretical predictions and experimental implementations in molecular electronics.

Analysis of Professor Lambert's publication record reveals consistent contributions to molecular electronics, with 44 publications in just 20 months since 2015 appearing in high-impact journals including Nature Materials, Nature Communications, Nanoletters, PNAS, JACS, and Chemical Society Reviews. His research demonstrates how quantum interference effects can be harnessed for practical applications in nanoelectronics and thermoelectric devices.

• QinetiQ Fellowship Award (2009)
• Fellow of the Institute of Physics (2000)
• Member of Academia Europaea

Professor Lambert has trained over 80 PhD students throughout his career and currently leads a research group of 4 postdocs and 14 PhD students. He has secured substantial research funding including a £1.1M cross-research council consortium on 'Controlled Electron Transport Through Single Molecules' and a £4.8 million Northwest Science Grid project. His research leadership spans European networks where he led five consecutive European condensed-matter-theory research networks between 1992-2014.

Professor Lambert directs the theoretical component of international research collaborations combining theory, synthesis, and measurement expertise. His group serves as the theoretical foundation for European networks including MOLESCO (2012-16) and FUNMOLS (2008-2012), which involved multiple experimental teams. He continues to influence the field through his role as Founding Director of the Lancaster Quantum Technology Centre and through ongoing development of the GOLLUM transport code that evolved from SMEAGOL.