Robert Bowman

Robert Bowman is a Professor at Queen's University Belfast's School of Mathematics and Physics, leading the Centre for Quantum Materials and Technologies. He holds the prestigious Seagate Technology-Royal Academy of Engineering Research Chair (2017-2027) and is a Fellow of the Institute of Physics (FInstP, 2005). His research focuses on advanced materials for data storage, including rare earth magnetism, synthetic magnetic multilayers, and plasmonic materials. He directs the ANSIN advanced materials hub and the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Photonic Integration & Advanced Data Storage (PIADS), collaborating with industry partners like Seagate Technology.

Notable achievements include £7.5M investment for the ANSIN hub and a £4.2M EPSRC grant for PIADS 2.0. His work spans over 80 publications, with recent studies on plasmonic materials, optical switching, and nanoscale deformation analysis. Awards include the Royal Academy of Engineering Chair and IOP Fellowships.

He advises on semiconductor policy and chairs international committees. His spin-out company, Causeway Sensors Ltd., develops nanostructured surfaces for therapeutic applications. Bowman supervises 7 PhD students and collaborates on projects like the Smart Nano NI initiative, advancing nano-photonic device manufacturing.