I am a theoretical physicist with interests spanning atomic, molecular and optical physics. I have experience and expertise in atomic many-body theory, positron and positronium interactions with atoms, strong-field quantum electrodynamics, and theory and computation of atomic and molecular collisions (ultracold molecule theory). 

The overarching theme of my research is the development of theoretical and computational approaches to describe  fundamental interactions of properties and processes of many-body systems involving structured atoms and molecules. My primary interest is in developing diagrammatic many-body theory and its computational implementation to study antimatter interactions with atoms, molecules and condensed matter, to provide fundamental understanding of these systems. This understanding is required to properly interpret the antimatter-based physics experiments and materials science techniques used for diagnostics of industrially important materials, and to develop antimatter-based technologies including positron traps, beams and positron emission tomography.

I graduated 1st class MPhys, University of Oxford (Balliol College, 2008) and PhD in Theoretical Atomic Physics, Queen's Belfast 2011).  I was a Visiting Fellow to Harvard University (ITAMP, 2010), a Research Fellow in Belfast (2012-2013, strong-field QED) and Durham University Joint Quantum Centre (2013-2015,  theory of ultracold molecules in the group of Prof Jeremy Hutson FRS), and an EPSRC Fellow at Queen's Belfast (2015-2018, antimatter and atomic many-body theory). I was appointed as a Reader in Theoretical Physics at Queen's University Belfast in December 2018.

I have been awarded a number of internationally-competitive prestigious Fellowships, including the EPSRC Postdoctoral Fellowship (2015--2019), a Leverhulme Trust Early-Career Fellowship (declined), EPSRC Early-Career Fellowship (2018, declined) and a European Research Council Starting Grant for the project "ANTI-ATOM: Many-body theory of antimatter interactions with atoms, molecules and condensed matter" (EUR 1.3M, running 02/2019-02/2024).

I have given invited talks at flagship conferences including the International Conference in Positron Annihilation (ICPA), the International Conference for Photonic, Electronic and Atomic Collisions (ICPEAC), the International Workshop for Positron and Positronium Physics (POSMOL) and The International Conference for Quantum Systems in Chemistry, Biology and Physics (QSCP).

In addition to numerous first and single-authored publications in leading international journals including Physical Review Letters, substantial Fellowship awards, and invited talks, my work has been recognised as outstanding through a number of prizes including the 2017 ICPEAC Sheldon Datz Prize and the 2019 Institute of Physics David Bates prize.

I am a member of  the International Scientific Advisory Committee for the International Workshop on Low-Energy Positron and Positronium Physics, Treasurer and committee member of the Institute of Physics Ireland, secreary of the Institute of Physics UK Atomic and Molecular Interactions Group (AMIG), and working group member of CCPQ (The Collaborative Computational Project Q - Quantum Dynamics in Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics). I am a member of the International Advisory committee for the International Workshop on Positron and Positronium Physics (2019--2023).  I am a regular reviewer for international journals including Physical Review Letters and Physical Review.

My research group (funded by the ERC) consists of two Postdoctoral Research Fellows: Dr Brian Cunningham (PhD QUB) and Dr Charlie Rawlins (PhD Curtin University, Perth 2019), and PhD students Jaroslav Hofierka (graduated Charles University, Prague Czech Republic) and David Waide (graduated).

I welcome contact from motivated postdoctoral researchers or PhD students who wish to join my team: please contact me if interested.

I am a first-generation University student and will particularly welcome interst from under-represented groups, noting that QUB and the Institute of Physics Ireland drive diversity and inclusion initiatives.

I especially welcome contact from those interested in developing applications for externally funded fellowships to be be hosted in my group. Such Fellowships (open to international researchers at various stages post PhD, and with deadlines at various times throughout the year) include:

• Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 Research Fellowships 
• Royal Society Newton Fellowship 
• Marie Curie individual Fellowships 
• EPSRC Fellowships
  

At Queen's University Belfast I give lectures on the Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics pathways. I currently lecture part of the third-year Tensor Field Theory (relativity and electromagnetism). Previously I have gave 24 hours of lectures to masters students in Advanced Quantum Theory, and part of 3rd-year Advanced Numerical Analysis.