Many focuses, one vision

Lecture held on Wednesday 5 June 2024

I have had the privilege of working in optical imaging since starting work on my PhD just over 20 years ago. I’ve witnessed much progress in the field, whilst making some modest contributions of my own. I have focused on a range of techniques which make use of light, x-rays and ultrasound to achieve my vision of acquiring unique images. In this inaugural lecture I will reflect on how I have often found myself unexpectedly returning, with new insight or a new application, to an idea, technique or place that I have previously encountered. I will also discuss how a curiosity driven approach has been integral to my goal of using theory and computation to enhance optical imaging. I hope to share with the audience some of the enjoyment that I have gained from research and to give a perspective on what I plan still to achieve in computational optics.

About Professor Peter Munro

Peter Munro is a Professor of Computational Optics and Vice Dean (Research) of the Faculty of Engineering Sciences. He is an international expert on the use of computational methods to develop and improve imaging systems, including optical coherence tomography, confocal microscopy, x-ray phase imaging and photoacoustic tomography. He developed the recently released open source software package Time Domain Maxwell Solver, a unique platform for simulating a range of optical imaging techniques. His work has been instrumental in the development and improvement of several technologies including multiplexed optical data storage, lab-based x-ray phase imaging and optical elastography. Peter collaborates with a wide range of leaders in the field, with a particular focus on optical coherence tomography. Peter currently holds a Royal Society University Research Fellowship as well as support from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.