Dr. Colm Durkan

Biography

Colm Durkan is a professor at the University of Cambridge, leading the Nanoscience Centre and specializing in Nanoengineering science. He obtained his PhD in Physics from Trinity College Dublin, where he originally designed and constructed a scanning near-field optical microscope (SNOM). With significant contributions to the understanding of image formation mechanisms in nanophotonics, he spent a year in Konstanz, Germany, working with ZEISS on the construction of commercial microscope systems. Since joining the University of Cambridge in 1997 as a research associate in the Nanoscale Science group, Durkan has advanced to a faculty position. His research group, consisting of ten members, has produced over 100 publications and he has delivered around 100 talks, including writing a successful textbook on Nanoelectronics. Durkan also authored a popular science book titled 'Size Matters: The Nanotechnology Revolution' published in March 2019. He has secured approximately £3 million in funding through collaborations with leading companies and government agencies, focusing on nanotechnology applications. Durkan teaches courses on electronics, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, and nanotechnology, and he serves on the editorial board of Ultramicroscopy Imaging & Microscopy, being a fellow at Girton College and a member of the Institute of Physics. His research continues to delve into novel imaging techniques and the electrical and magnetic properties of nanoscale materials.

Research Interests

Experience

Courses