Our eighth cohort of 18 students joined us in September 2026!
Abdulahi Jama
Hi I’m Abdulahi Jama and I’m from Bristol in the South-West of England. I graduated from the University of Bristol with a MEng in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Where in my final year I developed an interest in semiconductor devices, spanning MEMS and Analogue ICs to Photonics Integrated Circuits. During that year I worked on a project designing a Ring Resonator for DWDM applications, by optimizing for a high quality factor (>10^3). This involved modelling the device on Ansys Lumerical and producing GDSII files for foundry production on a Cornerstone PDK.Throughout the CDT I hope to continue learning about all aspects of photonics and optoelectronics device design and gain practical hands-on lab skills. In my free time I enjoy reading and playing basketball.
Louise Holman
Hey, I’m Lou (they/them) and I’m from Bedfordshire in South East England. I did my integrated masters degree in Natural Sciences/Material Science at the University of Cambridge, with a summer internship in cathodoluminescence of InGaN quantum dots, and a masters research project on 2D ferroelectric diodes with a graphene electrode. In my free time I play ultimate frisbee, read fantasy books and like going to the theatre.
Enzo Lau
Hi, my name is Enzo. I’m from Hong Kong but I now live in London. I graduated from Lancaster with a First Class degree in Physics and went on to do a Masters by Research there as well. My thesis focused on the optimization and application of resonant cavity enhanced InGaAsSb based photo-diodes for glucose sensing. Through this project, I developed an interest in semiconductor characterisation and manufacturing, which then led me to pursue this CDT now.
Outside of my studies, I enjoy running, film photography, going to the cinema and reading sci-fi fantasy novels.
Gregory Cserep
Hi, my name is Gregory, and I grew up in Colchester. After graduating from the University of Exeter with a BSc in Mathematics and Physics, I stayed on at the university to complete a Master by Research degree in physics. My project involved the development of a set-up for the optoelectronic characterisation of two-dimensional perovskites and explored their potential application in healthcare.
Taking a break from education, I then spent over two years as a Verification and Test Engineer at Teledyne e2v. My role involved the development and characterisation of a system to evaluate the performance of space‑qualified Mercury Cadmium Telluride IR CMOS imaging sensors.
After my time in industry, I’m excited to return to university, both to deepen my technical expertise and to rejoin the academic community. I’m also looking forward to getting involved in societies and sharing my enthusiasm for films and board games
Adam Nawaz
Hi, I’m Adam and I’m from Cardiff. I graduated with a BSc in Chemistry, where my final year project looked at structural modifications to titanium dioxide for photocatalytic water splitting. I then spent a few years working as a data engineer before moving into compound semiconductors.
I’ve just finished an MSc in Compound Semiconductor Physics at Cardiff. My research project investigated whether laterally coupled DFB lasers can match the performance of the current industry standard buried grating devices, and what effect grating order has on device performance. I compared three architectures on a single indium phosphide wafer using temperature-dependent LIV and spectral measurements.
I’m joining on the engineering route and looking forward to broadening into the electronics side of the field. Outside of study I enjoy the gym, running and reading fantasy books.
Oliver Baker
Hi, my name is Oliver, and I’m from Somerset in the south-west of England. I graduated from Cardiff University with an integrated master’s degree in physics. I chose Cardiff because of its prominent semiconductor research and industry, as I’ve always been interested in small-scale physics and its practical applications, which also align with my hobbies in electronics, hardware, and software.
For my master’s thesis, I investigated the degradation of quantum dot lasers on silicon, identifying key internal mechanisms that contribute to the gradual decline in laser performance based on their unique structure and design.
Physics and science have been interests of mine for as long as I can remember, which is convenient now that it’s my career. In my free time however, I enjoy challenging myself with new experiences, particularly in creative arts, travelling with friends, building and repairing electronics, learning new subjects, and online entrepreneurship.
Rhys Meredith
My name is Rhys, and I graduated from Swansea University with a 1st class degree in Electrical & Electronic Engineering. I was originally born in Glasgow, but moved to Wales when I was 6 and have never left since. I had been a Sports Scholar whilst at Swansea Uni for the past 3 years, and have been part of the welsh judo squad since 2023. My 3rd year project was on ‘Reliability Testing of Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor (MOSFET) & Wide-Bandgap (WBG) Semiconductor Technologies’, which looked at comparing 2 different methods of reliability testing for semiconductor technologies.
Jacob Hancock
Hi, my name is Jacob, and I’m from Pembrokeshire in West Wales. I completed my Electrical & Electronic Engineering degree from Cardiff University in 2026, achieving both RF & microwave industry ready, and best final year project related to compound semiconductors awards.
My final year project on GaN based LNA’s introduced me to compound semiconductors and motivated me to pursue the CDT. I am interested in the characterisation and matching of CS based transistors for use in communications, as I am a passionate amateur radio hobbyist and take great interest in communication systems. However, photonics is also a new, exciting, and likely challenging subject that I look forward to learning more about.
In my spare time I also enjoy hiking, tabletop and computer gaming, and airsoft.
Ben Williams
Hi I’m Ben, and I’m from Southampton. I graduated from the University of Birmingham in 2026 with an integrated Master’s in Physics with Cosmology and Particle Physics. My final project was to use TCAD to develop and test a model of the MALTA2 chip which is a candidate for the upgrade to the inner tracking detector for ATLAS. Between my third and fourth year at Birmingham I also undertook an internship with a similar research focus. This work made me interested in semiconductors and simulating them more generally and motivated me to undertake the CDT at Cardiff.
Iwan Brew
Hi, I’m Iwan, and I’m from Pembrokeshire in Southwest Wales. I graduated from Cardiff University with a 1st in BEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering, with my 3rd-year project involving the design and analysis of a LoRa-based communication system and its practicality for wave buoys. My passion for communications and HF design, through my course as well as my amateur radio hobby, has led me to CS as an interest, given its efficiency and bandwidth developments. I spend my free time playing euphonium and trombone in brass and wind bands at the university, and I compete in a local band. I’m also an avid white water and surf kayaker.
Aidan Moore
Hi, my name is Aidan and I am originally from Wolverhampton in the West Midlands. I recently graduated from Cardiff University with a First-Class degree in Physics with Astronomy. Throughout my degree, I had the opportunity to work on several research projects, where I developed my experimental and computational skills and interests in research.
During the summer between my second and third year, I spent eight weeks at Xiamen University in China, where I worked on a project investigating twisted photons, which carry orbital angular momentum. I simulated and experimentally generated different Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) beams and analysed their intensity and phase profiles. This was an exciting project and gave me the opportunity to work in an international research environment.
In my third-year project, I studied chaotic systems using a Chua circuit. By varying the resistance, inductance and capacitance I was able to investigate the period-doubling route to chaos, and the synchronisation of two chaotic Chua circuits.
Outside of academia, I am a member of the Cardiff University dodgeball squad, and I enjoy running, swimming and playing guitar.
Lewis McCreith
Hey, my name is Lewis, and I’m from Formby, just north of Liverpool. I graduated from the University of Leeds with an MPhys in Physics with Astrophysics. My final project investigated the effects of solar activity compared with large stratospheric disturbances on the polar D-region of the ionosphere using a 3D climate model.
Before my final project, I undertook a summer internship between my 3rd and 4th year in THz photonics, where I worked with a quantum cascade laser in a self-mixing interferometry system to measure the reflectance of various black-body materials. This work contributed to the design of a calibrator for the Keystone satellite, which aims to measure gases in the upper atmosphere.
Through the PhD, I’m hoping to develop my understanding of semiconductor devices, specifically their applications in emerging photonics and quantum technologies. Outside of physics, I’m nearly always rock climbing, but I also enjoy going to gigs.
Rachel Walker
Hi, I’m Rachel, from a village near Birmingham. I graduated with a BSc in Physics from the University of Leicester in 2026.
For my final year project, I modelled the stability of multiplanetary systems on a supercomputer, working with large datasets and high-performance code. My interest in semiconductors developed through modules in condensed matter and laser physics. I’m joining the CDT to move into hands-on research with real-world impact.
Outside of physics, I enjoy reading, yoga, walking, and music.
Tolga Jack
Hi, my name is Tolga. I’m from the south of England, having grown up in Devon and West Berkshire. I graduated this summer with an integrated Master’s in Physics, during which I picked up a passion for quantum dot synthesis and optical device fabrication, which I’m looking forward to building on throughout my PhD.
Outside of physics, I have a wide range of hobbies and interests, including going to the gym, photography, and learning new languages. I also love going to the pub, having a good time with friends, and generally getting out and doing things. I’m always up for trying something new and am looking forward to meeting everyone in the cohort.
Callum Gough
Hi, my name is Callum and I’m originally from Honiton, a small town in East Devon.
I graduated this summer from Cardiff University with a BEng in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, where my final year project involved the design and testing of a dual-band microstrip RFPA that used an OLMBA architecture for efficiency enhancement. Outside of my degree, I also had the opportunity to do a summer research internship at Cardiff, also focused on RFPA design, as well as a summer placement with the compound semiconductor design team at CML Micro.
In my free time, I like to make electronic music, go hiking and watch horror movies.
Sean Drake
Hi, I’m Sean and I’m from Wiltshire in South West England. I did my integrated masters in Theoretical Physics at Swansea University. My main interest in Semiconductors is the development of photovoltaic
technology for spaced based applications.
In my free time I do Taekwondo and Wargaming.
Szymon Pietka
Hello, my name is Szymon Pietka. I was born in Poland but I grew up in the UK. I graduated from Cardiff University with a First-Class Integrated master’s degree in physics. During my time at Cardiff, I developed an interest in compound semiconductors and their applications in our modern way of life.
My 4th year research project focused on optimising QLEDs devices using green Cd-based quantum dots and growing a DBR suitable for integration onto QLED devices for enhanced light extraction. This project involved using Ansys Lumerical FDTD and Transfer Matrix Method (TMM) simulations, as well as two PVD systems, a RF magnetron sputterer and an evaporator.
In my spare time I enjoy going to the gym and playing board games with friends.
Ewan Hughes
Hi, I’m Ewan, and I come from Gwynedd in Northwest Wales. I first encountered the field of semiconductors while studying towards my BSc in Physics at Lancaster University, which I completed in 2022. I undertook a device characterisation experiment at Lancaster which piqued my interest and which has ultimately led me now to pursue the CDT in Compound Semiconductor Manufacturing.
Following my degree, I went on to work in the software industry for just under four years, before deciding to explore more of the supply chain and manufacturing technology upon which software is contingent. I am particularly interested in bridging my experience so far in both physics and software in order to simulate devices and manufacturing processes. I am also interested in the application of compound semiconductors in communications systems.
Outside of semiconductors, I enjoy amateur football, hiking, history and politics.
Join us!
The Centre for Doctoral Training is currently funded for ten intakes, from 2019-2028. If you would like to join us, visit our how to apply page and get in touch if you have any questions.