Rate My Professor David Webb

David Webb is the 50th Anniversary Professor of Photonics in the Aston Institute of Photonic Technologies (AiPT) at Aston University, part of the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences. He holds the position of Head of the Optical Sensing Group and Director of the Aston Institute for Urban Technologies and the Environment (ASTUTE). Webb joined Aston University in May 2001 as Reader in Photonics, was promoted to Professor in June 2012, and received the 50th Anniversary Chair in 2016. Prior to Aston, he served as Lecturer and then Senior Lecturer in Physics at the University of Kent from 1991 to 2001. Earlier roles include Postdoctoral Research Assistant in the Department of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford (1988-1991), College Lecturer at Pembroke College, Oxford (1989-1991), and Research Scientist at GEC Research, Marconi Research Centre in Chelmsford (1983-1985). He earned his BA in Physics from the University of Oxford in 1982 and his PhD in Physics from the University of Kent in 1988. Since 2007, Webb has been Director of Astasense Ltd., a photonics consultancy.

With over 40 years of research experience in photonics, Professor Webb specializes in non-linear optics and optical fibre sensors and devices. His prolific output includes more than 400 journal and conference papers, a research textbook on photorefractive nonlinear optics, and several book chapters. Notable recent publications encompass "Advancing soil health with biochar - Effects on soil microbial activity and diversity" by El-Aradi et al. (Science of the Total Environment, 2026), "Highly Amplified Broadband Ultrasound in Antiresonant Hollow Core Fibers" by da Silva et al. (Advanced Photonics Research, 2025), "Next-Generation Ultrasound Propagation in Suspended Core Optical Fibers" by Silva and Webb (IEEE Access, 2025), and "Numerical Investigation of the Interaction of Tubular Hollow-Core Fibers and Flexural Acoustic Waves" by da Silva et al. (Journal of Lightwave Technology, 2025). Webb is a member of the Institute of Physics (IOP), Optical Society of America (OSA), and IEEE. His research aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals such as Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3), Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (SDG 9), and Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11). Previously, he contributed to teaching innovations at Aston, introducing problem-based learning in analogue electronics and transforming first-year electronic engineering education to practical, project-based activities.