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Job title: Head of Science & Technology Research Institute

Telephone Number: 01707284173

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Paul Kaye is responsible for co-ordinating the activities of the STRI, one of three large multi-disciplinary research facilities in the University. He also maintains an active personal research profile, leading a research group in the field of microparticle characterisation (see below). Having begun his academic career as a lecturer in Physics at Hertfordshire, Kaye oversaw in the late 1980's the development of the Engineering Research and Development Centre, a precursor to the STRI. The ERDC grew throughout the 1990's, providing dedicated contract R&D support to industry and Government agencies as well as carrying out fundamental research in areas such as laser trapping of particle's and microfluidic systems development. During this time, Kaye's research team pioneered several light scattering technologies that now form the basis of both research and commercial particle characterisation instruments used by atmospheric scientists, security agencies, and academic researchers in the UK, Europe, and USA.

Variants of our SID (Small Ice Detector) and PPD (Particle Phase Discriminator) technology are now in use with atmospheric research organisations in the USA, Germany, Canada, as well as the UK. These instruments allow the detailed in situ analysis of ice crystal and aerosol particle morphologies, providing valuable on the cloud microphysical and radiative processes that underpin precipitation and climate. In the field of bio-aerosol detection, we have also developed a number of variants of the WIBS real-time biofluorescence sensor and these are being used in increasing numbers in national and international atmospheric research campaigns where a knowledge of the abundance, types, and dispersion of natural airborne biological particles such as pollens, bacteria and fungal spores, is required. Current research projects include the development of a real-time asbestos fibre detector (see EU FP7 ALERT project), the development of low-cost particle monitors to form part a large network of aerosol and gas sensors around Heathrow airport (see NERC SNAQ project), and the development of an advanced particle detection and analysis instrument to be carried on the US Global Hawk UAV as part of the NERC-funded CAST (Coordinated Airborne Studies in the Tropics) project led by Cambridge University.

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