Professor Sheila Smith

Sheila obtained her BSc(Hons) degree in Applied Physics from the University of Strathclyde. Following this, she stayed at Strathclyde to pursue a PhD in the Photophysics Group in the Department of Physics and Applied Physics. Her PhD was in collaboration with industry where she worked on modelling microhetergeneous systems using fluorescence lifetime spectroscopy.

As part of this work she was also involved in multiplexed instrument development for single photon counting in fluorescence lifetime applications. During this time, she also won a British Council Award to spend two months in Prague carrying out research in collaboration with the research group at Charles University. Her PhD research was at the interface between physics and chemistry and she has continued to carry out research at this interface between the sciences occasionally straying into biological applications of fluorescence spectroscopy as well.

Following her PhD she completed 2 postdocs at Strathclyde one as a research assistant to continue research into fluorescence instrument development and applications of fluorescence to understanding microheterogeneous systems, before becoming a research fellow working on an industrially focused research funded by BNFL on fluorescence based sensors of interest to the nuclear industry.

In 1995, Sheila joined the Department of Physical Sciences at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) as a lecturer. She has progressed through various roles, and is currently Professor and Head of the Department of Applied Science. This is a multidisciplinary Department and spans the subjects of chemistry, instrumentation and control. Her research has continued to focus on optical spectroscopy for sensor applications, using FTIR, Raman and fluorescence. She still has an industrial focus for her research having carried out research in collaboration with FMC Technologies, SST and APSI.

Sheila has been involved in outreach activities since being at Strathclyde and has actively been involved in many STEM events over the years. This resonates with her belief that we need, as a profession, to go out and tell young people about the wonders of science and engineering and encourage them to considering travelling along this path for their career.

Away from GCU, Sheila is very active in the Institute of Measurement and Control (InstMC) and is the current President of this professional engineering body. This is a great honour and will allow Sheila the platform to reach engineers at all levels and across many industries. Sheila also chaired the InstMC accreditation committee for 5 years and is still an active committee member. In her role as President Sheila plans, through networking and giving educational talks, to encourage all interested to seek a career in science and engineering and explore the many exciting opportunities available.