2nd May 2007

Alan Duncan opens leading brand new laboratory facilities .at Northumbria Universities  School of Computing, Engineering & Information Sciences

The  new labs opened by Shadow Minister for Tyneside Alan Duncan will support research and teaching in the areas of Photonic and Radio-Frequency (RF), Microwave Communications and Microwave Holography.

The Photonic and RF research laboratory is the first Photonic laboratory of its kind in the North of England, and will showcase the very latest design and measurement tools for research into new photonic networks, switching, free space optics and RF technologies. Photonics involves using light for high speed transfer of information, and its development will play a leading role in meeting the growing demand for access to high speed internet links.

The new technology provided within the Microwave Communications and Holography research labs will position them amongst the best equipped labs in the UK for the design of microwave circuitry and research into the uses of microwave imaging, including for the detection of breast cancer tumours and concealed weapons.

Alan Duncan said: : “Britain is a world leader in Physical sciences, and facilities like this are essential for maintaining this position. I look forward to seeing the fruits of the research being carried out here.”