Institute of Physics Medal and Prize

The Institute of Physics (IOP) has awarded our founder Lia the 2021 Clifford Paterson Medal and Prize.

This award is given annually in recognition of “exceptional early-career contributions to the application of physics in an industrial or commercial context.”

Announcing Lia as this year’s winner, the IOP cited the development of “her pioneering quantum sensing research into an inertial sensor startup to commercialise breakthrough optomechanical accelerometers” and “her drive to build a better and more supportive research community.”

This award is named after the scientist and electrical engineer Clifford Paterson, who spent decades of his career founding, organising and directing the research laboratories of the General Electric Company. He was also actively involved in establishing a national framework for science and engineering. The prize comes with a financial reward of £1000.