Dr Pavel Matousek FREng

Chief Scientific Officer, Cobalt Light Systems; Science and Technology Facilities Council Senior Fellow, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory

Through research and engineering innovations in advanced laser spectroscopy, Dr Pavel Matousek proposed and realised several groundbreaking concepts that significantly affected the landscape of several analytical areas. These advances enabled a new form of deep subsurface, non-invasive chemical analysis in turbid materials that opened a host of applications across several disciplines and addressed major grand challenges.

Pavel then co-founded a spinout company, Cobalt Light Systems, that further developed these technologies into commercial products. Its unique non-invasive analysers are now deployed in security at over 75 airports worldwide and in 9 out of 10 of the largest pharmaceutical companies. Cobalt Light Systems was the winner of the 2014 MacRobert Award.