By Dr Karen Steward
On Friday 17 July, researchers, students, alumni, industry leaders and entrepreneurs gathered in West Cambridge to celebrate two significant milestones: the 10th anniversary of the Cambridge Graphene Centre (CGC) and 20 years of the Electrical Engineering Division at the University's West Cambridge site.
More than simply marking anniversaries, the event demonstrated how Cambridge research moves from curiosity-driven science to technologies with real-world impact. Across a packed programme of internationally renowned speakers, industry exhibitions and networking, one message emerged repeatedly: breakthroughs happen when people from different disciplines, institutions and sectors work together.
That spirit continued into the evening, with a formal dinner at Pembroke College hosted by Professor Andrea Ferrari, director of the CGC, and Professor Andrew Flewitt, head of the Electrical Engineering Division, where Professor Mete Atatüre, head of the Department of Physics, reflected on the importance of collaboration across disciplines, reinforcing a theme that had run throughout the day.
A celebration of ideas becoming impact
The morning programme brought together some of the world's leading researchers in graphene, quantum materials, photonics and artificial intelligence (AI), alongside industry figures translating breakthrough research into technologies with real-world impact.
Talks ranged from Dr Hermann Hauser's perspective on using scientific breakthroughs to strengthen competitiveness, through to presentations on Raman imaging for cancer detection, graphene-enabled silicon photonics, flexible electronics and energy-efficient power electronics.
Returning to the material that earned him the Nobel Prize in Physics, Professor Kostya Novoselov reflected on graphene's remarkable journey from laboratory discovery to commercial technology. Describing graphene as "the most conductive, stretchable, inert and transparent" material, he explained that while its extraordinary properties first captured scientists' imaginations, the focus today is increasingly on turning those properties into practical applications.
Far from remaining confined to the laboratory, graphene is already finding its way into everyday technologies. Novoselov pointed to its growing use in electronics, thermal management and batteries, noting that "every single Chinese mobile phone would use lots of graphene," while companies are exploring its potential in everything from vehicles to construction materials. He described research showing that adding small amounts of graphene to concrete can dramatically improve its strength, before outlining an even more ambitious possibility: concrete capable of storing energy. "You just cast a slab for your solar panels or for your wind turbine and you have a way to store electricity in that," he explained.
Looking beyond graphene itself, Novoselov described how researchers are now exploring an expanding family of two-dimensional materials, creating structures "which don't exist in nature, but we can create... with atomic precision in our labs." These materials, he explained, are opening up entirely new possibilities for electronics, quantum technologies and advanced sensing.
His conclusion looked firmly to the future. "I wanted to talk to you about the future of materials, just for you to realise how close the future is," he told the audience, joking that his laboratory in Singapore is already working on smart materials reminiscent of The Terminator. "The problem is that the Terminator was coming from 2029... we've only got three years." The humour reflected an underlying message shared throughout the day that many of tomorrow's technologies are already beginning to emerge from today's research laboratories.
That theme continued in Professor Tawfique Hasan's presentation, which demonstrated how AI is transforming the way researchers develop advanced optical and sensing technologies. Rather than replacing scientific discovery, AI is becoming a powerful tool for extracting more information from complex materials and designing devices that are both faster and more energy efficient.
"If we use computational AI, it is possible to extract much of this important information more effectively than is possible now," Hasan explained. "That can enhance device performance and can also implement completely new functionalities that we have not yet experienced." His work illustrated how the next generation of breakthroughs will increasingly come from combining expertise in materials science, photonics, computing and AI, rather than from any single discipline alone.
Energy efficiency also featured strongly throughout the afternoon. Dr Giorgia Longobardi highlighted advances in next-generation power electronics, while speakers from across academia and industry demonstrated how innovations developed in Cambridge are helping address challenges in communications, computing, healthcare and sustainable technologies.
People, not buildings, define Cambridge
Although the day celebrated two anniversaries, University vice-chancellor Professor Deborah Prentice reminded attendees that the real achievement lay elsewhere.
"What's important about today is not the buildings, and it's not the anniversaries," she said. "It's actually all the people that have come together."
She described Cambridge's greatest strength not as its history, but its ability "to create the future", where ideas begin in laboratories before becoming discoveries, companies, technologies and ultimately improvements to people's lives.
Reflecting on the Division's mission to "educate, research, innovate", Professor Prentice highlighted collaboration as the University's defining characteristic.
"Researchers working with engineers, engineers working with clinicians, scientists working with entrepreneurs, academics working with industry... that happens every day here. It's incredible."
She also praised the role of industry partnerships in translating research into practical technologies.
"You help us understand real-world challenges... You help translate research into products and services... Together, we create value that benefits society as a whole."
Looking around the marquee filled with researchers, entrepreneurs, alumni and students, she suggested that the next major innovation might already have begun.
"The innovations we celebrate ten years from now may well have begun with the conversations taking place in this tent this evening."
Exhibitors showcase collaboration beyond the laboratory
Alongside the lecture programme, visitors explored an exhibition featuring companies developing technologies across advanced materials, quantum science, measurement systems and instrumentation.
For exhibitors, the event offered an opportunity not simply to demonstrate products, but to build new relationships with researchers across the University.
Dr Alvaro Arteaga, representing Durham Magneto Optics, said the event was "a great way to show what we offer" and "an excellent opportunity" to engage with different departments across Cambridge.
For Quantum Design's Dr Luke Nicholls, the exhibition reflected the event's international reach.
"It's been a great day," he said. "The talks have been really varied and exciting, lots of great speakers, Nobel laureates and great insights."
Beyond the presentations themselves, the conversations proved equally valuable.
"I spoke to people from universities around the UK, even from Texas," he explained. "It's been a great opportunity to speak to people worldwide about our systems."
The exhibition reinforced one of the day's recurring themes that innovation depends not only on excellent research but also on the partnerships that enable discoveries to become useful technologies.
Looking ahead to the next chapter
For many alumni, the celebration was also an opportunity to see how Cambridge continues to evolve.
Dr Robert Stephenson, who completed his PhD at Cambridge in the 1990s and now works in the technology sector, described it as "a great day to find the range of activities that are going on."
Recalling earlier generations of Cambridge research, he reflected on the University's ability to remain at the forefront of emerging technologies.
"It's very nice to see that we're still leading," he said. "Graphene looks like a great material... this one looks like it's got more legs to it."
Industry partner Dr Stephen Hodge from Cambridge Advanced Materials summed up the atmosphere simply, calling it "a fantastic reunion of all the great minds that built this place and contributed to the success of the Cambridge Graphene Centre and Electrical Engineering."
Closing the formal programme, Professor Andrew Flewitt reflected on just how much had changed over the past two decades. AI featured throughout the day's discussions, he noted, prompting everyone to wonder what the next twenty years might bring.
That question perhaps captured the spirit of the entire event.
Behind the scenes, the celebration itself reflected the collaborative spirit it sought to showcase. Alongside the academic speakers and industry partners, the event was made possible by the dedication of professional services staff, technicians and student volunteers, whose work ensured the day ran seamlessly. Their efforts helped create an event that was as welcoming and well-organised as it was intellectually stimulating.
The celebrations honoured remarkable achievements over the past decade and beyond, but they were equally focused on what comes next. From graphene and quantum materials to AI, photonics and sustainable electronics, the technologies showcased throughout the day demonstrated that Cambridge's strength lies not simply in groundbreaking research, but in creating an environment where researchers, students, entrepreneurs and industry partners work together to solve some of society's biggest challenges.
If the conversations that filled the exhibition, lecture theatres and marquee are any indication, the next chapter of innovation at West Cambridge is already well underway.