Projects per year
Personal profile
Personal Statement
I graduated from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, with a BSc (Hons) in Applied Physics with Semiconductor Electronics and did a Ph.D. at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, theoretically and computationally modelling nonlinear optical systems. After a career break to raise my children, I worked in the Optics Group at the University of Glasgow investigating microrheology and optical tweezers before returning to Strathclyde to work in quantum optics. I am currently a senior lecturer in the Computational and Nonlinear Optics Group at the University of Strathclyde, Deputy Director of Teaching, and lead the Fully-Structured Light Group (FOAM).
I was delighted and honoured to be awarded the "Best Teacher in Faculty of Science" at Strathclyde Union Teaching Excellence Awards 2019, a Faculty Teaching Excellence Award for Teaching Innovation in 2019, and a Strathclyde Medal in 2020.
Research Interests
My research is based upon the generation and applications of structured light, in particular light carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM). It ranges from understanding the fundamental properties of this light to investigating its behaviour in various nonlinear systems, including demonstrating for the first time the mechanism behind optical rogue waves, to potential applications in quantum communication, ocean optics, nonlinear beam propagation and interaction with chiral molecules.
Teaching Interests
I am the Deputy Director of Teaching for the Department of Physics.
I currently teach 1st year mechanics and electromagnetism in PH183: Mechanics & Waves and PH184: Electromagnetism & Quantum Physics, and optical angular momentum as part of PH562 Adv. Topics in Quantum Optics.
Keywords
- Quantum optics
- Orbital angular momentum
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Doctoral Training Partnership 2018-19 University of Strathclyde | Henderson, Grant
Yao, A., Oppo, G. & Henderson, G.
EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council)
1/10/19 → 1/04/23
Project: Research Studentship - Internally Allocated
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Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP 2016-2017 University of Strathclyde) | Hill, Lewis
EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council)
1/10/17 → 6/05/21
Project: Research Studentship - Internally Allocated
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Control of light-atom solitons and atomic transport by optical vortex beams propagating through a Bose-Einstein condensate
Henderson, G. W., Robb, G. R. M., Oppo, G-L. & Yao, A. M., 12 Aug 2022, In: Physical Review Letters. 129, 7, 5 p., 073902.Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › peer-review
Open AccessFile4 Downloads (Pure) -
Rotating and spiraling spatial dissipative solitons of light and cold atoms
Baio, G., Ackemann, T., Oppo, G-L., Robb, G. & Yao, A., 18 Feb 2022, In: Physical Review A. 105, 8 p., 023318.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile3 Downloads (Pure)
Datasets
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Data for: "Scattering of light with angular momentum from an array of particles"
McArthur, D. (Creator), Yao, A. (Creator) & Papoff, F. (Creator), University of Strathclyde, 12 Dec 2019
DOI: 10.15129/bf3afca3-c9b5-4d2a-86ba-4ee9157cb43b
Dataset
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Data for: "Control of spatially rotating structures in diffractive Kerr cavities"
Yao, A. (Creator), Gibson, C. (Contributor) & Oppo, G. (Contributor), University of Strathclyde, 9 Dec 2019
DOI: 10.15129/770d0860-130f-4d1e-896f-0df857f17513
Dataset
Prizes
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"Best in Faculty" Teaching Excellence Award 2019
Yao, Alison (Recipient), 2019
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Faculty Teaching Excellence Award for Teaching Innovation 2019
Yao, Alison (Recipient), 2019
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics (CUWiP) 2022
Caroline Müllenbroich (Organiser) & Alison Yao (Organiser)
2022Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Organiser of major conference
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Colloquium on Structuring light for controlled propagation and manipulation
Alison Yao (Speaker)
2022Activity: Talk or presentation types › Oral presentation