I joined Aston University in 2004 as a Medici Fellow having spent seven years in industry and became a Senior Lecturer in 2008 and a Reader in 2014. In 2018 I moved to the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences as Deputy Dean for Enterprise and International.

My main research interests are in fibre optic sensing systems, fibre Bragg gratings and femtosecond materials processing.

After my PhD and two years working as a research fellow I worked for ADC in Australia for a year transferring fibre Bragg grating technology into a production environment. When I returned to the UK I worked as a director for two fibre optic companies, first for Oxford Fiber Optic Tools, and then Indigo Photonics. 

My teaching interests lie in the development of courses that holistically develop a broad range of engineering skills. At the moment my teaching activities revolve primarily around work and study placements. 

• Fibre Bragg gratings

• Fibre optic sensing

• Fs machining

• 2001 - 2003: Technical Director Indigo Photonics Ltd

• 1999 - 2001: Technical Director Oxford Fiber Optic Tools Ltd

• 1997 - 1998: Senior Physicist ADC Pty Ltd, Canberra, Australia

• BSc (Hons) Physics, University of Birmingham, 1989

• MSc (distinction), St Andrews University, 1991

• PhD in Fabrication and Applications of Fibre Bragg Gratings, Aston University, 1996

Professor Sugden's research focuses on fibre bragg gratings, fibre optic sensing and fs machining.