Professor Julian D C Jones studied at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, UK, before becoming a lecturer at the University of Kent at Canterbury. Since 1988, he has been at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, establishing a research group in optical fibre sensors, optical instrumentation and laser-material interactions. In 2007, he became Deputy Principal for Strategy and Resources, in 2010 Vice-Principal, and additionally in 2013, Deputy Vice-Chancellor. He has over 500 publications. His interests have spanned the underlying physics and the engineering applications of fibre optics, of which a representative selection includes: monitoring techniques for laser welding; instrumentation for jet engine design experiments; pressure sensors used in experiments for mitigation of terrorist explosions; fluorescence techniques for detection of contamination in surgical instruments; quantitative measurements of wing shape in natural insect flight; and many more. Julian is a Director of OptoSci Ltd. In 2014 he was appointed to the Defence Science Advisory Council and from 2010 to 2014 he was a member of the Scottish Scientific Advisory Council. He is Treasurer of the Institute of Physics (IOP), a member of its Council and has chaired the Optics and Photonics Division, the Optical Group, the Institute in Scotland and the Education Committee in Scotland. He is Chairman of the Board of IOP Publishing and was editor of the Journal of Measurement Science and Technology. Julian is a Fellow of the IOP, the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Optical Society of America (elected with the citation ‘… recognised for your world-leading track record in optical fibre sensors, optical instrumentation and laser-material interactions, and outstanding contributions to UK research strategy and planning’). He was appointed as an Officer of the Order of