Ian White

Professor Ian White was appointed as Vice-Chancellor and President of the University on 3 September 2018. He is the seventh Vice-Chancellor since the University received its Royal Charter in 1966.

After completing his PhD in 1984, Ian White was appointed as Research Fellow and Assistant Lecturer at the University of Cambridge.

He became Professor of Physics at the University of Bath in 1990, then moved to the University of Bristol in 1996 where he became Head of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering two years later.

Ian White has carried out substantial research in the field of optoelectronics and optical communications. Highlights of his research include the invention of new techniques for transmitting signals at low cost over optical fibre links for data and wireless communication systems. Several of these advances have made a commercial impact and he has published over 1,000 journal and conference papers.

Ian White was educated at the Belfast Royal Academy and Jesus College, Cambridge. He completed his BA in 1980 and his PhD in 1984.