UCC professor wins prestigious science prize
Cillian Ferry
A leading Irish quantum physicist has received one of the most prestigious honours in experimental science.
Professor JC Séamus Davis, of University College Cork and the University of Oxford, has been awarded the 2026 Michael Faraday Medal and Prize by the Institute of Physics (IOP) for his outstanding and sustained contributions to the study of macroscopic quantum physics in emergent quantum matter.
The award, which will be presented at the IOP Awards Dinner in Glasgow on Tuesday 3 November recognises exceptional achievements in experimental physics. It commemorates Michael Faraday, whose pioneering discoveries in electromagnetism helped lay the foundations for modern technology.
Throughout his career, Professor Davis has combined scientific insight with technological innovation, developing groundbreaking physics instruments and techniques that make it possible to visualise and interrogate quantum phenomena with unprecedented precision.
“We invented new instruments to visualise materials at a quantum level. Before we pictured in our minds what we believed quantum matter looked like, but we never knew for sure as we could never see it,” he explained.
“Our instruments are like a superpower that have revolutionised how we see quantum matter and with them we have discovered that a large number of our assumptions were not correct, that the quantum world is more complex than our models suggested,” he said.
Professor Davis is also contributing to Ireland’s ambitions in the sector through his membership of the National Advisory Forum for Quantum Technologies, a key group associated with the Government’s Quantum 2030 National Quantum Technologies Strategy.
“This work is a key piece in the larger jigsaw that is Ireland’s bid to be an international player in quantum physics,” he said.
Looking to the future of quantum physics discovery, Professor Davis said the advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) will build upon the foundations set by his advanced microscopy techniques. His instruments are producing huge amounts of data, which AI is now beginning to assist in parsing for new discoveries.
“We can use AI to explore our quantum imaging information. The amount of data we produce with our instruments is huge, going over all of it alone would be almost impossible. Imagine taking ten million photographs of the night sky, and trying to identify all the stars you see in each image, that is the scale of the challenge we face,” Professor Davis said.“However by uploading all this data for AI analysis, we can confirm theories and make new discoveries. In the past three months alone we have made two major discoveries, with AI speeding up the process and analysing in days the kind of large data sets that would take humans years to assess on their own.”
Congratulating Professor Davis on the award, UCC President Professor John O’Halloran said his work had advanced fundamental understanding while helping lay the groundwork for future technological developments.
Institute of Physics President Paul Howarth also congratulated the award recipients. He said: “Our award winners represent the very best of physics. Through their curiosity, expertise and dedication, they are expanding knowledge, driving innovation and inspiring the next generation of scientists.
“Physics underpins so much of the modern world, from healthcare and clean energy to advanced technologies and our understanding of the universe. The achievements we celebrate today demonstrate the extraordinary impact that physicists have in research, education, industry and beyond.”