David Wright is professor of Electronic and Computer Engineering, head of Nano Engineering Science and Technology Group & leader Functional Materials Research Theme at the Department of Engineering, University of Exeter. David obtained a B.Sc. with first class honours in Physics in 1978 from Imperial College of Science and Technology, London. After a spell working as a Process Engineer for Philips Electronics, he returned to academia obtaining a Ph.D in Perpendicular Magnetic Recording from Manchester in 1985. He took up the Chair in Electronic and Computer Engineering at Exeter in 1999, being formerly a Reader in Data Storage at the Department of Computer Science at the University of Manchester. Professor Wright’s research centres on the design and development of future generation, non-volatile, memory and neuromorphic technologies. Professor Wright is also heavily involved in the development of research strategy, at the UK, European and international level. He led the UK Government (DTI) funded Data Storage Network, led the EU’s Special Strategic Action on memory technology, was part of the team that carried out a strategic review of the EU’s flagship FP7 nanoelectronics programmes – the ENIAC & ARETMIS JTIs that account for over €3 billion of EU spending, and he is a lead contributor on memory technology to the International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI.org). David currently leads the €4M H2020 project Fun-COMP, working with IBM, Thales, IMEC and the Universities of Oxford and Muenster to develop next-generation integrated photonic computing. He is also Co-Director of Exeter’s £12M EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Metamaterials, and a partner in two EPSRC Future Manufacturing projects, with a total value of over £5M, developing chalcogenide phase-change materials and devices. He is also funded by the US Naval Research Laboratories and numerous UK and international companies.
