At A Squared Technologies, we believe the most impactful engineering innovations happen when industry and academia work together.
That belief has been reinforced through our long-standing collaboration with Dr Justin Tabbett and Professor Karen Aplin at the University of Bristol, a partnership that has now received national recognition. Justin has been awarded the prestigious 2025 Patricia Tomkins Thesis Prize by the Royal Astronomical Society, recognising exceptional doctoral research in scientific instrumentation.
This achievement highlights not only Justin’s outstanding work but also the value of strong partnerships between researchers and industrial engineering specialists.
What is the Patricia Tomkins Thesis Prize?
The Patricia Tomkins Thesis Prize is awarded annually by the Royal Astronomical Society to recognise outstanding doctoral research in instrumentation science for astronomy and geophysics.
The award celebrates excellence in the development of:
- Scientific hardware
- Advanced detectors
- Electronics systems
- Innovative scientific instrumentation
Justin’s prize-winning thesis, “Characterisation, Development and Deployment of a Balloon-Borne Radioactivity Detector,” represents years of research, engineering development and successful real-world deployment.
Supporting Innovation from Research to Real-World Deployment
From the earliest stages of the project, A Squared Technologies worked alongside Justin and Professor Karen Aplin, Professor of Space Science and Technology at the University of Bristol.
Together, the team developed and manufactured a balloon-borne microscintillator radioactivity detector capable of measuring atmospheric ionising radiation during high-altitude balloon flights.
These sophisticated instruments help scientists better understand:
- Atmospheric ionising radiation
- Space weather interactions
- Earth’s radiation environment
- Atmospheric electrical processes
As the electronics manufacturing partner, A Squared Technologies helped transform innovative research into robust, flight-ready hardware capable of operating reliably in demanding environments
Successful High-Altitude Balloon Flight
A major milestone for the project came in July 2024, when the upgraded detector was successfully deployed during a high-altitude balloon mission.
The flight produced high-quality scientific data while demonstrating the reliability and performance of the detector’s design.
Successfully moving from laboratory research to operational deployment represents an important step in scientific instrumentation development and showcases the effectiveness of close collaboration between academia and industry.
Why Industry and Academia Make Better Engineering Together
One of the greatest strengths of this collaboration was combining academic research excellence with industrial engineering expertise.
While universities focus on scientific discovery and advancing knowledge, engineering companies contribute practical experience in:
- Design for manufacture
- Reliability
- Scalability
- Production methods
- Real-world deployment
By bringing these perspectives together, innovative concepts can become practical technologies with wider scientific and commercial applications.
Dr Justin Tabbett on the Value of Collaboration
Reflecting on his PhD journey, Justin highlighted the importance of working closely with industry:
“This research was only possible due to the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council, and a collaboration with A Squared Technologies. By working with A Squared during my PhD, I was offered an additional perspective into the development and manufacture of scientific instruments. During my research, it was crucial to keep in mind industry requirements and note how those requirements differed from the scientific need.”
Justin also emphasised the broader benefits industrial partnerships bring to scientific research:
“Collaborations such as this provide incredible value to scientific research, through the exchange of knowledge, access to equipment and expertise not always available in universities, and possibility of commercialisation of scientific innovation.”
These comments perfectly reflect why A Squared Technologies actively supports collaborative engineering projects. By contributing practical manufacturing expertise during the early stages of research, we help accelerate innovation while ensuring promising technologies are designed with future production and deployment in mind.
Investing in the Next Generation of Engineers
A Squared Technologies was proud not only to contribute to the detector’s technical development but also to sponsor Justin throughout his PhD programme.
Supporting doctoral research helps develop the next generation of engineers, scientists and innovators while strengthening the relationship between academia and industry.
Justin’s achievement is a testament to the dedication, expertise and perseverance required to deliver world-class scientific research and engineering excellence.
A Shared Achievement
Justin concluded his acknowledgements by recognising the A Squared Technologies team:
“To Kate Bach, Alan Meany, Eric Tones, and the team at A Squared, thank you for the support and involvement with my PhD.”
We are honoured to have contributed to this award-winning research and congratulate Justin on this outstanding achievement.
We also extend our congratulations to Professor Karen Aplin and the wider University of Bristol team whose expertise helped make this research possible.
Looking Ahead
This project demonstrates what can be achieved when academic curiosity meets industrial expertise.
As A Squared Technologies continues supporting innovative engineering projects, we remain committed to helping researchers, universities and technology innovators transform ideas into practical, reliable and commercially viable solutions.
We look forward to seeing where the next generation of scientific and engineering collaborations will lead.