David Sampson is the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Research & Innovation, at the University of Surrey, with wide portfolio responsibilities for research and innovation. He is a member of University Council and Executive Board, and Director of the University of Surrey Seed Fund. David sits on the editorial board of The Conversation (UK), and executive boards of SETsquared and SPRINT. He was formerly with the University of Western Australia. As an active researcher, David will be returned in REF 2021 and is also active in the global optics & photonics community, currently as adviser to the Board of Directors of the SPIE – The International Society for Optics & Photonics and chair of the SPIE Publications Committee. He is a fellow of the IEEE, OSA, and SPIE.