I am interested in light – how we can explain it, make it, and use it. In particular, how modern technology enables us to fabricate wavelength-scale structures which are then synthetic optical materials with previously unimaginable properties. Much of my time has been spent on developing photonic crystal fibres – a new technology for fibre design which has enabled new capabilities in fibre optics, and led to applications in areas as diverse as new light sources, high power laser delivery, and atomic physics.