Professor David Ottaway is a senior academic in physics at the University of Adelaide, where he is currently leads Physics within the School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences.  His research lies in optics and photonics, with a strong emphasis on laser physics, precision measurement, and their applications in large-scale scientific instrumentation. Ottaway has been closely involved in international collaborations in gravitational-wave astronomy, particularly through contributions to the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), where his work on high-precision optical sensing systems has supported advances in interferometric detection technologies.
 
Professor Ottaway obtained his PhD in Physics from the University of Adelaide in 1999. Following this he took up a role as a Postdoctoral Scholar at the California Institute of Technology based at the LIGO Hanford Observatory. From 2001 to 2007, he worked at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the LIGO Laboratory. In 2007 David returned to the University of Adelaide.
 
His work has been closely associated with international collaborations in gravitational-wave astronomy, especially contributions to the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO). His research focuses on high-precision optical sensing systems, including the development of laser-based technologies used to stabilise and enhance the sensitivity of interferometric detectors. These contributions have supported landmark discoveries such as the first detections of gravitational waves, which confirmed key predictions of Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity and helped establish a new field of astrophysics.
 
A notable strand of Ottaway’s research concerns the development of novel laser systems. Motivated by the requirements of thermal compensation in gravitational-wave detectors, he led a team that created a groundbreaking fibre laser operating at 3.6 µm—the longest wavelength emission achieved by a room-temperature fibre laser at the time. This work demonstrated near-watt-level performance well beyond 3 µm, a critical threshold for ensuring absorption in fused-silica compensation plates. By introducing a new lasing cycle that overcame intrinsic inefficiencies in mid-infrared fibre lasers, his team improved optical efficiency by more than an order of magnitude. The resulting publication attracted substantial global attention, achieving high Altmetric impact and becoming a widely downloaded article, while also stimulating further developments internationally, including higher power outputs and ultrafast pulse generation down to 550 femtoseconds. This research also contributed to the discovery and characterisation of new energy exchange processes in erbium ions.
 
In parallel, Ottaway has extensive expertise in eyesafe solid-state lasers, working with various crystal hosts (including YAG, YALO, and glass) and dopants such as neodymium, erbium, and thulium. His achievements include demonstrating exceptionally short pulse durations (14 ns) from actively Q-switched lasers and achieving peak powers exceeding 1 MW from a single Er:YAG system. These advances have attracted industry investment, particularly for applications in wind-field mapping and remote methane sensing. By integrating techniques from gravitational-wave detection, his group also developed highly sensitive open-path lidar systems, capable of detecting methane concentrations below 10 parts per billion over distances of 300 metres.
 
Beyond research, Ottaway plays a leadership role in interdisciplinary initiatives such as the Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing and contributes to postgraduate supervision and the training of experimental physicists. His career reflects a synthesis of fundamental and applied science, with significant impact across both academic research and industry-focused photonics applications.