Dr James Kneller
Assistant Professor of Physics and Applied Mathematics
Biography
Dr James Kneller is Assistant Professor of Physics and Mathematics at Northeastern University London, where he teaches first-year American study abroad students across physics, mathematics, and statistics courses. He completed his PhD in materials physics from Queen Mary University of London in 2019, specialising in organic electronics and photovoltaic devices.
Before academia, James worked as a laser engineer in the medical industry with expertise in the physics of laser tattoo removal, focusing on building and repairing lasers, while also contributing to research in to removal mechanisms using spectroscopy data.
James serves in multiple safety roles at the university, including Radiation Protection Supervisor, Lab Safety Officer, and Union Safety Representative. He has also held the position of Associate Director for Outreach and Public Engagement, where he coordinates faculty engagement in community outreach and strategic promotional efforts for the university.
In recognition of his exceptional contributions to physics education and community engagement, James received the 2024 Institute of Physics Phillips Award for “leadership in establishing PLANCKS and fostering international collaborations showcasing his commitment to advancing physics.” This prestigious national award recognises those who have championed innovative ideas and contributed significantly to the delivery of the IOP Strategy.
James founded the UK&IRE heat of international physics undergrad competition PLANCKS in 2017, growing it to a 3 day conference for 200 students. Every year James brings a team from Northeastern and is creating the PLANCKS USA heat with his global network colleagues.
James previously chaired the Institute of Physics London and Southeast Branch for four years and remains an active committee member. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he pioneered an innovative outreach programme delivering ‘do-at-home’ experiment packs through foodbanks to tackle digital exclusion among lower-income families.
Outside academia, James is a qualified fencing coach who manages London Region Fencing competitions and is currently establishing his own fencing club as the next chapter of the University of London Fencing club.
Research
James’s research background spans experimental physics with over 10 years of laboratory experience in organic electronics, photovoltaics, GHz engineering, and laser physics. His PhD research at Queen Mary University of London focused on materials physics, particularly organic electronics and photovoltaic devices.
His experimental expertise includes Time of Flight spectroscopy, UV-vis and Impedance spectroscopy, Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy, and quasi-optical transmissometry. He is skilled in fabrication techniques including Spincoating, Dropcasting, Spray-Coating, Hot-Press, Evaporation Deposition, and Photo-Lithography.
James has collaborated on research projects across multiple institutions and completed a research internship at the National Physical Laboratory. He has also worked as a laser engineer, adapting academic research systems for commercial environments in the medical field.
Teaching
James has designed and delivered six different undergraduate courses including Physics I&II, Calculus for Business, Mathematical Methods I&II, and Statistics. As course leader for Physics I&II and Statistics, he has consistently achieved high academic standards with positive student feedback highlighting his engaging teaching style and practical demonstrations.
His teaching philosophy emphasises active, student-centred learning with hands-on experiments integrated from the first week of physics classes. James has developed 14 new physics laboratory experiments focused on active student engagement rather than traditional ‘cookbook’ approaches. Student feedback consistently highlights improved understanding of complex concepts through experimental work.
James incorporates experiential learning opportunities including scientific site visits (Thames Barrier for fluid mechanics studies), guest lectures from industry professionals (MRI clinical physicists, radiation scientists), and leads students to the annual PLANCKS UK&IRE undergraduate physics competition—the university’s only overnight co-curricular programme.
He has pioneered several pedagogical innovations including an “Academic Writing Workshop” that resulted in a 4-point increase in year-on-year average scores for scientific report writing, improving student performance from 2:2 to 2:1 average. James also developed problem-solving workshops using international competition questions to enhance critical thinking skills.
His commitment to continuous improvement is evidenced by regular curriculum updates, assessment redesigns for improved scalability, and the incorporation of formative feedback opportunities. James manages teams of teaching assistants and physics faculty, providing training and ensuring consistency across multiple course sections.
Northeastern University London is a charity
registered with the Charity Commission for
England and Wales (charity number 1189858).
Location
Devon House
58 St Katharine’s Way
London E1W 1LP, UK
+44 20 7637 4550
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