Ian Underwood

Ian Underwood

The University of Edinburgh，Professor

I spent the first 1/3 of my career as a pioneering researcher in photonics and visual displays including liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) spatial light modulators and microdisplays; the next 1/3 as a technology entrepreneur in OLED microdisplays; and the most recent 1/3 as Professor of Electronic Displays at the University of Edinburgh.

Career individual awards include the Ben Sturgeon Award of the UK Chapter of Society for Information Display (200), Ernst & Young Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year (2002) and the Gannochy Medal for Innovation of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (2004) awarded to Scotland’s top innovator.

I have co-founded or supported seven technology startups in displays or adjacent sectors. I co-founded MicroEmissive Displays (MED) in 1997 and remained there for 11 years – more of those years as Strategic Marketing Director than Product Development Director. Corporate awards for MED include the inaugural IET Innovation Award for Emerging Technology (2006) and the accolade “the world’s smallest color tv screen” for the ME1602 in the Guinness Book of World Records 2004. He was founding Chair of PureLIFI in 2012.Distinguished Fellowships include the Royal Society of Edinburgh (2004), the Royal Academy of Engineering (2008) and the Society for Information Displays (2022).

Over the years I have created and delivered a range of short courses, seminars, and applications tutorials for the Society for Information Display. The most recent is Displays 101 co-created with Sam Phenix, initially for Display Week 2025 and now for ICDT 2026.Outside of visual displays my research specialisation is in micro and nano technology and multi-disciplinary solutions for health, care, and quality of life in – particular for ageing population and my educational specialisation is multi-disciplinary doctoral research training.

Display 101

Abstract：

Displays 101 is your essential introduction to the world of displays, designed primarily to give industry newcomers, early-stage PhD researchers and first-time attendees at ICDT a broad foundation and insight into the exciting and fast-moving world of visual displays.

This session will take you through the fundamentals—covering everything from the history, fundamentals and evolution of display technologies and applications to the cutting-edge innovations shaping the future.

Whether you’re a newcomer who is a little bit lost and seeking to find your way around the sector, or highly experienced and specialised but needing to broaden your perspective, Displays 101 will provide the knowledge and connections to set you on the right path.

Created and delivered by the ideal team – Ian Underwood and Sam Phenix, known as Ian & Sam.