David Lidzey studied for both his BSc and PhD in The School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Birmingham. After working for two years at Kodak Ltd. (Harrow) he returned to Birmingham University to study for a PhD (awarded in 1994). In 1995 he moved to the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Sheffield to undertake postdoctoral research. He was later awarded the Lloyds of London Tercentenary Research Fellowship in 1997 and an EPSRC Advanced Research Fellowship in 1999 to study the optical and electronic properties of organic nanostructures. He was promoted to a personal chair in 2007, and heads the Sheffield Electronic and Photonic Molecular Materials group (EPMM) in the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences. Lidzey has a strong interest in the study of photonic and optoelectronic structures and devices containing thin-film semiconductor materials. A continuing theme of his research has been the development of photonic structures and devices containing organic semiconductor materials. Here, he has made notable breakthroughs including the first observation of the strong-coupling regime in an organic microcavity. He has also worked on aspects of the physics, technology and applications of polymer light emitting diodes and organic and perovskite photovoltaics. Lidzey is co-founder and Chairman of the materials science company Ossila.com.