ISIS staff case study: Will Rowland
07 Sep 2026 - Rosie de Laune
After completing the STFC apprenticeship scheme four years ago, Will joined the ISIS design division. Since then, he’s worked on a series of instrument projects across ISIS including the Inter secondary flight path upgrade and the diffraction detectors recently installed on IMAT.
His work initially focussed on the blockhouses, and the safety and usability of the installations, but then progressed to the design of the detector towers themselves and their positioning. “We need to ensure that the instruments deliver the science they’re designed to, but also that they can be installed, used and maintained easily,” he explains.
Over the last year, he has been working on Super MuSR and some final testing for the FREIA beamline before its shipment to ESS. But now, Will’s focus is on the WISH-II beamline, in particular the secondary aspects such as the detector vessel, the beam in/out snouts and the blockhouse and sample environment interactions.
The design is always science-led; with WISH-II they are using new detector technology, based on wavelength shifting fibres in a novel geometry, with the aim to create coverage that is as spherical and uninterrupted as possible. However, they need to consider the practical operational aspects, and how this can all be done realistically while remaining on budget.
It’s a bit daunting to be working on a project that will take many years but rewarding to be part of the process the whole way through. Even though it will take a long time to design and build, you know it will be operational for even longer.
Will Rowland
“Working on something this novel is hard but enjoyable. It’s exciting to be part of the fundamental design of a new instrument,” he says. “It’s a bit daunting to be working on a project that will take many years but rewarding to be part of the process the whole way through. Even though it will take a long time to design and build, you know it will be operational for even longer.”
“I hope to use my experience of working on other beamlines, and the lessons I’ve learnt along the way, to make the beamline as good as it can be for ISIS and its user community.”
Alongside his work, Will is also doing a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He has also managed graduates and apprentices in the group, whose training give them different, complementary skills. “The best lessons I have learnt have been from working with others,” he adds.
His apprenticeship cohort has also almost all remained at ISIS/STFC, and his degree training means he is in touch with other apprentices he trained with. “It’s nice to have a network on site and locally.”
