Roel Burgwal obtained his BSc and MSc in physics at Leiden University, with research projects in quantum optics and RF engineering. Currently, he is a final year PhD-student at AMOLF in Amsterdam and Eindhoven University of Technology, in the group of Ewold Verhagen. His research revolves around optomechanics, where light is used to measure and control nanoscale mechanical systems, in particular in photonic crystal devices. The focus of his research is on nonlinear optical detection of mechanical motion, the optical cooling of unwanted thermal noise from a mechanical resonator and also the use of mechanical vibrations generated by light in quantum information technology.