Patsy holds a B.Sc. degree (Hons) in Physics, an MSc in Optical Electronics and an MRes in Biomedical Engineering. She received her Ph.D. degree from the University of Glasgow in 1997 for work on ultrafast all-optical switching in nonlinear coupled wavguides.

From 1997-2000 she worked as a Researcher in the Photonics Group at the University of Glasgow, studying gap solitons effects in integrated waveguide structures. In 2000, she joined the Device Division of Terahertz Photonics Ltd, Livingston as an Optical Engineer. In 2002 she moved to Essient Photonics Ltd, Strathclyde, working as a Senior Engineer in the field of high frequency optical modulators. In 2004 She worked as a Senior Researcher at the National Microelectronic Centre studying the physics of Quantum Dot Lasers. In 2005 she worked briefly for Mistral Ltd, Glasgow, researching Mid-Infrared waveguides for optical gas sensing applications before joining the Institute in January 2007.