Particle physics – Beyond the standard model

The standard model: its successes and limitations Dr Mika Vesterinen Dr. Vesterinen is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Warwick. He completed both his degree (2007) and PhD at the University of Manchester (2011). His thesis was on a measurement of the Z boson transverse momentum distribution and of the ZZ and WZ […]

Rugby 2019

The Faulkes Telescope Project: bringing the universe in to the classroom Dr Paul Roche, Cardiff University https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/people/view/913830-roche-paul https://twitter.com/spaceambassador?lang=en This workshop demonstrated how schools can use robotic telescopes located around the globe to image astronomical objects, allowing students to participate in real research programmes. The session showed how simple it is to use the telescopes (both […]

Rugby 2019

Barriers to physics Jessica Rowson, Institute of Physics For most of history, physicists have been pale and male. Is this changing? Jessica Rowland looked at recent successes and what can be done at a classroom level to encourage participation and progression of all, through contexts, careers and inclusive teaching techniques Notes: What are the barriers? […]

Rugby 2019

Measurements and processes of the redefinition of 4 SI units Dr. Michael de Podesta National Physical Laboratory https://www.npl.co.uk/people/michael-de-podesta Michael graduated with a BSc from Sussex University in 1981 and then in 1985 completed a DPhil in the electronic properties of metals at cryogenic temperatures. After postdoctoral work at Bristol University, he was appointed a lecturer […]

Rugby 2019

Supermassive Black Holes: The ultimate Galaxy Killers? Dr Rebecca Smethurst, Christ Church, University of Oxford https://rebeccasmethurst.co.uk/ https://www2.physics.ox.ac.uk/contacts/people/smethurst Dr Smethurst is a research fellow at Christ Church working to try and understand how galaxies and their central supermassive black holes evolve together. In order to do this she gets the public to help out classifying galaxy […]

The history and future of X-ray astronomy

Professor Andrew Norton andrew.norton@open.ac.uk http://www.open.ac.uk/people/ajn3 Research interests include: General time domain astrophysics, focussing on stellar multiplicity and variability from wide field surveys for transiting exoplanets, especially SuperWASP. Observations and modelling of Magnetic Cataclysmic Variables, in particular multi-wavelength observations of Intermediate Polars and modelling of their accretion flows. Observations and modelling of High Mass X-ray Binaries, […]

Primary Physics Training Day on Electricity

Dulwich College Thursday 1st November 2018 https://www.ogdentrust.com/about-us/news/a-physics-practical The Ogden Trust aims to increase the uptake of physics for all at post-16, particularly for those from under-represented groups. The Trust supports schools, projects and programmes that are committed to enhancing physics teaching and learning. Through collaborative partnerships, enrichment and enhancement activities, working with families, developing career […]

History of Physics Group meeting “From Newton to the free electron laser”

Lecture 9: Symmetries – On physical and aesthetic argument in the development of relativity Dr Richard Staley https://www.cai.cam.ac.uk/people/richard-staley raws1@cam.ac.uk https://www.people.hps.cam.ac.uk/index/teaching-officers/staley Research interests: The history of the physical sciences (broadly construed) from the 19th century to the present. https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-staley-87b676105/?originalSubdomain=uk My notes from the lecture (if they don’t make sense then it is entirely my fault) In […]

History of Physics Group meeting “From Newton to the free electron laser”

Lecture 8: Newton’s 1st Law – a history Paul Ranford Paul Ranford is a Chartered Accountant, although more-or-less retired from this career. He is also a tutor for the Open University in Business Studies and Personal Finance, and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. About sixteen years ago he discovered a discipline called […]

History of Physics Group meeting “From Newton to the free electron laser”

Lecture 7: The paradigm shift of physics-religion-unbelief relationship from renaissance to the 21st century Dr Elisabetta Canetta Elisabetta graduated from the Department of Physics of the Universita’ di Bologna, Bologna (Italy) with an MPhys in Theoretical Nuclear Physics. In 2000, she moved to the Universite’ Joseph Fourier, Grenoble (France) and obtained a PhD in Experimental […]