Summer 2012, Number 2 Department of Newsletter

Stargazingn Saturday, 21st Phil Marshall January, passers-by on Banbury Road were met with a remarkable sight:O a queue of people stretching from the door of the Denys Wilkinson Building all the artist MarionOxford... Yorston in the were universally positive, with our and wanted to find out more. way to the bottom of the steps. seminar room, blacked out for visitors excited and inspired by The event was planned as one This was “Stargazing ,” our the occasion), and “AstroCrafts” their time spent inside the Oxford of the local activities associated first ever space science festival. (immensely popular with children Physics Department. with the BBC’s “Stargazing Live” Between 2pm and 10pm, we of all ages). We even borrowed programme, which aired on BBC2 This was really the goal of welcomed nearly 1200 people an inflatable Planetarium from the week before Saturday 21st. “Stargazing Oxford”: to reach out into the Physics Department, to the University of Kent, which The series was excellent – not to people in the local community hear about the latest research proved to be a very popular way only for featuring several Oxford who may not have been to a results in and in to space science. It was a long, Physicists! University event before, but who planetary science, and to learn tiring but hugely successful day: were interested in astronomy how to get started observing the the feedback forms we collected Continued on page 2... night sky. The rooftop observing sessions, with Abingdon Astronomical Society, were a big hit. Inside, we put on short research talks in the Dennis Sciama lecture theatre, and filled the cafeteria with village fete-style stalls, manned by research staff wearing red T-shirts marked “got questions?”. We told everyone who was queuing to get in that the DWB was a building full of people whose job it was to ask questions, and so they were to ask us anything they wanted. It seemed to work: one office door in the Beecroft Institute (BIPAC) was covered in questions about space, many of them at the research level despite the childish handwriting! How many solar systems are there? How was the first galaxy made? Wouldn’t we all like to know!

Other favourite activites included a n “Universe-ity Challenge” (our own version of the popular BBC eph Carua

game show), “” (an s

installation by local modern © Jo Inside: Virtual stargazing • predicting predictability • mapping Fermi surfaces of iron-based superconductors • Nanotechnology & living cells • a state-of-the-art www.physics.ox.ac.uk building for oxford physics • Will.i.am visits Oxford • events • People • and more outreach news science news www.physics.ox.ac.uk/about-us/outreach www.physics.ox.ac.uk/research

Virtual stargazing Topological Insulators Predicting... I’ve been developing methods But these days that’s not enough. discuss the evolution of the Andrew Pontzen Yulin Chen, Rahul Roy for turning computer simulations Static images just don’t cut it cosmos. Having seen a movie I’d and John Chalker Astronomy has a of galaxies into images for a in the age of YouTube. And the made based on a previous paper, Predictability gift: whenever we while, as part of my open source cosmos really is a fairly static place the production commissioned One of the successes want to convince project pynbody (http://pynbody. on human timescales; galaxies a series of videos taking us from of physics in the 1930s people we’re googlecode.com). It’s hugely evolve only over billions of years. the through to a present was the use of quantum doing good work with telescopes, important in scientific analysis: This is where us computer nerds day ‘Milky Way’-like galaxy. mechanics to understand the difference between metals and insulators we can turn to a rich archive of whether we want to create a have the edge over observers of Using a portion of Oxford’s Berg in terms of electron energy bands. Remarkably, we have discovered gorgeous imagery. While not a literal analogue to a telescopic the real universe: the process of supercomputer, it was possible to over the past few years that a key feature was missing from the picture substitute for good science, it picture, or a more metaphorical simulation involves calculating generate 10TB of data and distill we’ve accepted for nearly eight decades. This is that insulators come in certainly helps. But for those of representation of the contents and storing the state of the it into about 50,000 separate two types, now known as ‘ordinary’ and ‘topological’. Oxford Physics is us who work on modelling the of our virtual universe, distilling computerised cosmos from images to create the final footage closely involved with these developments: one of the leading theorists universe inside a computer, things millions of numbers into an image its early stages through to the in just over six weeks. in the field, Rahul Roy, spent two years in the Oxford Condensed Matter is a critical step. present day. That means there’s are a little harder. Watching the videos has given Theory group as a postdoctoral research before moving to a nothing to stop you from taking me a whole range of ideas for faculty position at UCLA; and Yulin Chen, an expert in the experimental technique (involving stochastic a picture of it at any stage of its Hannah Arnold new science we can do with these techniques used to probe these new materials, has recently joined the mathematics) for representing development. Or, better, taking simulations. We’re inherently Department from Stanford. the small scales in an a whole series of pictures at You want to go visual creatures; nothing atmospheric model, providing subsequent steps. To jazz it up, to the beach at compares to seeing things unfold a physically motivated way of you can start moving the virtual the weekend: in front of our eyes. While you’ve representing model uncertainty. telescope through space. And, which of the missed the chance to see it on live We have found the forecasts before you know it, you have a following do you think is the TV, there’s a digested version here: made using this technique are Hollywood-style movie of how more useful weather forecast: a) http://youtu.be/77ZoF7Y1pNk. very reliable; if you look at all galaxies form and evolve – but all next weekend will be dry; or b) the occasions when we have based on real physics. next weekend the probability of rain is just 10%? Both are forecast a 10% chance of rain, on Last November, luck sent the possible ways of presenting the average it rains 10% of the time. production team of BBC2’s Follow the same forecast, though only the This is very important for climate Stargazing Live in my direction. Astrophysics blog! second acknowledges that our change prediction, where we are They were looking for ways to interested in how the statistics Read about our research, and prediction about next weekend’s see our weekly “What’s Up?” weather involves uncertainty. of the weather will change due Surface conduction of topological insulators: (A) The spin of electrons to anthropogenic forcing. We Left: The distribution of dark matter column for what to look out for on the surface is correlated with their direction of motion. (B) The There are two main sources must be confident that our over tens of millions of light years in the night sky. lattice structure of Bi Te and the predicted relativistic “Dirac cone” like of uncertainty in our weather during the formation of galaxies. 2 3 model accurately represents http://facebook.com/ electronic structure formed by the surface electrons. (C) The electronic forecast, both of which must today’s climate in order to trust OxfordAstrophysics structure measured by angle-resolved photoemission that confirmed be accurately represented. the climate it predicts for the the theoretical prediction and the topological nature of Bi Te . Stargazing Oxford 2 3 The first is initial condition future. uncertainty. The atmosphere Continued from page 1... is a chaotic system, so errors In the atmosphere, it has Rahul Roy writes: Imagine taking a block of wood and coating its been found that certain surfaces with silver. Then the block would be a bulk insulator with in the starting conditions for our forecast (i.e. errors in the weather patterns are very Inspired viewers could then look on the BBC “Things to do” website, a metallic conducting surface. A ‘topological insulator’ is similar to measurements we make of the predictable – the errors due and find out about Stargazing Oxford. We thought we might get a coated block, but whereas cutting the wood block would create weather today) can lead to large to initial condition and model quite a lot of interest, but the response was amazing: not many of us new insulating surfaces, cutting a topological insulator creates new deviations in the predicted uncertainty stay small as we had imagined people queuing for 45 minutes in the cold to get into conducting surfaces. My work uses the mathematics of topological weather for the weekend. The look to the future. However, on our building! For us, Stargazing Oxford was incredibly exciting, and invariants to predict that certain insulating materials will have surface second is model uncertainty. other occasions, including these also quite humbling: the public’s delighted fascination with space modes for electrons, which are robust because they are protected In order to make the forecast, representations of uncertainty science made a big impression on us all. by symmetry from, for example, the effects of impurity scattering. we have had to represent the leads to a large divergence in Experiments with a number of materials, ranging from HgTe/HgCd the forecast for the weekend, Until the return of BBC Stargazing Live next January, Stargazing heterostructures to Bi Te have vindicated these predictions, and many atmosphere, oceans and land, 2 3 indicating the atmosphere is in Oxford will carry on in one form or another throughout the year. examples of topological insulators are now known. and their many interactions, We invite the public into the Department once a month for more in a piece of computer code, a very unpredictable state. It is focused stargazing evenings, using the 0.4m Philip Wetton Telescope Yulin Chen writes: Oxford is setting up a programme to study the which introduces other errors. only by accurately representing (when the moon is full and the Masters students’ targets are too faint physics of these novel materials and find how we can tailor them In particular, we have to uncertainty that we can compared to the night sky). to potential applications. The taskforce will include several local represent unresolved small estimate how predictable the institutions: Oxford Physics, where a laboratory is being constructed for scale processes, such as clouds, atmosphere is now, and tell you Physicists from Oxford University also regularly get out and about a n advanced angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) so we in some way, which involves whether taking an umbrella to to other local science festivals, working with Science Oxford and the can directly measure electronic structures; the Diamond synchrotron major simplifications and the beach next weekend might local community astronomy societies to bring the latest in space light source; and the central laser facility of the UK Scientific and be a good idea or not!

eph Carua approximations. My D.Phil. work science to the people of Oxfordshire. s Technology Facilities Council. This coalition will bring our research to involves developing a new © © Jo the forefront of this exciting new field.

2 | Department of Physics Newsletter | Summer 2012 Department of Physics Newsletter | Summer 2012 | 3 science news science news www.physics.ox.ac.uk/research www.physics.ox.ac.uk/research

Mapping Fermi surfaces of iron-based LHCb seeks new physics with charm superconductors using high magnetic fields measurements probe CP violation Matthew Charles (CPV), which manifests as the degree of electronic correlations, one materials. This suggests that the higher Amalia Coldea Oxford has differences between the decays of can simplify and restrict the theoretical transition temperature can only be achieved played a central particles and their antiparticles. models required to understand the pairing by the increase of correlations that are likely to In 2008, new classes of high- role in the LHCb LHCb has published a new study mechanism in superconductors, which would be mediated by magnetic fluctuations (as the temperature superconductors experiment (arXiv:1112.0938, accepted by help us to design materials with improved superconducting phases are often found in containing iron were from its founding. After years of Physical Review Letters) showing properties. The experimental determination close proximity to magnetic order, sometimes discovered. This discovery painstaking work to design, build, evidence for CPV in D0 decays, led of the temperature and the magnetic field- even co-existing with magnetic order). was most unexpected, as a material that and commission the detector, by researchers from Oxford and dependence of the fundamental amplitude is strongly magnetic, like iron, usually The success of these type of measurements especially its state-of-the-art Ring Bologna. The technique used was from quantum oscillations, provide precise destroys a superconducting state. These and their understanding comes from a Imaging Cherenkov and Vertex to compare two different decay values for the cyclotron orbital effective iron-based superconductors offer a new combination of access to high magnetic Locator subsystems, data from modes, D0 K+K− and D0 π+π −, mass or the orbitally averaged electron → → area of exploration and understanding of fields and low temperatures, micron-size the highly successful 2011 run are and look for a difference in their superconductivity. It was found to exist in lifetime, respectively. The advantage of high quality single crystals (usually smaller now in hand. Oxford physicists are asymmetries. This difference N

quantum oscillation measurements is that the ER many other different structural families, than the thickness of a human hair) and now searching them for hints of is particularly sensitive to new A view of LHCb information obtained is localised in k-space © C which shared common conducting layers of highly sensitive experimental tools like the new physics beyond the Standard physics and robust against and the values of the observed frequencies tetrahedra, formed of iron atoms bonded with atomic force microscopy piezolevers (three Model (SM). The approach is to systematic uncertainties. The from SM calculations (0.1%) and is More work is needed to confirm are directly related to the extremal areas elements from the nitrogen or the oxygen orders of magnitude better sensitivity than a make precise measurements of result, (−0.82 ± 0.24)%, differs provoking much interest. Ongoing or disprove such a tantalising on the Fermi surface normal to the applied groups. Between these conducting layers commercial SQUID) that can detect very small processes that are well predicted from the no-CPV hypothesis by theoretical work stimulated by hint. Oxford is at the forefront magnetic field. Other measured quantities one can place single elements as spacers or changes in the magnetic properties when in the SM but could be affected 3.5 standard deviations and if the LHCb result now suggests of studies to repeat the such as the masses and scattering rates or the as dopants of electrons and holes. The largest varying the magnetic field. The quantum by new physics. The main focus confirmed would be the first time that a larger SM effect cannot be measurement on more data and quasiparticles are only orbital averages, rather value of the transition temperatures reached oscillations are measured experimentally is on B and D hadrons, which CPV has been seen in a charm excluded, but many new physics to crosscheck it with a different than averages over the entire Fermi surface, so by these materials is 55 K, which is only slightly at very low temperatures and very high contain beauty and charm quarks, decay. The measured value is also models can also generate such a methodology. that the quantum oscillations effect serves as a below 77 K, the temperature of liquid nitrogen magnetic fields, either in Oxford up to 21 T, or respectively. Many of the key larger than the prior expectation signature naturally. ‘k-space microscope’. at which many more practical applications of international high magnetic field facilities up superconductivity would become much more In the case of iron-based superconductors to 100 T. The results are then compared with cost effective. we have found that the Fermi surface is in first principle band-structure calculations. Nanotechnology uncovers mechanical complexion of living cells Quantum oscillations allow us to map out broad agreement with the prediction of the The interdisciplinary nature that comes from the full Fermi surface of a superconducting band structure calculations, being composed the combination of experiments, theory As cell mechanics draws from the fields of slow, offer low resolution and most of the system, usually in its normal metallic mainly of up to five different iron bands and synthesis of high quality crystals makes Sonia biology, chemistry, physics, engineering and cases only work on preserved, not living, cells. state, and probe its bulk properties. These that have differing orbital characters and this type of fundamental research possible. Trigueros and mathematics, to aim for a progression in this The innovation overcomes these limitations, oscillations are determined by the Landau are very sensitive to the chemical pressure It is not only applicable to understanding Sonia Contera field, a multidisciplinary research approach is mostly through improvement in signal quantisation of energy levels in high magnetic applied by replacing different chemical superconductivity but also other quantum required. This is not to provide a collection of processing and theory, allowing us to use fields and are usually observed at very low elements with a similar number of electrons. materials that have metallic properties and it As the basic research methods, but to develop a common conventional instruments to boost pixels per temperatures and in single crystals without The quasi-particles’ masses, and the effect may find application in the new topological unit of life, language among scientists who share an minute and obtain quantitative information impurities. By knowing the exact nature of of the electronic correlations determined insulators, where metallicity is reduced to the the cell is a biologically complex system, interest in cell mechanics but enter the field on different types of living cells. the quasi-particles in the normal state and experimentally, are strongly related to surface states. the understanding of which requires a with diverse backgrounds. transition temperatures found in different combination of various approaches, including Next, the Oxford Martin Programme on mechanics. With recent progress in cell and A new approach to measure the mechanical Nanotechnology will study the mechanical CERN molecular biology, the field of cell mechanics properties of living cells has been developed properties of cells under the influence Quantum oscillations in has grown rapidly over the last few years. by researchers from Oxford Martin of antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs and magnetic torque as function Stop announces A single cell can detect, modify, and Programme on Nanotechnology based in the nanomedicines, to learn more about the of magnetic field in LiFeAs, an discovery of Physics Department, in collaboration with mechanisms involved. iron-based superconductor Press! respond to the physical properties of its Higgs boson! Purdue University’s Birck Nanotechnology discovered in Oxford (S. Clarke, environment. Cells have the ability to resist Center. Using an atomic force microscope Chemistry). deformation, to transport intracellular cargo Just as we are about to go to with a tiny vibrating probe, researchers th and to change shape during movement; all The inset shows the Fermi press, on 4 July CERN has these functions rely on the cytoskeleton, have been able to discover detailed surface calculated using band announced the discovery of a an interconnected network of filamentous quantitative information about living cells structure calculations (left) polymers and regulatory proteins. Moreover, on the nanoscale (billionths of a metre). This and a micron-size single crystal Higgs-like boson in two of the means that scientists will be able to map cells communicate with each other through a placed on a piezocantilever n main experiments at the LHC. chemical and physical signals, which are the evolution of mechanical properties of (right). cellular structures, for example as cells adhere For the latest news on Oxford’s involved in a range of processes, from to tissues or communicate with each other, . Cartage These results were published embryogenesis and wound healing, to A © © in Physical Review Letters. 108, involvement in this exciting result, pathological conditions such as cancerous effects that are critical for many diseases and AFM map of a live fibroblast cell. Different 047002 (2012). invasion. Cell mechanics is central to biological processes. see www.physics.ox.ac.uk/news parts of a cell with different mechanical understanding these principles. Existing methods to map the local mechanical properties, whether they are soft or rigid or properties of cells using this instrument are squishy, can be clearly identified.

4 | Department of Physics Newsletter | Summer 2012 Department of Physics Newsletter | Summer 2012 | 5 department news & events department news & events

New building for Oxford Physics

couple of people up to a dozen or The next challenge is to raise the CERN and Director of the Culham more. The whole building will be £34m construction cost in these Centre for Fusion Energy), to linked to the existing Clarendon financially difficult times. We oversee our fundraising campaign Laboratory at three levels, and is have established a Development and have made a good start, designed to encourage fluidity of Board, chaired by Sir Christopher with the very generous pledge of movement between its various Llewellyn Smith (New College, £1m from Adrian Beecroft (The elements. 1961, former Director General of Queen’s College, 1965). If you would like to see the A note from the Chairman The Department is a vibrant and design, or participate in om

largely youthful community, but c fundraising, visit: .

John Wheater its buildings were not designed wn with 21st century science in mind. www.physics.ox.ac.uk/ ro Our most modern building is the about-us/clarendon-2-

The Physics wkinsb cl2-building Newsletter Martin Wood Lecture Theatre .ha aims to open a complex in the centre of the www , which window for our WN

alumnae and alumni onto the was completed in 1999 and RO fascinating world of physics generously financed by Sir Martin today. I was particularly struck Wood. Increasingly, we struggle WKINS/B HA by the number of letters we to maintain our laboratories at © received in response to the the cutting edge and, after a first issue, commenting on how comprehensive review, now have quickly the subject had changed a redevelopment plan. The New over the past few decades. Clarendon Laboratory project Despite this rapid evolution, the has several stages, ultimately facilities we need are often large resulting in all of Physics being and expensive and slow to bring located on the Clarendon to fruition, and the outstanding Laboratory site. scientists of the future who will The first phase is to construct use them need many years of a new building on the car education and training. It has park in front of the Clarendon never been more necessary to Laboratory. The University has plan ahead. already invested £1.1m in the These days, young scientists design process. The competition come from all over the world to to choose the architects was won work and study with us. Even by Hawkins\Brown, and planning at the undergraduate level, a permission has been granted by significant proportion come Oxford City Council. from overseas; the Physics The building will provide a high Department is a cosmopolitan quality laboratory environment place. This diversity brings its in two basement levels, with very own challenges; for example low vibration levels and excellent at the graduate level we temperature control. Above do not at present have the ground there will be seminar resources to offer funding to rooms and accommodation for all the outstanding applicants . The atrium who satisfy our academic will contain a hierarchy of spaces New building – Architects’ impression requirements. suitable for discussion groups of a

6 | Department of Physics Newsletter | Summer 2012 Department of Physics Newsletter | Summer 2012 | 7 department news & events department news & events

14-15 fo Sub r aut Will.i.am visits Physics Don’t miss our scribe Keep your diary free for the Alumni Weekend! September o u fantastic public events! pdate 2012 s! Physics is opening its doors to alumni and friends, as part of the The Department of Physics hosts and University’s Alumni Weekend! Come and participate in exciting events, organises a variety of events, from lectures given by world renowned individuals, to attend a lecture and meet the physics community. family and school-friendly activities. www.physics.ox.ac.uk/events telescope evening Physics open day Friday 14 September Saturday 15 September Denys Wilkinson Building, Keble Road Clarendon Laboratory, Join us for a tour of the Philip Wetton telescope – a fantastic We are delighted to be able to offer an opportunity for alumni, Physics joins resource for teaching in Oxford, and for local schools and families and friends to visit our Department, and welcome all social networks! colleges. The telescope, built in 1995 by the Meade Corporation interested in our work, even if you didn’t do Physics! of California, was given to the University so that undergraduate Big Help us build a strong community @ Oxford and graduate students could observe the night sky as would a Mini Motors Bang! Physics, find us and exchange ideas via: professional astronomer. Its location is a fabulously-positioned, 2–6pm purpose-built observatory atop the Denys Willkinson Building Join Dr Helen Carstairs and researchers Facebook: Twitter: LinkedIn: in Keble Road, the first new observatory built inO xford for from Biological Physics for hands-on University of OxfordPhysics Oxford Physics over a century. Each year the telescope is opened to schools, demonstrations of the way nanoscale Oxford Physics Prof Myles Allen and Will.i.am (Black Eyed Peas) met in May to discuss community groups and the general public, so that everyone biological motors work. climate science, the latest technology trends and the power of can enjoy the excitement of practical astronomy. computers in helping us understand what is happening in our planet Zooniverse: What to do today. Physics celebrates ‘GrahamFest’! with half a million scientists? Prof Allen leads many exciting projects; one of them is 2–3pm weatherathome.net, which seeks to understand the role of climate On 30 September 2011 people from all over the world gathered Dr Chris Lintott and Dr Rob Simpson explain using ‘citizen power’ to change in damaging – or beneficial – weather events affecting people’s for a meeting in the Sciama Lecture Theatre to celebrate the expand our knowledge of the Universe. lives in different regions of the world. contributions of retiring Professor FRS to theoretical Will.i.am is Director of Creative Innovation at Intel, famed for their physics. See www.physics.ox.ac.uk/GrahamFest for further ground breaking computer processors, and also leaders of ‘Progress information. Einstein’s Universe thru Processors’ initiative, which encourages the use of computers 3.15–4.45pm across the world for public good, including the weatherathome project. Professor Brian Foster and Jack Liebeck (violinist) Professor Allen is keen to encourage many more people to join will present Einstein’s universe in the context of weatherathome. He said “It was inspiring to see Will so enthusiastic the music he loved. about how we can use computer technology to improve people’s lives – and also thinking deeply about how technology may be changing us. Physics in the 21st century – He is also committed to science education and encouraging students from under-privileged backgrounds to aim high – which, of course, are an Exciting Time for Physics at Oxford high priorities for Oxford Physics.” 5–6pm Come and hear from Dr , Chairman of the Department, Members of the public can sign up, free, to www.climateprediction. and other members of the Physics team about all the latest projects net/weatherathome. view the alumni weekend programme and ideas that we are working on.

There is a lot to see and do at Oxford New Alumni Relations Office at Oxford Physics this weekend, from talks and tours, Drinks reception to tastings and more! For full details 6–7pm A warm welcome to Val Crowder, our new Alumni to enhance the experience of being part of one of the largest and of the weekend’s activities, go to Have a look at the plans for the WN

www.alumniweekend.ox.ac.uk. RO Relations Officer. most successful Physics Departments in the world. proposed new building for Physics The Department of Physics Alumni Relations We will be developing a series of events and projects to facilitate Booking closes 31 August, so don’t and find out how to keep in touch

WKINS/B

Office works to develop, nurture and promote a interaction and networking, creating relationships that keep growing delay, book now! with the Department. HA continuing relationship between the Department beyond graduation day. © and its alumni. If you have ideas, queries or suggestions, Val would be pleased If you are currently part of the Department, and would like to show For more information and to keep up to date with the alumni We also work with current students, staff, to hear from you: email her at [email protected], or Tel. Val Crowder your work during the Alumni Weekend, or contribute ideas or weekend plans: researchers and friends of the Department, aiming +44 (0)1865 282065. suggestions, email Val Crowder at [email protected] www.alumniweekend.ox.ac.uk

8 | Department of Physics Newsletter | Summer 2012 Department of Physics Newsletter | Summer 2012 | 9 People people

Alumni stories Susan Cox I put the idea of actually reading the practical hen I arrived at Oxford, sheets in advance, and doing all the optional In the last newsletter we invited alumni to contact us and tell their stories. Three I knew what I was going to do with parts, to my long-suffering practical partner, myW life. I was going to become a theoretical Chris, who agreed to give it a try. Surprisingly, of you have been kind enough to send us a contribution, revealing three diverse physicist and spend my time contemplating it turned out to be fun – the best bits of the universe. This is the story of how that careers. We hope you enjoy reading these. Please keep these contributions coming! the practicals were generally hidden in the didn’t happen. Susan Cox: “I decided to take Lance Miller (Editor). extensions at the end. This taste of research My first year was the normal mix of parties, whetted my appetite, and led to two hugely one more leap...” lectures, parties, tutorials and parties. enjoyable summer projects doing atomic Through the haze of sleep deprivation I force microscopy. gradually realised that I actually found However, after three years, and having been

n

Adrian Beecroft o In my third year I started Susan Cooper’s i through a fruitless round of job applications,

s physics hard. Since budding Feynmans at particle physics course. I had always thought mm

eight years I toiled i probably didn’t start to struggle in their first I was again faced with a decision: should I

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arrived at Queen’s as a y I performed quite well in tutorials, but Susan w away, travelled s year, I had to reconsider my options. Maybe stay in ? An advert re physics undergraduate in 1965. o l pushed me outside my comfort zone. She

o endlessly, enjoyed nd there was a less competitive area that I could for a postdoc in biophysics caught my eye, Having attended a few lectures, s taught me to question what I thought I knew, © it enormously, © a and the idea of looking at living systems was I decided my time would be better spent in Adrian Beecroft both about physics and my abilities. I also I became a Vice so exciting that I decided to take one more the library! It was noticeable that the more The Queen’s College Susan Cooper pushed me outside very much enjoyed the condensed matter President (Partner) leap. The award of a Royal Society University eminent the lecturer, the less comprehensible my comfort zone. She taught me to physics course, particularly John Singleton’s and then decided that I wanted to do rather Research Fellowship has allowed me to was the lecture. However, I very much enjoyed bringing back cricket to state schools, question what I thought I knew, both lectures. This led to a PhD studying strongly more than to advise, and to work more with continue struggling with biology for the my tutorials with Dr Moffatt, who later became more for the wider educational and social about physics and my abilities. correlated electron systems. In the third year science/technology based companies. I foreseeable future. Provost of Queen’s. He was (and remains) a benefits of learning to take part in a team of my PhD I happened to encounter John therefore left to help start Apax Partners, then shy man but a great teacher, with endless game rather than in hopes of producing again on a visit to Los Alamos, where he had I guess if this story has a moral, it is that if you a venture capital firm with a £10m fund and excel in? An area that no-one seemed to like, patience, and I owe him a lot. another Andrew Flintoff. We coached our now moved. As soon as we met, we started want to feel like you know what you’re doing, three professionals. My friends thought I was that everyone complained about, and was millionth child last year. exchanging ideas about experiments, and don’t go to Oxford. But if you want a research There was vague talk from one of my tutors mad, as in those days people only joined little openly despised by the lofty theorists who I less than a year later I was doing a postdoc career where every day is like a jump off a of a D.Phil, but I felt I wanted to see more companies if they couldn’t get a job with a had hoped to join? So I turned my attention with him. I spent late nights in the lab and cliff into the unknown, then it’s a good place of the world outside academia. So I joined big one! Backing small, high tech firms in the By the time I left in 2008 we had grown to the practical physics course. long days snowboarding. It was fantastic. to start. International Computers Ltd (ICL), then UK was (and remains) an exciting, fascinating, to 150 professionals with 10 offices Britain’s answer to IBM. I thought I’d be a frustrating and stressful way of earning a around the world and more that technical person in ICL but I overcame the living, and the recession of the early ‘90s didn’t £20 billion under management. Englishman’s natural aversion to sales when help. But we had a few winners (Autonomy, I realised that sales people had more fun, Waterstones) to compensate for the duds and James Leach earned more and told the techies what by the time I left in 2008 we had grown to 150 More recently, I was asked to prepare a report my physics degree, without tying me to a I have worked on some surprising to do! After five great years I got an offer I professionals with 10 offices around the world for the Government about how employment xford in the summer is laboratory. A friend suggested I consider a always beautiful, and never more so thought too good to be true, with a shipping and more that £20 billion under management. law could be changed to remove some career as a patent attorney, so I fired off some inventions: a beer cooler, a tilting train thanO when physics finals are over. As I neared company. My initial analysis proved correct, My physics training was helpful in analysing of the red tape that hampers businesses applications and was lucky to be offered a and even an inflatable car! the end of my degree, I remember relaxing in so after a year I went to Harvard Business quite a few of the thousands of business plans and discourages people from hiring new position at a top UK patent law firm. Seven University Parks with friends, looking back on School instead. That was a wonderful two that I’ve seen over the years (including two employees. Many of the recommendations years on, I am happy to say I am still here! physics graduates are among the most four truly fantastic years. Despite the joy and years, working hard for six months a year and thinly disguised perpetual motion machines). have been adopted, but one in particular has sought after recruits in the profession. relief, I recall a gnawing feeling in the pit of travelling the other six. My wife Jacqui came My time as a salesman had engendered the been controversial. I have learnt that if part of As a patent attorney, I work at the interface my stomach, asking “what next?”. Throughout Most people are surprised to learn that with me and we made some lifelong friends. healthy dose of scepticism that is essential the press don’t like an idea, they feel they can between science and law. The role of the my degree, I had studiously avoided this one does not need any legal knowledge or if you’re going to be a success at venture help to kill it off by shooting the messenger. patent attorney is to secure effective legal question. However, having decided against experience before joining the profession. The capital. When researching a potential investee, It’s been very uncomfortable at times, but I’m protection for new inventions. We handle a My friends thought I was mad, as in further study, and with my bank balance wide range of applications each week, so it requisite legal expertise is normally learnt those days people only joined little their potential customers often say they find glad I did it. that company’s product or service really firmly in the red, the time had come for me is virtually impossible to get bored; there is on the job, by working as a trainee under the companies if they couldn’t get a job There are three pieces of advice I’d give to interesting, but you only know they’re not to find something productive to do. Ideally, always something new around the corner. supervision of a qualified patent attorney, someone who’s looking for a job in business with a big one! just being polite when they sign the order! I wanted a career that would make use of usually for three to four years. You then take or finance. First, join an organisation or an Physics graduates tend to work mainly on More broadly, I’m convinced that physics is an your qualifying exams. industry that has the capacity to grow quickly. patent applications relating to mechanical/ excellent training for business, as every senior If you are interested in finding out more The terms of the Harkness Fellowship that Growth always provides opportunities for electrical/software-type inventions, such as position requires an analytical, curious and P about a career as a patent attorney, the Inside funded me, together with my determination young people: there’s no waiting for dead LL medical devices, mobile phones and search

numerate mind. Apax has a large proportion engines. There is, however, no such thing as a Careers Guide (www.insidecareers.co.uk) Ellis

to play more cricket, dictated that I should men’s/women’s shoes as there is in mature, of physicists among its staff! n “typical” patent application: I have worked on provides in-depth guidance to the profession. return to the UK. I joined the office slow growth companies. Second, work with ur

wb some surprising inventions, including a beer If, on the other hand, you have recently of the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Since leaving Apax I’ve been on a few Boards, products or services that you find really e which then had fifteen people. We described M cooler, a tilting train and even an inflatable devised an invention which you think might

become Chairman of Dawn Capital, a small interesting rather than for the company that / h c be worth protecting, please get in touch with

ourselves as strategy consultants, and venture firm much like Apax was in its will pay you the most on day one. I’ve taken car! Although the inventions mentioned Lea

s your nearest patent attorney! argued that the fact that we didn’t, in most early years, and done a bit of philanthropy, a reduction in salary every time I’ve moved above are not usually the direct subject of a cases, know anything about the client’s including sponsoring the Institute of Particle jobs and only regretted it once. Third, always physics degree, a physics background is ideal © Jame © James Leach works for Mewburn Ellis LLP for getting an in-depth understanding of industry was an advantage as we came to Astrophysics and at Oxford, and an be nice to everybody. The world is a small (www.mewburn.com) and can be contacted at how things work, meaning that high-quality their problems with an open mind. Strategy Academy school (also in Oxford). In addition, I place and you never know when, and in what James Leach (centre): [email protected] consulting has moved on a lot since then! For Chair a charity called Chance to Shine, which is position, people will reappear in your life. from Physics to Patent Law

10 | Department of Physics Newsletter | Summer 2012 Department of Physics Newsletter | Summer 2012 | 11 People

use of high-intensity laser pulses to generate Comings... Awards... coherent beams of soft x-rays. Prof Tim Palmer was awarded the Prof Steve Balbus will be the Savilian Prof Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell was European Meteorological Society’s Professor of Astronomy from October 2012. published in The Times ‘Eureka 100’ – a guide Silver Medal for his pioneering work on to the most important contemporary figures predictability of weather and climate. He Dr Matt Jarvis will join Astrophysics in in British science. was also awarded an ERC Advanced Grant October 2012, working on Square-Kilometre for a project entitled ‘Towards the Prototype: Array science. Prof Andrew Boothroyd was awarded Probabilistic Earth-System Model for Climate the IOP Superconductivity Group Prize for Prediction’. Dr Ivan Konoplev joined the Department his contributions to our understanding in 2011 as a University Lecturer in Accelerator of the interplay between magnetism and prof David Sherrington has been Science. superconductivity using neutron scattering elected Chairman of the Academic Council of techniques. EURASC (European Academy of Sciences). Prof Michael Thorpe will be Visiting Professor in Theoretical Physics. Prof John Cardy was awarded the Dirac Prof Joe Silk was awarded the Balzan prize Medal and Prize for his pioneering work on for his pioneering work on the early evolution field theoretical methods to the study of of the universe. Goings... critical phenomena and phase transitions. Dr Andrei Starinets was awarded the IOP Dr Amalia Coldea was awarded the Prof Ken Peach retired in 2012. Maxwell Medal for his contributions to our Euromagnet Prize for her work on topological understanding of the transport properties of We report with great sadness changes of the Fermi surface and the effect of systems of strongly coupled quantum fields. the passing of Prof Steve electronic correlations in iron pnictides. Rawlings, in January, aged Dr Andrew Steele won FameLab 2012, a Dr Jo Dunkley, as a member of the 50. Steve first came to Oxford science communication competition, with his Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe as a PPARC Advanced Fellow in pitch on quantum mechanics and how it can (WMAP) team, shares in the 2012 Gruber 1991, and was Head of help us to understand the world around us. Cosmology Prize. The prize was awarded Astrophysics, 2005-10. He is for WMAP’s exquisite measurements of Prof Andrew Turberfield was awarded remembered fondly by his many anisotropies in the relic radiation from the Big a Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award. undergraduate and postgraduate students. Bang – the Cosmic Microwave Background. He was also awarded the IOP Tabor Medal for Steve not only supervised his postgraduates his seminal contributions to nano-science. on their thesis projects, he also mentored and Prof Neville Harnew was awarded a supported postgraduate and postdoctoral European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Dr Sam Vinko was awarded the IOP Culham researchers in their careers and became a Grant to develop a particle physics detector Thesis Prize for excellence in scientific method. close friend to many. Steve was a highly known as TORCH (Time Of internally Reflected respected friend and colleague of all those Cherenkov light). Prof Ian Walmsley was elected Fellow of who worked with him. In his career Steve the Royal Society and awarded the IOP Young published more than 160 papers in refereed Prof Carole Jordan was granted an IOP Medal for his innovative contributions to journals and was a lead scientist in the Square Honorary Fellowship for her outstanding optical physics and technology. Kilometre Array (SKA) project. The SKA career and commitment to science. arguably will be the most ambitious Prof Julia Yeomans was awarded an ERC astronomical telescope ever built, which Steve Dr Chris Lintott was awarded the Advanced Grant to investigate questions championed tirelessly, and he would have Royal Society Kohn Award for his excellent that combine hydrodynamics and statistical been delighted to have seen the adoption in engagement with society in matters of science physics. May 2012 of Australia and South Africa as the and its societal dimension. telescope sites. Steve is sorely missed in the Physics Department. Johannes Moeller was awarded the For latest news on developments at Arthur H. Cooke Memorial Prize 2011 for the Oxford Physics Department, see Prof Graham Ross retired in 2012. distinguished work by a first year research student. www.physics.ox.ac.uk/about-us Prof Joe Silk, Savilian Professor of Astronomy, retired in 2012. Dr Kevin O’Keeffe was awarded the To contact the Physics Department, Cavendish Medal for his research into the email [email protected] Prof Fred Taylor retired in 2012.

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12 | Department of Physics Newsletter | Summer 2012