Physics and Astronomy ANNUAL REVIEW 2013–14 UCL DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY Physics and Astronomy Annual Review 2019–20 Cover image: The formation of carbon nanotubes and fullerenes during the process of high temperature annealing of very low density amorphous carbon. Results of atomistic simulation using machine learned GAP-20 carbon model. Credit: Patrick Rowe Image page 4: The wavefunction of a large polaron is depicted on a plane of 1020 Rubrene molecules, an organic semiconducting material, with arcs of electricity giving the polaron a sense of movement between electrodes. The wavefunction was obtained from the group’s in-house fragment-orbital based surface hopping technique which is capable of accurately simulating electron/hole transport dynamics for large molecular systems. VMD was used to render the image. Credit: Matt Ellis, Samuele Giannini & Jochen Blumberger Image page 31: Electronic bands of two-dimensional (δ-doped) silicon measured with photoelectron spectroscopy; heavy hole (HH), light hole (LH), split off (SO) valence bands, and the two-dimensional (2D) dopant band. Credit: Procopios Constantinou and Steven R. Schofield Image page 45: The star-forming region NGC6559, in the constellation Sagittarius. Red traces emission from hydrogen, the most abundant gas in the Universe. Credit: Ian Howarth/Telescope Live Image page 58: The nebula IC2944, portrayed in the ‘Hubble Palette’. The dark features, called `Thackeray’s globules’, are dense, cold, dusty regions seen in silhouette against the glowing background gas. Credit: Ian Howarth/Telescope Live. Image page 63: Artist’s illustration of two merging neutron stars. Credit: National Science Foundation/LIGO/Sonoma State University/A. Simonnet Review edited by Bonita Carboo, [email protected] Design © UCL Digital Media Physics and Astronomy ANNUAL REVIEW 2019–20 Contents 2 Welcome 4 COMMUNITY FOCUS 5 Teaching Lowdown 6 Student Accolades 7 Equality and Diversity Committee 8 Students in Action 12 Science in Action 16 Teaching Fellows 18 Outreach 23 Career Profiles 26 Alumni Matters 28 Observatory News 31 ACADEMIC SHOWCASE 32 Staff News 35 Research Degrees 36 Portrait of… 38 In Memoriam 42 A Sample of Staff Accolades 45 RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT 46 High Energy Physics (HEP) 49 Astrophysics (Astro) 52 Biological Physics (BioP) 54 Atomic, Molecular, Optical and Positron Physics (AMOPP) 56 Condensed Matter and Materials Physics (CMMP) 58 RESEARCH STATISTICS 63 STAFF SNAPSHOT 1 WELCOME Welcome The Covid-19 pandemic has proved to be a seismic needs to be carefully re-framed as some people will and utterly unprecedented international crisis, which have no option but to work at odd times (particularly has presented our department (and UCL) with a broad as nurseries and schools are largely closed). Flexibility and considerable range of challenges. Along with the and understanding of differences in working times university, our department has been largely virtual and carer responsibilities has been vital at this since late March 2020. The change has been difficult extraordinary time, and we will need to continue to for all of us and I am exceptionally proud of the way play our part to help each other. staff and students have adapted to this crisis. We have come together as a community in extraordinary ways Going forward, in 2020/21, and at the time of writing, to continue our core teaching and research, while we are restarting research lab activity with a partial ensuring that our complex departmental systems and (25% occupancy) reopening of our buildings, but with processes remained functional. To have achieved this those who can work from home continuing to do so. at very short notice in a remote working environment The priority for a considerable time will be to ensure is exceptional. I am glad to have the additional all appropriate measures are in place to keep staff opportunity of this Annual Review to deeply thank all and students as safe as possible. Enormous efforts members of our department for the collegiality and have also been made across the department to plan professionalism they have shown. We are continuing for blended teaching in UG and PGT, that combines to work hard in providing the best possible educational remote teaching, some face-to face delivery (e.g. in experiences for our students, and in producing the labs) and additional pastoral support. We’ve reached highest quality, rigorous research against a surreal an important milestone with the confirmation of the backdrop. assessments and exams for this year. Thanks to the hard work of so many colleagues, we had robust Working from home in these extraordinary times, for executed plans in place for a full programme of remote a prolonged period, has not suited everyone in the examinations in June 2020, and adhered to UCL’s ‘no department. Some staff and students have been detriment’ policy that ensures no student’s long-term facing disproportionately heavy burdens depending future will be negatively affected by the circumstances on their environment and circumstances. One positive in which they have sat their assessments. I am however has been that many more of us have become enormously grateful to all in our department who mindful that the idea of common core working hours have worked at speed to review examination plans 2 Physics and Astronomy ANNUAL REVIEW 2019–20 and adapted them for circumstances created by an environment in which everyone feels able to the pandemic. This work has given us the very solid participate to their full potential and are valued for their foundations to plan the 2020/21 assessments, which contributions. All avenues of work in this department are also now likely to be conducted remotely. are stronger when they derive from a community grounded in respect and diversity. I believe that It is quite clear that post-Covid will not be the same creating this positive and inclusive work environment as pre-Covid, and our research activities will need to is a responsibility shared by all the members of our adapt to flat-cash settlements for exploitation grants department, and we all have a role in breaking down and a likely lack of resources for new projects. We the inequalities that are present because of differences will need a new agility with funding and look for the in race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexuality, religious opportunities. Meanwhile, of course, EU exit is still belief, disabilities, caring responsibilities and all happening and we look to UKRI for the pathway protected characteristics. I recognise that we must that will ensure UK remains a key global player in not be complacent and there is still considerable physics and astrophysics. There are also challenges progress to be made. The challenge of attracting more in ensuring vitality and future proofing of technology Black students and staff into pursuing physics and through active R&D. Nevertheless, as you will read astrophysics in this department is an enormous and from the outstanding research highlights in this complex example, but not without solutions. Many Review, our department is well placed to adapt and Black students at school perceive other university there are many reasons to be positive. We continue degree subjects are more supportive and rewarding, to attract outstanding talent through new lectureship resulting in a loss of talent to physics and astrophysics. appointments (Drs Edina Rosa, Stephen Feeney, The challenge and opportunity for us to discuss, debate Mihkel Kama, and Jason Sanders being the latest and act on is how we can take advantage of the early in 2020), and via Royal Society, STFC and UKRI school interests shown by Black students for physics Future Leader Fellowships. Going forward, we are and nurture this interest, engage in their burgeoning strongly placed to deliver on the new European science aspirations, and support their learning. Strategy for Particle Physics, including the priority full exploitation of LHC and its High-Luminosity upgrades The relatively few Black undergraduate and of accelerators and experiments. We are positioning postgraduate students that do elect to study in our for the major upgrade of the Diamond Light Source department must, as indeed should all students, (2024/5), along with those of ATLAS and DUNE. The experience lecturers, mentors, tutors, staff and peer Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), the interactions that give them a strong sense of belonging. construction of which UCL has had an important We cannot, and must not, accept any factors that role, is now producing high quality images through its negatively impact on students’ sense of belonging wide field corrector lens system. Recently announced in our department, and we must guard against successes in the STFC/EPSRC Quantum Technologies unconscious bias, microaggressions and stereotype for Fundamental Physics (QTFP) have opened new threat. Through the department’s student societies, chapters in novel and very interdisciplinary science PDRA network, listening groups, EDI committees that will involve an exciting new close collaboration and – above all – its individual members, we should between the department’s HEP and AMOPP groups in aim to continually communicate values of respect and particular. inclusion through our actions, physical environment, degree education content, and work to eradicate acts This year has also been one of deeper reflection, motivated by bias and racism. in various fora and discussion groups across the department, inspired by the Black Lives Matter Working