Spring 2019, Number 14 Department of Physics Newsletter A CENTURY AND A HALF OF OCEAN WARMING AND SEA LEVEL RISE

THE EXTREME USING POLYMER WORKING WITH THE UNIVERSE: PHYSICS TO SPACE INDUSTRY: ASTROPHYSICAL IMPROVE CANCER Oxford’s role in the UK’s TRANSIENTS TREATMENT growing space sector www.physics.ox.ac.uk PROUD WINNERS OF: SCIENCE NEWS SCIENCE NEWS www.physics.ox.ac.uk/research www.physics.ox.ac.uk/research

Right: Fig. 2. The hunt for the electromagnetic EXPLORING THE HIGH ENERGY afterglow of the LIGO-Virgo neutron star-neutron star TRANSIENT UNIVERSE merger event GW170817. Left Astrophysical transients – very short- motion of the electrons around the ThunderKAT to track the radio panel: combining lived astronomical events observed from magnetic field lines produces the emission from relativistic transients localisations from earth – are both the sites and signatures synchrotron emission we can observe with this telescope over a five-year LIGO and Virgo of the most extreme phenomena in our with radio telescopes. survey. Oxford Astrophysics also leads with those from the Universe: for example, exploding stars, other major programmes on MeerKAT, Fermi and INTEGRAL Radio emission provides some notable compact object mergers, black holes, including deep extragalactic surveys spacecraft allowed neutron stars and ultra-relativistic flows. advantages to observations of transient and timing of pulsars. ThunderKAT’s an optical transient phenomena at other wavelengths. Firstly, They are invaluable probes for subjects targets include accretion events onto Prof Rob Fender to be identified in a year as relativistic ejecta from the in the sky. Combining observations in it is the only reliable tracer of the amount THE FUTURE as diverse as relativistic astrophysics, white dwarfs, neutron stars and black (Astrophysics) a galaxy 40 Mpc event ploughed into the surrounding the radio and X-ray bands can tell us stellar evolution and cosmology. They of kinetic energy released in an explosive holes; the explosions of massive away. The optical medium (see Fig. 2). First year DPhil how changes in the flow of matter in Combining radio and X-ray also have the potential to act as probes event, as it is this kinetic energy which stars; and gravitational wave bursts, emission probed the student Lauren Rhodes, who is jointly the most relativistic regions of the event observations of high energy transients of the intervening interstellar and powers the shock-accelerated electrons which are accompanied by a short radioactive decay funded by Oxford and The Max Planck couple to variations in the degree and tells us about the matter very close to intergalactic medium on all scales, up that we observe. Without a good gamma-ray burst. We already have of rare elements Institute for radio astronomy in Bonn, as form of kinetic feedback from the event. the relativistic event, and the explosive to and including cosmological distances. estimate of the kinetic feedback from some breakthrough results, such as the formed in the merger part of a radio transients collaboration, transport of kinetic energy to large an event, we cannot properly balance discovery of a large-scale relativistic jet event. Right panel: will lead future MeerKAT observations distance away from the transient. Within two weeks Our research group within Oxford the energy budget associated with the from a nearby black hole by third-year of such afterglows. This is a very exciting RELATIVISTIC OSCILLATIONS Between these two frequency regimes Astrophysics focuses on observations phenomenon. Secondly, because radio an X-ray and radio DPhil student Joe Bright. time, as LIGO resumed operation on Analysis of X-ray emission from lie the optical and infrared bands, in of such phenomena in the radio and observations can be performed by counterpart emerged, Dr Adam Ingram 1 April 2019, and the estimated rate of transients and high energy sources is which the majority of transients are X-ray bands, using the world’s largest interferometers many 1,000s of km apart as a powerful (Royal Society URF) neutron star mergers may be as high as led in our group by two fellows: Dr Sara first discovered, and which provide us radio telescopes and cutting-edge (effectively only limited by the diameter MULTI-MESSENGER OBSERVATIONS relativistic outflow several per year. Motta (Glasstone and Hintze Fellow) with information about the radioactive orbiting observatories. In the near of the Earth), extremely high angular OF LIGO BURSTS decelerated in the and Dr Adam Ingram (Royal Society decays and mildly relativistic ‘thermal’ future we will be embracing Oxford’s resolutions can be achieved, allowing interstellar medium The electromagnetic counterparts of and produced University Research Fellow), with DPhil ejecta often associated with such commitment to the Large Synoptic an image detail impossible at other X-RAY EMISSION gravitational wave events is one of synchrotron emission. students Lise du Buisson and Ed Nathan. events. Only by piecing together all Survey Telescope (LSST) project and wavelengths where such techniques the hottest topics in astrophysics right Our group was At almost the other extreme of the Together, Adam and Sara have shown wavelengths (and in some cases also expanding into the area of optical cannot be used. now, following the joint discovery involved in radio electromagnetic spectrum from radio that the most likely interpretation of the gravitational wave signal) can we transients to cover the full range of Our group uses all of the world’s major of gravitational and electromagnetic observations of this emission is the X-ray band. X-rays tend oscillations in the X-ray flux from build a coherent physical picture of what electromagnetic phenomena from these 8 radio telescope arrays, and most notably waves from the same event, for the ‘afterglow’ with to originate in the hot plasma (>10 K) black holes, such as those illustrated is taking place. events. Dr Sara Motta is leading a project on astrophysical first time in history, in August 2017. (Glasstone Fellow) MeerKAT and is ready very close to the central relativistic in Fig. 3, is the precession of a torus transients with the new MeerKAT This event, the merger of two neutron to follow-up new object or explosive event. Rapid X-ray of matter very close to the black hole. In the near future, the LSST will begin radio telescope in South Africa (Fig. 1). stars codenamed GW170817 (the date events when LIGO variability can be used as a probe of the Adam has recently made predictions operations to monitor the southern sky RADIO EMISSION FROM TRANSIENTS On 13 July 2018 this major new radio of the discovery), produced at early resumes operation on regions of largest gravitational curvature for the polarisation signature of such with unprecedented depth and cadence Essentially, all explosive or relativistic telescope was inaugurated and began full times both a gravitational wave and 1 April 2019. in the universe since the Big Bang. a precessing torus, which will be tested to look for optical transients. Oxford phenomena in astrophysics have operations. It is the most powerful radio gamma-ray signal. This was followed by Plasma close to a black hole of mass with the launch of NASA’s Imaging has been a leading partner in LSST associated synchrotron emission, which telescope in the southern hemisphere, strong optical emission from radioactive ten times that of our sun (quite typical, X-ray Polarimetry Explorer in 2021. since its inception, and is looking to is primarily detectable at radio bands. and part of the last stage of precursor decay of rare r-process elements on a we expect there to be millions of such exploit this involvement in a range of Extremely high velocity ejecta (‘jets’) telescopes before construction begins on timescale of days, and then later by a black holes in our Galaxy) will orbit it Sara is also working closely with science areas, not least of which is the from the explosion shock-accelerate the Square Kilometre Array in ~2025. synchrotron-emitting radio and X-ray Joe Bright (DPhil student 200 times per second, and we can probe the ThunderKAT team to provide study of optical transients. The goal electrons to relativistic energies and, at Prof Rob Fender is co-lead, together afterglow, which was visible for nearly working on jets with these physical scales by performing X-ray coverage of all radio transients for our group is that by combining our the same time, amplify and compress with Prof Patrick Woudt (University ThunderKAT) Fourier analysis of photons collected observed with MeerKAT, and vice versa. existing radio expertise, strengthening magnetic fields. The resulting spiralling of Cape Town), of a project called with precise arrival times by orbiting By combining these data we are our X-ray expertise, and now moving spacecrafts. Accretion of matter onto building a uniquely rich data set for into optical transients, we can provide these ‘stellar mass’ black holes is the understanding the connection between the most coherent possible approach origin of the brightest X-ray transients accretion and jets. to the study of astrophysical transients. Fig. 1: The MeerKAT radio telescope, South Africa, the most powerful radio telescope in the southern hemisphere, began full operations in July 2018. Oxford leads several large survey programmes on this Fig. 3: A quasi-periodic oscillation in the X-ray flux of an facility, including the ThunderKAT transients survey. accreting stellar-mass black hole. The inner accretion disk, Lauren Rhodes (DPhil close to the black hole, is undergoing a nodal precession – a student who will follow ‘wobble’ of the inner disk, like a spinning top. This is due to the up new LIGO GW events relativistic frame dragging effect, whereby a spinning massive with MeerKAT) object drags the surrounding space around with it, like a ‘gravitational vortex’. This precession has been measured in the orbit of satellites around Earth, but the effect is tiny – one precession cycle would take around 33 million years! Around a black hole, a precession cycle takes only one second. © SKA SOUTH AFRICA SOUTH SKA ©

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SINCE 1871, 430 x 1021 JOULES OF WARMING THE WORLD’S SINCE 1871 A CENTURY AND A HALF OF OCEAN OCEANS HAVE For our specific problem, we extracted WARMED THE ocean transport Green’s functions, based WARMING AND SEA LEVEL RISE EQUIVALENT on an approach initially developed by Prof Samar Khatiwala (Earth Reconstructing the history of ocean temperatures using a 200-year-old mathematical model OF ROUGHLY Sciences). The Green’s functions were 1,000 TIMES taken from a state-of-the-art estimate THE PRESENT- of the global ocean circulation that optimally combines satellite and in- DAY ANNUAL situ measurements with a global ocean GLOBAL circulation model, provided by Prof P Over the past century, increased greenhouse gas emissions have given rise to an excess of energy HUMAN Heimbach (University of Texas). Our in the Earth system, most of which has been absorbed by the ocean, leading to increased ocean method is analogous to inserting dye at PRIMARY Fig. 2 temperatures and sea level rise. Due to a scarcity of data, global estimates of ocean warming the surface of the ocean and monitoring ENERGY how it spreads into the interior over start only in the 1940s. In a recent study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of level rise. This increase in sea level is world’s oceans. As such, we are part of CONSUMPTION time. Our dye is surface temperature, in addition to global mean sea level a large multi-institution NERC-funded Sciences of the United States of America, we have estimated that, since 1871, the world’s oceans which is better observed than interior rise due to melting ice. Based on our grant, TICTOC (http://projects.noc. have warmed the equivalent of roughly 1,000 times the annual global human primary energy ocean temperature. We use a range reconstruction, we estimate that about ac.uk/tictoc/) aimed at using collected Prof Laure Zanna of observational products of surface consumption, with an associated sea level rise of over 5 cm. These results were obtained by 50 mm of global mean sea level rise in physical and chemical ocean tracers, temperatures to sample the uncertainty. @laurezanna the past 150 years was due to ocean together with simulations, to refine our combining observations with mathematical and numerical models. The surface temperature changes are warming, roughly a quarter of the total. methods. The project will address many the partial imprint of the atmosphere atmosphere accumulate in the ocean. which are geographically more sparse outstanding questions on the role of OUR OCEANS on the water parcels, which are then In the past 50 years, the oceans have and often restricted to shallower depths, ocean circulation in shaping the regional transported into the ocean interior Oceans cover 71% of the Earth’s absorbed roughly 93% of the extra are insufficient to permit an accurate A CHANGING OCEAN CIRCULATION? distribution of global warming and sea with our Green’s functions. Using this surface, hosting millions of species and heat now present in the Earth System. global estimate of ocean heat content level rise, with the goal of boosting method we find global warming of The new estimate also suggests that providing more than half of the oxygen The remaining 7% is warming the before the 1940s. confidence in our predictions of future the oceans of 436 ± 91 x 10²¹ Joules in the last 60 years up to half of the needed for us to breathe. Oceans act as atmosphere and land, and melting climate change. since 1871 (Fig. 1). With the help of observed warming and associated sea regulators and mediators of the climate sea ice, glaciers and the Greenland former MPhys student Jonny Ison level rise in parts of the Atlantic Ocean system. For example, they modulate the and Antarctic ice sheets. Futhermore, AN OLD IDEA TO TACKLE A Prof Jonathan Gregory (Christ Church 2018), we find that our are due to changes in ocean transport. L Zanna, S Khatiwala, J Gregory, J Ison, surface temperature and feed moisture since the industrial revolution, the MODERN PROBLEM (University of Reading; reconstruction agrees with estimates During this period, more heat has to the atmosphere, impacting rainfall ocean has also absorbed more than P Heimbach (2019). Global reconstruction of & Merton 1983) made from interior temperature accumulated at lower latitudes than over large areas of the planet. Oceans 30% of anthropogenic carbon dioxide The ocean interacts with the atmosphere historical ocean heat storage and transport. measurements over the past 50 years. would have if circulation were not also serve as a vast reservoir of heat emissions. Therefore, by absorbing at the sea surface, specifically air-sea Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 116 (4) 1126-1131, Our new method allows us to estimate changing (Fig. 2). While we identified a and carbon. The top 3 metres of the human-made excess heat and carbon, fluxes imprint the current state of the 10.1073/pnas.1808838115. the ocean heat uptake which occurred change in ocean circulation, we cannot ocean contain as much heat as the whole the oceans delay the rate of climate atmosphere on ocean fluid parcels. since the beginning of the industrial attribute it solely to human-induced The new datasets are available online at atmosphere, and the top 50 metres change in the atmosphere. These water parcels, which retain Above: Warming era, before interior temperature records changes. Much work remains to be done https://goo.gl/SW731y contain as much carbon as the entire information acquired at the surface, stripes: visualisation began. As the oceans warm, the water to validate our method and understand atmosphere. are then transported away from the of full-depth ocean OBSERVING THE OCEANS surface into the ocean interior. The warming from 1870 expands, leading to global mean sea how heat is transported around the to 2018. Observational constraints on future timescales of transport of these water A BUFFER OF CLIMATE CHANGE parcels from the surface into the anthropogenic warming critically Fig. 1: Ocean warming Increased human-made greenhouse depend on accurate estimates of past interior constitute the memory of the reconstruction gas emissions give rise to an imbalance ocean warming. Near-global data ocean to surface atmospheric forcing. with standard error in the Earth’s energy budget, which coverage of ocean temperatures has only The large-scale ocean currents, and (orange) for the warms the planet. As the climate adjusts been achieved since 2006 with the full small-scale mixing and diffusive upper 2000 m of the to more than a century of growing deployment of Argo profiling floats in processes determine the transport ocean, compared emissions, energy and heat from the the upper 2000 m. Earlier observations, and timescales of fluid parcels in the with other available ocean interior. To reconstruct ocean estimates. temperature changes, we, therefore, Fig. 2: Observed need to know the transport pathways ocean warming (and their timescales), and the trends in the past 60 temperature changes at the ocean’s years over the top surface. Such problems can generally 2000 m (data from be solved by finding a so-called surface NCEI https://www. boundary condition propagator ncei.noaa.gov/), (also known as a type of Green’s highlighting the non- function) – an idea that originated in the uniform warming 1830s from the British mathematician over the planet, George Green. Green’s functions are argued to be due in nowadays widely used to study partial part to a changing Fig. 1 differential equations. ocean circulation.

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the specimen, to produce images of Right: Fig. 2. Nano- the sample as it is ‘felt’ by the touch of rheology technique the tip. Doing this very accurately, in developed by USING POLYMER PHYSICS TO Alba Piacenti in a quantitative way, allows us not only the Contera lab. to ‘see’ the sub-molecular details of Fig. 2A shows a life, but also to extract other quantities IMPROVE CANCER TREATMENT microcantilever that such as the mechanical properties of Polymers are large molecules that consist of long chains made of repeating subunits (monomers). is used to deform biological structures (eg the softness the material. Fig. of the materials or the time it takes to Individual polymer chains can reach large macroscopic sizes, the DNA encapsulated in our cells 2B shows a blue react to a nano-sized deformation). is a two-metre-long polymer but their diameters are in the nano-scale, the diameter of DNA laser used to excite The combination of images with local is two nanometres. the cantilever and quantitative information about the a red laser that is mechanics of biological systems make used to detect its the AFM a unique tool to investigate the POLYMERS IN BIOLOGY FIBROUS PROTEINS AND TUMOURS option in most cases. But, due to advanced stage at diagnosis, less movement. Fig. 2C physics of tissues and the way they work. The particular ability to link what Polymers are also crucial in the than 20% of patients receive surgery. shows the movement Ultimately, every chemical reaction in Sonia Contera is an of the cantilever in air happens at the nanometre scale development of tumours and the Chemotherapy can improve this figure biology is catalysed by a mechanical Associate Professor (black) and in contact with larger size scales is one of the effectiveness of therapeutic treatments. by shrinking tumours, however, most force, and every biological movement of Biological Physics with a polymeric characteristics that makes polymers In order to grow into surviving pancreatic cancers do not respond to is supported by a mechanical structure. and author of the material (red). central to biology: polymers wriggling, tumours, cancer cells need to create an chemotherapy. The ineffectiveness of forthcoming book: assembling and catalysing chemical environment that provides nutrients but, chemotherapy is thought to be related In the particular case of pancreatic Nano Comes to Life: used in applications of regenerative under study at the nanometre scale, reactions in salty water gave rise, most crucially, they also need to prevent the to the mechanical properties (eg cancers, we are using AFM to investigate How Nanotechnology Is medicine. Apart from medicine, we and from both the deformation and likely, to the emergence of life on Earth immune system from destroying them. stiffness) of the tissue emerging from the mechanical properties of collagen Transforming Medicine are interested in understanding how the time the material takes to recover (DNA, RNA and proteins are polymers). The development of a tumour is often the anomalous deposition of fibrous and of the networks it forms with other life is ultimately underpinned by the from it, many useful properties of the Polymers are also crucial to biological accompanied by the deposition of large proteins (such as collagen), which result and the Future of Biology polymers. Our objective is to understand general laws of physics, in particular material can be determined. In order growth and form: collagen (the most amounts of fibrous proteins, such as in a restriction of fluid flow within (November 2019) how collagen networks control the how biology exploits non-equilibrium to extract the maximum information, abundant protein in humans) is a fibrous collagen, that create a robust structural the tissue, impairing drug delivery. diffusion of molecules (including drugs) @SoniaContera thermodynamics to grow the shapes that we need to do this at many indentation protein that underpins the formation of framework which facilitates its survival Chemotherapy is, therefore, inefficient within the tumour. To achieve this goal, allow survival and replication. speeds, and so Alba has designed a laser complex networks that shape our bodies and growth. A particular example of this because the drugs do not even reach we make use of AFM experiments, POLYMERS combined with traditional biological signal that interrogates the sample at to a large extent; cellulose fibres in cell behaviour is pancreatic cancer. the cells. Existing tumour-targeting Alba Rosa Piacenti in our lab is currently and biochemical techniques and also many speeds from the Hz (one impact/ walls create the structural frame of chemotherapies are not designed to WRIGGLING, working on a new technique which will modern biological advances such as second) to the MHz range (million plants’ shape and growth; and chitosan Pancreatic cancer is one of the enhance or control the transport of ASSEMBLING improve our knowledge of the growth proteomics. But, crucially, we make impacts/second) (see Fig. 2). The (the second most abundant polymer on most deadly types of the disease. fluids/drugs, or indeed the physics of tumours and plants, and enable us Atomic Force AND use of the predictions from ‘polymer information that she obtains from this Earth after cellulose) forms the shells of Chemotherapy is largely inefficient: underlying it. to design materials for regenerative Microscopy CATALYSING physics’ theory. technique can then be analysed using crabs, shrimps and other crustaceans. surgery is the only curative treatment medicine and drug delivery. To learn provides theory and mathematical models to, for CHEMICAL how a material performs, we need to example, understand water flow inside PHYSICS COLLABORATES WITH unprecedented know its structure (which we achieve REACTIONS the polymer mesh, or its growth. Her MEDICINE insight into POLYMER PHYSICS AND ATOMIC through microscopy), and we also IN SALTY research has attracted the interest of the biology of FORCE MICROSCOPY need to know how it responds to In the past few months my group at industry, and we now collaborate with WATER GAVE deformation. We do this all the time the Clarendon laboratory has started tumour growth The field of polymer physics was born Oxford Instruments Asylum Research RISE, MOST in ‘real’ life: imagine you are buying a collaboration with Dr Alex Gordon- from the pioneering work of Paul Flory to make the technique available for a a pair of running shoes... first you Weeks from the Nuffield Department LIKELY, TO THE (Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1974), large range of applications. of Surgical Science. Dr Gordon-Weeks EMERGENCE OF which was followed by the advances of look at them (nice? would they fit?), notable physicists such as Pierre-Gilles then you hold them (too heavy?), you is a surgeon and an expert on biology We have established a large network LIFE ON EARTH de Gennes (Nobel Prize in Physics in stroke them (smooth?) and deform of pancreatic cancer. We are interested of collaborators in other departments, in using physics to improve our 1991), Sam Edwards and Masao Doi. them (flexible enough? How long will including Plant Sciences; the understanding of pancreatic tumours Polymer physics theory is currently they last if I use them every day?). Mathematical Institute; Engineering and eventually make treatments more used in materials research, and has In our experiments we are trying to Science; the Radcliffe Department effective. been particularly useful in developing answer these types of questions, but of Medicine; and the Addenbrookes applications such as the rubber of car we are also seeking to unveil new Hospital in Cambridge. Our lab is part This project fits with the current focus tyres. information such as: will they grow, of an increasingly large community of our lab: the study of the physics of why and how? Will they allow the of physicists working at the interface biological systems (polymers, cells and Imbued with the methods and drugs to reach the cancer cells that of physics and biological/medical tissues) using the combined powers concepts of polymer physics, we are need to be eliminated? To achieve this, sciences. This activity has emerged in of atomic force microscopy (AFM) currently developing experiments Alba is developing a ‘nano-rheology part from the limitations of the current and soft matter physics. AFM is the Left: Collagen and experimental techniques based device’ that focuses a laser on an AFM only tool that can produce images of fibres imaged in on the use of AFM which allow us microcantilever (a small device shaped paradigms of biology to identify biological systems in fluid at nanometre physiological fluid to tackle complex biological and as a microscale diving board) with a and cure diseases, but also from the and sub-nanometre resolution. AFM is environment by AFM. medical problems such as pancreatic nanosize tip at the front. When the development of tools such as AFM and not an optical microscope, but relies on Imaged by Casey cancer or heart disease. We also apply laser hits the microcantilever, it bends. polymer physics that are progressively the precise measurement of the forces Adam in Contera Lab our techniques to the development The bending of the microlever can be pushing a significant part of biological between a nanometre-sized tip and at Oxford Physics. of artificial materials that can be used to indent the polymeric material research into the realm of physics.

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www.physics. The Space Industry ENGAGE... ox.ac.uk/ • Oxford Physics is just 13 miles from the infrastructure, spacecraft, launchers and WORKING WITH THE enterprise emerging Space Hub at Harwell, which satellites. includes the European Space Agency • By 2030, it is forecasted that 13,000 small (ESA) Business Incubation Centre and its satellites will be launched. SPACE INDUSTRY European Centre for Space Applications and Telecommunications; RAL Space and the • Downstream services and applications are Academics at the University of Oxford have been studying space for more than 400 years and FERNANDO BEN © Satellite Applications Catapult; as well as a estimated to reach revenues of £37 bn have hosted the Savilian Professor of Astronomy since 1619, as well as including in our ranks DPhil student Rory Evans and range of space companies – in total 89 Space by 2030. The most significant areas of postdoc Dr Tris Warren providing famous scientists such as Sir Christopher Wren, Edmond Halley and Stephen Hawking. Today, organisations employing 950 people. opportunity are in applications for the a tour of our Space Instrument defence, health, environment, maritime and Testing Facility we are playing a significant role in the UK’s space industry sector, which is part of a rapidly • The space industry is segmented into telecommunications sectors. growing global market valued at £190 billion and predicted to double in the next 10 years. ‘upstream’ and ‘downstream’ sectors. The latter The Oxford Space Industry Day, relates to space-enabled services such as • The global space market is estimated to reach deployed from space shuttle ‘Discovery’ THROUGH TIME AND SPACE Dr Phillip Tait satellite communications, global positioning £400 bn by 2030 with the UK space industry held in September 2018 at the in 1991 and also the High Resolution services or use of Earth observation data, anticipated to capture 10%. Department of Physics, was attended Oxford Physics entered the space Dynamics Limb Sounder (HIRDLS) whilst the ‘upstream’ sector includes space by more than 170 delegates from age on 8 April 1970, with the launch instrument on the Aura satellite, industry and academia and included of its first instrument, the Selective launched in 2004. keynotes from ESA’s UK Director Chopper Radiometer (SCR) on Nimbus and testing. The instrument can its latest incarnation, the Compact THE GLOBAL OUR SPACE Magali Vaissiere and UKSA CEO, 4, a meteorological research and Oxford Physicists have also applied measure the tiniest seismic waves or Infrared Imager and Radiometer SPACE MARKET INSTRUMENT Dr Graham Turnock. development satellite. the same techniques to remote sensing NASA/ESA © ‘Marsquakes’, which will help scientists (CIIR) project, can fit on a CubeSat, Cassini Composite InfraRed IS ESTIMATED DEVELOPMENT understand Mars’ internal structure and a new class of miniaturised satellite of other planets, and began building This engagement role is being Spectrometer AND TESTING subsequently its formation. weighing only 6 kg, designed to reduce instruments for planetary missions, TO REACH supported by the Oxford Space EXPERTISE: the cost of deployment, allowing many starting with the Orbiter Infrared Oxford Physics has also developed £400 bn more instruments to be launched and Research Network, co-ordinated by Radiometer (OIR) experiment on meteorological and seismic • Mechanical and opening up more opportunities for Oxford Physicist Dr Colin Wilson, Pioneer Venus in 1978, which was instrumentation for other planets. BY 2030 thermal design novel commercial services. Developed and brings together more than developed as a collaboration between Our most recent contribution to WITH THE in collaboration with Clyde Space Ltd, 100 researchers working across NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory planetary exploration is the Short Period • Thermal vacuum UK SPACE RAL Space and the Satellite Applications the University on research related and Oxford. This was followed by Seismometer (SEIS-SP) instrument, testing INDUSTRY Catapult, CIIR is a multi-spectral to spacecraft technologies or data many more infrared remote sounding which was safely deployed on the • Vibration and NASA/JPL-CALTECH © imaging radiometer that operates in from satellites, from departments

© NASA © instruments orbiting Mars, the Moon, surface of Mars just a few months ago ANTICIPATED testing InSight with SEIS deployed the thermal infrared. In addition to as diverse as Physics, Zoology, Nimbus 4, 1970 Jupiter and Saturn. Notably, Oxford by NASA’s InSight lander. The project TO CAPTURE applications in solar and Earth system collaborated with NASA’s Goddard was led by Imperial College London in Computer Science, Materials • Focal plane science, the design can be tuned to be A series of increasingly more Space Flight Centre on the development collaboration with STFC RAL Space, the 10% EYE IN THE SKY and Law. design and sensitive to, for example, atmospheric sophisticated instruments followed, of the Cassini Composite InfraRed UK Space Agency (UKSA) and a team manufacture Oxford Physics continues to develop trace gases, volcanic aerosol, which is an Other recent space events hosted including the Improved Stratospheric Spectrometer, which orbited Saturn from Oxford Physics led by Dr Simon instruments for Earth Observation, aviation hazard, or mineral composition by our department have included and Mesospheric Sounder (ISAMS) from 2004 until September 2017 when Calcutt and Dr Neil Bowles. Oxford’s • Calibration target providing the Compact Modular mapping, as well as providing new a public lecture on ‘The search for experiment on the Upper Atmosphere its mission ended with a spectacular dive role in this instrument development design and Sounder (CMS) on the UK’s sources of data for commercial life beyond Earth, in space and Research Satellite (UARS), which was into the planet’s atmosphere. was to lead the assembly, integration manufacture TechDemoSat-1 (TDS-1) Satellite. CMS sectors including agriculture, disaster time’ by NASA’s Chief Scientist is a modular infrared remote sensing 13,000 • Facilities for CAD monitoring and pollution control. Dr James Green (jointly organised radiometer, sensitive to the temperature OUR SPACE INSTRUMENT TEST FACILITIES Thermal vacuum small satellites (mechanical and with the Worshipful Company of chambers in clean room of the Earth’s atmosphere at different will be launched optical) Instrument Makers and our DPhil To support the design, fabrication, heights, as well as trace chemicals. student Ben Fernando) and also a testing and calibration of instruments by 2030 • Product assurance TDS-1 was a technology demonstration for use in space and on the surface of satellite developed by Surrey Satellite panel discussion on the contribution other planets, specialist facilities have • Planetary Technology Ltd launched in 2014 and to society of the space industry with been developed at Oxford Physics. The protection used to test novel instrument designs for a keynote from Prof Johann-Dietrich pre-flight calibration of multiple remote requirements future missions to Earth’s orbit, Moon, Wörner, Director-General of ESA, sensing instruments has been carried for planetary Venus or an asteroid. (jointly organised with the Oxford missions BOWLES NEIL © University Aeronautical Society and out in chambers in our clean areas and Oxford Physics is The CMS instrument has been further The Compact Infrared Imager and Science Innovation Union). we have facilities for thermal vacuum, close to the emerging • Flight electronics optimised and miniaturised so that Radiometer vibration and shock testing as well as Space Hub at Harwell: manufacture characterisation of infrared sensors As nations develop their plans for space exploration, the role of physicists and industry is becoming and seismometers. These facilities and more important than ever. SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, who studied business and physics as an associated expertise are also now being 89 space organisations undergraduate (and briefly started a PhD in Physics) is developing launch vehicles for NASA, whilst used by space companies, particularly employing those based near Oxford, thus providing Oxford Physics alumnus Will Marshall, whose DPhil was in quantum physics before he joined NASA, exciting opportunities to develop new is co-founder and CEO of Planet, a US-based company that has the largest fleet of Earth-imaging collaborations with industry. 950 satellites in orbit. I hope this article has provided a flavour of the exciting projects under development people © SIMON CALCUTT SIMON © ICONS MADE BY EUCALYP FROM WWW.FLATICON.COM FROM EUCALYP BY MADE ICONS at Oxford Physics, as well as our role in the UK’s ambitions for space.

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Prof Ian Shipsey, NOTES FROM THE Head of Department HEAD OF PHYSICS About my gift Regular Gift I wish to support Oxford by giving to I would like to make a regular gift of: We are powered by our people. They Special Breakthrough Prize ‘for £20 £50 £100 Other: ...... here has never been a better Oxford Physics Endowment for Graduates (OXPEG) time to be the Head of are our greatest asset and it has been fundamental contributions to the Monthly Quarterly Annually T The Vice-Chancellor’s General Fund Oxford Physics! When I began a privilege to meet and be inspired by discovery of pulsars, and a lifetime of last September, there was a great so many of the Oxford Physics team – inspiring leadership of the scientific A college* ...... Starting on 01/ / until further notice students, staff, academics and alumni community’ and her decision to donate (please allow three weeks before the first payment is taken) foundation on which to build: we A faculty / department* ...... – in the last six months. In September, the £2.3M prize to create the Bell- were number one in the Research Bank/Building Society name: ...... at the Beecroft opening, I met many Burnell Graduate Scholarship Fund. A museum* ...... Excellence Framework; research of the alumni and benefactors who Just prior to Christmas, I was proud Account Number: income was at an all time high; NASA/JPL-CALTECH © Other: ...... made the building possible. 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I understand that if I pay less Income Tax and/or Capital Gains tax than the amount problems; educate the next generation I had the good fortune to establish in increased. We are developing exciting of Gift Aid claimed on all my donations in that tax year, it is my responsibility to pay any difference. of leading physicists; and promote the 2014 with the University of Tokyo that new programmes to improve access of public understanding of physics. currently fully funds eight Oxford under-represented groups to Oxford. Keep in touch Contact details Matriculation year (if applicable): ...... DPhil students. I’d love to tell you all about them, Over the last two terms, all faculty have Yes, I would like to receive emails from Title: ...... First name: ...... 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Date: ...... latest recruit is world-leading physicist, stage with talented colleagues: topics I confirm my instructions above. Prof Seamus Davis, who joins from ranged from cutting-edge research Cornell, where he was the A J G White in quantum computing, exo-planets, Please complete this form and return to: Distinguished Professor of Physics. super-resolution microscopy and University of Oxford Development Office, Thank you for your support Seamus specialises in the development perovskite solar cells, to technical Wellington Square, Oxford, OX1 2JD United Kingdom of innovative instrumentation to allow infrastructure and Physics Aptitude T +44 (0)1865 611530 F +44 (0)1865 611531 direct visualisation (or perception) of testing. It was moving to recognise E [email protected] www.campaign.ox.ac.uk characteristic quantum many-body Dame Jocelyn Bell-Burnell as we Continue overleaf for Privacy Notice phenomena at atomic scale. celebrated the award of the 2018 To make a gift online, visit www.campaign.ox.ac.uk/physics

10 | Department of Physics Newsletter | Spring 2019 PEOPLE

FIVE MINUTES WITH... DR KATHRYN BOAST Quantum Materials Outreach Officer, Department of Physics

We have a group Twitter account: find us at @QM_Oxford, where we share anything © NATHAN STAZICKER NATHAN © exciting that’s going on! @Kathryn_EB physics.ox.ac.uk/ qmoutreach

As part of our 2018 Oxfordshire Artweeks exhibition, we created a giant model of the crystal structure of superconducting iron selenide. Each ‘atom’ was added by a different member of the department and the crystal ‘grew’ over the course of the day. With the lights off, it was amazing to be inside the crystal!

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In compliance with IRS regulations, the Board more about it – I love the ‘Very Short with an exciting Visit our YouTube channel: of Directors of AFO maintains complete discretion over allocation of gifts Introductions’ series. You can watch demonstration. it receives. Gifts to AFO qualify for an income tax deduction to the full videos or documentaries – YouTube bit.ly/QMOYouTube extent allowed by law. Department of Physics Newsletter | Spring 2019 | 13 DEPARTMENT NEWS & EVENTS DEPARTMENT NEWS & EVENTS

Events... FORTHCOMING IN PICTURES ALUMNI EVENTS We hold a variety of events throughout the year for PARTICLE PHYSICS CHRISTMAS LECTURE our alumni and their guests. All events take place This year’s Particle Physics Christmas Lecture, took in Oxford, unless otherwise stated. Please visit our place on December 1st, hosted by Prof Daniela website (www.physics.ox.ac.uk/events) regularly Bortoletto, Head of Particle Physics. Prof Mark for latest updates and full details. Alumni and their Thompson, Chief Executive of the Science and guests are always welcome and all our events are free, Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and Professor but registration in advance is mandatory. If you have of Experimental Particle Physics in the Cavendish any questions about the events, please contact Val Laboratory, Cambridge, gave a talk entitled: ‘Particle Crowder: [email protected]. Below is a list of physics: what next?’. The talk and panel discussions some of the alumni events we have planned for the were followed by a sit-down lunch, mince pies and hot coming months. We look forward to seeing you soon. drinks in the Clarendon Common Room. The event was, as always, a great success. ‘THINKING 3D’ SPACE & TIME EVENT 22 June Various speakers, including Prof Steven A MORNING OF THEORETICAL PHYSICS Balbus and Prof Chris Lintott. This event, in On 9 February we hosted another Morning of collaboration with Magdalen College, is part of Theoretical Physics. The topic was ‘The physics of life’. the ‘Thinking 3D’ programme organised by the Prof Andrew Tuberfield talked about ‘Programming Bodleian libraries. Alumni and general public are dynamic DNA nanosystems’, Prof Julia Yeomans, FRS, welcome. www.thinking3d.ac.uk talked about ‘Topology in biology’ and Prof Ard Louis explained ‘Why the world is simple’. Other senior ALUMNI GARDEN PARTY members of the Rudolf Peierls Centre for Theoretical 29 June (venue tbc) We are delighted to have Prof Physics, as well as the Head of Physics, took part. Some Steven Balbus, Head of Astrophysics and an expert of the presentations are available to view at http:// on the subject of black holes and accretion, as saturdaytheory.physics.ox.ac.uk/events/physics-life. guest speaker at our Garden Party this year. This is your chance to ask all you wanted to know about BREBIS BLEANEY MEMORIAL LECTURE black holes. See website for details. The inaugural Brebis Bleaney Memorial Lecture ‘Electron paramagnetic resonance: past, present and ALUMNI EVENT IN EDINBURGH future’ was delivered by Prof Mark Newton on 22 2 July New Cl ub , Edinburgh For the first time February. The lectures, commemorating the life and NEW! achievements of Prof Bleaney (1915–2006), will be held annually, thanks to the generous support of Prof Michael Baker (1930–2017), one of Bleaney’s students. If you would like to watch the video from the day, please visit: https://podcasts.ox.ac.uk/electron- 2 July New Club, Princes Street, Edinburgh We hope paramagnetic-resonance-past-present-and-future. many of our Scottish and northern England alumni will join us at this new event to be hosted by Prof ALUMNI EVENT AT THE OXFORD & Ian Shipsey and alumna Dr Susan Hezlet. We are CAMBRIDGE CLUB grateful to Dr William Duncan for his time and With a slightly different format than in previous years, support, too. Prof Ian Shipsey (Head of Department) hosted this annual event at the Oxford & Cambridge Club on SUMMER EXHIBITION AT THE ROYAL SOCIETY 24 April, with two special guests talks: Prof Achillefs 1–7 July Stay tuned for more details of this event. Kapanidis gave a talk entitled ‘DNA repair meets super resolution imaging’ and Prof David Lucas talked about MEETING MINDS OXFORD quantum computing. DPhil student Amy Hughes 20 & 21 September The department will open its explained her work on quantum entanglement and doors for the Alumni Weekend in September. showed some interesting results. The talks and Q&A were followed by a canapés and drinks reception. The AOPP ALUMNI EVENT audience included alumni whose matriculation ranged 15 November This annual event takes place at the from 1949 to 2019! More photos in the next newsletter. Royal Society. PHOTOGRAPHS © PHYSICS/S.BEBB THE HENRY MOSELEY SOCIETY SPECIAL EVENT Date TBC Members of the Society will receive details as soon as they are available. If you’d like to We are aware that alumni who live far from Oxford would like access to recordings of events. Because of become a member or find out more about it, please data protection however, not all events can be filmed. Those visit https://www.campaign.ox.ac.uk/document or that can, will be found here: http://podcasts.ox.ac.uk/units/ contact the alumni office. department-physics

14 | Department of Physics Newsletter | Spring 2019 Department of Physics Newsletter | Spring 2019 | 15 OUTREACH OUTREACH

For more information: www.physics.ox.ac.uk/ MARS INSIGHT LANDING TAKING PHYSICS MAKING PHYSICS outreachnews FROM THE LAB INTO YOUR LIFE On 16 October we opened our doors as ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL part of IF OXFORD, Oxford’s science and Oxford Physics engages in a series of highly active outreach programmes, reaching more than 200,000 ideas festival, to showcase some of the ways research can become technology, and people in the last five years.Our outreach work is focused in four main areas: physics can move from the lab into your life. Map of mars showing landing sites and known impact crater locations On 26 November, members of the public joined researchers 170GUESTS VOLUNTEERS40 LAB6 TOURS from Oxford Physics, Imperial College, Bristol University, INCREASING ACCESS ENGAGING LOCAL INCREASING PUBLIC RAL Space and the UK Space Agency, who worked on the 170 adults and teenagers had the opportunity to explore the department TO OXORD COMMUNITIES DIVERSITY IN STEM ENGAGEMENT Mars Insight mission, to celebrate its scheduled landing on and our research, with an evening of laboratory tours, talks and hands- Mars. The event, held in the department, was fully booked Supporting disadvantaged students Building partnerships with local Working with children from Supporting our researchers in on demonstrations. Forty volunteers – students and researchers from and more than 200 people attended. The InSight lander across the department – helped lead the tours, run the science stalls who have the potential to benefit communities to enrich the life under-represented backgrounds engaging the public with their will study the interior of Mars and listen for Marsquakes. from study in the department of the city to raise aspirations research and present the talks. Various areas of physics were demonstrated, • The evening kicked off with from levitating superconductors to water off a introductions from Sue Horne duck’s back, digital archaeology, citizen science, (UK Space Agency), Dr Neil malarial microscopy, virtual reality and a host Bowles (Oxford Physics) and of quantum fun and games. Such a great idea MARIE CURIOUS 2019 Dr Anna Horleston (Bristol for a festival. We all University) The tours of laboratories were one of the loved looking behind To mark International Day of Women and WORKSHOPS INCLUDED: highlights of the evening, with small groups the closed doors of ‘One of the best things • The audience watched a live of visitors being led behind the scenes by Girls in Science, Oxford Physics held its second EXPLORING THE stream from the NASA control the labs. • about the event was that NASA/JPL-CALTECH © researchers. We were pleased to be able annual girls-in-STEM event (science, technology, GOOEYNESS OF SLIME room and waited for news of it made female scientists The Oxford logo can be seen on to open up six labs, covering quantum engineering and maths). ‘Marie Curious’ brought the landing with bated breath the InSight lander. Image taken SPOTTING CONNECTIONS a lot more accessible – computing, superconductors, solar cells, together 100 local girls aged 11–14 and 30 scientists • News about the success of on Mars. BETWEEN DINOSAURS rather than just reading • nano-imaging and more. Everyone could pitch for a day of interactive science, including hands-on about an inspirational the landing was received with AND BIRDS (WITH cheers and clapping in the On their way out, we asked everyone to at all levels. We all female scientist, we ‘IT WAS A TENSE AND workshops, a panel discussion and a science show SPECIMENS OF BOTH) write down one fact they had learned theatre at around 8pm ULTIMATELY AMAZING EVENING had a very enjoyable, about light. The day was thoroughly enjoyed by the actually got to meet and over the course of the evening, and we The audience went on to AND REALLY FANTASTIC TO insightful evening, girls and staff alike. During the panel discussion, GETTING TO GRIPS talk to them.’ • were thrilled by the range of ideas and • celebrate the launch with a SHARE THE EXPERIENCE WITH thank you. WITH GUTS SO MANY PEOPLE.’ knowledge that had been picked up, from the girls were invited to ask questions to five drink in the foyer of the new — DR NEIL BOWLES the workings of a lab glove box to the women in science. The questions were insightful Beecroft Building • FINDING π WITH A NEEDLE details of cooling with lasers. and the answers from our panel were empowering. • REVEALING RADIOACTIVITY WITH DIY CLOUD AMAZING CHAMBERS PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPILS EXPERIENCE BEST SCHOOL TRIP EVER I LIKED DOING ALL THE I GOT TO SEE HOW DIVERSE EXPERIMENTS AND SEEING HOW AND POSITIVE ALL OF THE LIFE AS A PHYSICS STUDENT THINGS WORK SCIENTISTS ARE On 12 March, during British Science Week, we welcomed 36 THREE EXPERIMENTS: students from St Christopher’s Primary School, Cowley, and John • POPPING ROCKETS – MIXING ALKA Henry Newman Academy, Littlemore, to the department to gain SELTZER AND WATER IN FILM some first-hand experience of what it is like to study physics at CANISTERS TO GENERATE A FORCE SPACE AND YOU 2019 university. STRONG ENOUGH TO MAKE THE In September we ran another fun and relaxed day, SPACE The students began the day in the lecture theatre with a talk about CANISTER BLAST OFF INTO THE AIR. and YOU, in the department to engage children with Additional light. This was followed by three workshops exploring some key Support Needs (ASN). We identified that young people with ASN ideas in physics that our undergraduates use every day. The day also • MAGNETIC SLIME – MAKING SLIME and their families are interested in learning about physics but have included lunch and a tour at Hertford College. For the final session, FROM LAUNDRY STARCH WITH ADDED been unable to access our events, such as Stargazing Oxford, as the students presented in groups what they had explored in the IRON FILINGS TO EXPLORE HOW IT they are too busy and crowded. SPACE and YOU enabled both the experiments. All of the students received a certificate of attendance. BEHAVES NEAR A MAGNET. children and their families to engage with space science in a more comfortable environment. The day aimed to encourage children to become curious, confident • LIGHT AND LENSES – INVESTIGATING and creative in science and is part of a project that targets children THE IMAGE PRODUCED WITH A LENS Thirteen families attended the event. This is the second SPACE and ‘THANK YOU FOR ORGANISING SUCH from local primary schools, from backgrounds that are under- IN FRONT OF A LIGHT SOURCE. THIS YOU event we have run, and it was followed by a dedicated hour for A SMASHING MORNING. JOSEPH represented in STEM. children with ASN at Stargazing Oxford 2019 in January. We hope to LOVED IT AND PROUDLY SHOWED HIS EXPERIMENT WAS CARRIED OUT IN continue to develop our engagement with this group. CERTIFICATE AT SCHOOL.’ OUR UNDERGRADUATE OPTICS LAB.

16 | Department of Physics Newsletter | Spring 2019 Department of Physics Newsletter | Spring 2019 | 17 PEOPLE PEOPLE

It was a pleasure to renew acquaintance with Dennis many years later when In memoriam: Jean Fooks he was Keeper of Scientific Books at ALUMNI STORIES the Bodleian. He died in 2017 at the Jean read Physics at We welcome stories from all alumni. Please email: [email protected] age of 93. Somerville 1958–61 and went on to work at the then Michael Grace (48) was my Radio and Space Research undergraduate tutor. When I returned Station in Slough and at the DR ALUN JONES, CHRIST CHURCH 1958 to Oxford after years in the United States European Space Data Centre he was most helpful and welcoming. in Darmstadt, Germany. Sadly, he died before my period at the I am number 182 in the 1962 Clarendon photo splendid carriage provided transport for a few Jean remained close to the Institute started but I am in his debt, shared in the Spring 2018 issue of the Physics of us annually to Worcester for the tourists’ first college, which still hosts an not only for his teaching but also, years newsletter. It was the end of my first year as a match of the season. A J was also generous with annual lecture in memory of later, he proposed me for Fellowship of DPhil student in the nuclear physics department. his time, umpiring, but I did wonder about his her daughter Monica, who the Institute of Physics. The department was relatively newly formed eyesight when he gave me out (‘caught behind’) passed away in 1994. under the leadership of Denys (note the spelling) when I was going well and my bat was the Finally, apropos of nothing but nostalgia, Wilkinson who had come over from Cambridge. proverbial mile from the ball! At the annual end She moved back to Oxfordshire in 1982 to work in health one Friday during my early days as a service research, doing data analysis on mental and We had been banished from the Clarendon and of season cricket dinner, A J would delight in graduate student, Ann Rees (21) who window?’ I gave him the same answer as physical health records, leukaemia and in her last job on resided in a one-time girls’ school at 21 Banbury passing round the snuff – mostly politely declined. was Gus Green’s secretary, mentioned I had all those years previously: ‘I don’t problems faced by premature babies. Road. I am surrounded in the photo by colleagues to me that she was going to Reading Bill Stonnard (52), who was in charge of the Above: Dr Alun Jones. Left: English heritage know, I wasn’t looking’. in the same department who also were the core Jean was well known throughout Oxford as a formidable Clarendon workshop, never missed a game even poster. Below: Denys Wilkinson Town Hall the following day to listen to though he was within a year or two of retirement. Dennis Shaw (46) invited me to be a new group that had a strange name. political force, kind and courteous but fiercely committed Cyril Band (188), who was in charge of the media an A-level Physics examiner when They were called The Beatles. For you to the city. Jean was first elected to the City Council in May department, was also a keen member. We played I was a post-doctoral student. As youngsters, there really was a life before 1992 and represented North Ward until 2002. She was two games a week. One an evening match at one well as intensive marking after the the Fab Four! re-elected in 2006 to represent Summertown Ward until of Oxford Council’s grounds during term, and became a Tellydon in the 1990s. I remember examinations, it involved visiting May 2018. She was Sheriff 2011–12, became group leader then at a college ground during the vacation. him demonstrating how to make a reverse schools (all independent!) to supervise of the Liberal Democrats and Leader of the Opposition on Dr Alun Jones, with recollections and On Saturdays we played against village teams. baked Alaska dessert in a microwave oven (think the practical exam. My memories of the City Council 2012–16, and was Lord Mayor of Oxford They were great occasions. After the cricket, the about it). He also wrote a book published by those visits are of lavish hospitality additions from Dr Ian Hall and Dr Warwick 2017–18. She chaired the Highways and Traffic Committee competition continued at skittles, if the village the Institute of Physics, entitled The Crackling and a range of equipment that put the Darcey, January 2019 2000–01, Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee pub had an alley, bar billiards and darts. There is Superb that sold well. We decided to publish Clarendon undergraduate labs to shame. 2001–04. it in the United States but wanted to change the was also, of course, the annual match against the Jean was the Councillor in charge of the City Works title as it was felt that, as it stood, it would not Cavendish, where honour was at stake and the Department in 2006 when wheelie bins were rolled appeal to some religious sects. Nicolas objected atmosphere was test-match like. Those games out, and recalled that recycling rates doubled within six and, in due course, arrived at my office to plead invariably ended in a draw! months. his case. He won. To show that we had interests outside cricket, a She also served on Oxfordshire County Council, cohort of us at lunch time frequently visited The Roger Blin Stoyle (33), who went to Sussex in representing Oxford Cherwell Division in June 2001. Eagle and Child Pub in St Giles (known, of the mid 1960s, was President of the Institute She was re-elected in May 2005 and June 2009 for course, as ‘The Bird and Baby’). It was of Physics in 1990 and we became good Summertown & Wolvercote Division. In May 2013, she was also a favourite watering hole of two friends. Roger was one of the best returned as the Councillor for Summertown & Wolvercote distinguished Oxford figures – J R Presidents I worked with. He had Division, finally standing down in May 2017. R Tolkein and C S Lewis – who, at the great ability in meetings with times, sitting nearby were often government and industry to hit Jean served as a school governor from 1992, and was disturbed by our presence but, the right level when pressing involved with the Cutteslowe Community Association; of course, entranced by our the case for physics. He also was Wolvercote Young People’s Club; North Oxford discussions! much concerned about Physics Associations; Neighbourhood Forums; and many other Education and became President groups. She was a strong advocate of ethical and After 20 years in the wilderness of of the Association for Science environmental issues. Until recently, Jean was part of the industry, consultancy, journalism Education. After retirement he city’s twinning link with Bonn in Germany. And this is the current physics cricket team! Back (left to right): Dylan and funding of science, I returned to taught science, on a part time basis, Saunders, Matt Jarvis, Cam Allen, (missing name), Aidan Glennie, Tom Her most recent efforts saw the installation of new play physics in 1990 as CEO of the Institute of in primary schools in Sussex. Barrett. Front: Sameer Vajjala Kesava, Sean Ravenhall, Abe, Kieran Mccall facilities; helped keep the community association funded; of the Clarendon cricket team of the day: Dr Ian Physics. I then renewed acquaintances with many (Captain) and Patrick Ledingham at Balliol College pitch. This wonderful set up a community bus service after some routes were Hall (181), Yorkshireman, opening bat and Dr of those in the photograph. Sir Denys Wilkinson Gus Green (53) was the administrator of the photo is from the day they won the plate in 2017, and as this newsletter cut; and saved the local children’s centre from closure. She Warwick Darcey (121), Australian, wicketkeeper. (as he then was), who had seemed remote in the Nuclear Physics Lab, who had left teaching goes out, they are getting ready for the new season. also strongly championed children in care, forsaking her They went on to academic lives in Liverpool and early 1960s, had a fine sense of humour. I met him physics in schools to take the job. He endured own Christmas to spend time with children and carers. New Zealand respectively and I am still in touch at a dinner in London towards the millennium and much teasing in the aftermath of the Great Train If you’d like to be part of the team (current staff/students and alumni, with both. he approached me and said ‘Alun, I am the Father Robbery in 1963, when the papers were full of the female or male) please get in touch with the captain: kieran.mccall@ Jean was invested as an Honourary Alderwoman of the physics.ox.ac.uk. of Jesus’. My response was ‘Denys, we always knew police ‘looking for the mysterious Mr Green’. An city of Oxford the day before her death in November Speaking of cricket, A J Croft (120), the lab that’. It transpired that he had become the Senior indoor cricket practice led to a broken window in Our team is looking for sponsors to help pay for a new kit, training, cages 2018. She is survived by one daughter, Carolyn, and two administrator who lived with his wife in the Fellow of Jesus College Cambridge. 21 Banbury Road. Gus tried to identify the culprit, and entry to the interdepartmental cup. If you’d like to support them, grandchildren. cottage that was at the front of the Clarendon but we stuck together. I met Gus again at the please get in touch with the alumni office ([email protected]), no building, was the club’s sponsor and would turn Nicolas Kurti (37), who was a keen advocate opening of the Sir Denys Wilkinson building in donation is too small. Thank You! Nicola Small up at games in his vintage Rolls Royce. This same of applying scientific principles to cooking, 2001. ‘Ah’, he said when he saw me, ‘Who broke the 18 | Department of Physics Newsletter | Spring 2019 Department of Physics Newsletter | Spring 2019 | 19 PEOPLE COMINGS, GOINGS & AWARDS...

COMINGS... Would you like to host an event Name Position Department for physics alumni? Prof Fabrizio Caola Associate Professor of Theoretical Particle Physics Theory It could be a drinks reception or dinner, a Prof Seamus Davis Professor of Physics CMP visit to your company for a small or large group… the possibilities are endless. Please Dr Thorsten Hauler Head of Research Facilitation Central get in touch for an informal conversation, Dr Maxence Lefevre PDRA AOPP we’d love to hear from you! Mr Roy Preece Head of Technical Services Central Prof Gavin Salam Royal Society Professorial Research Fellow Theory Do you have a photo from your Dr Celia Yeung NQIT Technology Associate ALP time in Oxford? A story or anecdote that you GOINGS... would like to share? The alumni office is making the archives Name Position Department more accessible and interactive. Send your Dr Victor Burlakov Senior Researcher CMP contributions, no matter how big or small, Dr Jorge Casalderrey Solana Royal Society Fellow Theory to Val Crowder, Alumni Officer: [email protected] Dr Michele Warren Head of Grants Administration Central Dr David Jennings Royal Society Fellow ALP REGISTER FOR ALUMNI NEWS & Dr Dylan Saunders Senior Researcher ALP EVENT UPDATES AT Dr David Sloan Project co-lead Astro www.physics.ox.ac.uk/ Prof Giulia Zanderighi University Lecturer Theory alumni/connect

AWARDS...

Prof Michael Johnston was awarded the Harrie Massey Medal and Prize last December, for his significant contributions to semiconductor physics which, together with materials design, growth and spectroscopic analysis, have led to notable advances in the fields of optoelectronics, photonics and high frequency electronics. This is a medal from the Institute of Physics which is awarded in conjunction with the Australian Institute of Physics.

Prof Laura Herz was awarded the IoP’s Nevill Mott Prof Pat Irwin (centre holding the award), Dr Simon Calcutt, Prof Peter Medal and Prize for her ground-breaking research Read, Dr Fred Taylor, Prof Neil Bowles and the UK Cassini team were into the fundamental mechanisms underpinning light awarded the Sir Arthur Clarke Space Achievement Award for harvesting, energy conversion and charge conduction in Academic Research by the British Interplanetary Society. semiconducting materials.

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We hope you enjoyed reading this issue of the Physics Department’s Newsletter. To contact the Newsletter editor, Prof Dimitra Rigopoulou, please email [email protected]. For latest news on developments at the Oxford Physics Department, see www.physics.ox.ac.uk. To contact the alumni office, email [email protected]. For events and lectures, www.physics.ox.ac.uk/events.

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