Turnaround for British Physics

The newspaper of the physics community February 2006

CONTENTS Turnaround for British physics 2 News Young Physicists Conference ● Science without words Ayala Ochert reports the views of an international panel on UK physics and astronomy. ● Debate with a difference ● IOP in Reading ● Report on The state of physics and astronomy women in physics research in the UK has markedly improved in the last five years, thanks 5 People to substantial increases in investment, Tony Sherborne says that according to an international panel of science teachers could learn world-renowned scientists. But the from film and television panel warns that increased levels of funding must continue, otherwise this improvement may not be sustained. Last October the 14-strong panel, which includes two Nobel prize-win- ners, visited the UK at the invitation of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the Particle Physics and Astronomy 6 Letters Research Council (PPARC), the The joys of mentoring ● AWE Institute of Physics and the Royal ● The retreat of physics Astronomical Society. They were ● Physicists have soul asked to assess the quality of UK physics and astronomy research and 7 Event horizon to compare it to that in other leading What’s on at the Insitute scientific nations. This was the second visit of its kind; the first was in 2000. 8 Antimatters The panel took in 12 university Einstein vs. Newton physics and astronomy departments and the CCLRC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, and spoke to staff, post-

docs and PhD students. It published Diamond Light Source its findings in the report International Construction of the Diamond Light Source – the panel praised investment in the science infrastructure. Perceptions of UK Research in Physics and Astronomy 2005. Career prospects for postdocs had according to their report. The panel “Compared to what I saw five years “The overall mood not improved since 2000, and the also felt that interdisciplinary research ago, my impression was much better. environment for nurturing young aca- in general was not sufficiently valued. “Teaching can be The overall mood was much more in physics demic talent is “not ideal”, the panel A significant amount of research positive. The difference was really said. And while it noted that the num- council money is tied up with specific incredibly creative.” striking,” said Jürgen Mlynek of the departments is ber of women professors in physics initiatives, and the panel expressed Tony Sherborne, p5 Helmholtz Association, Germany, departments had increased from 1% concern that this could be a “creeping chair of the international panel and much more positive to 4% since 2000, in some there were trend that would undermine the one of five panel members who took than five years no female faculty at all, which it called opportunities of physicists and “If only I’d done part in the 2000 review. a “sorry state of affairs”. astronomers to follow their instincts”. projects like this at The report puts this more positive ago.” The panel also encouraged EPSRC to atmosphere down to the substantial World-class research award more rolling grants. school, I would increases in investment in infrastruc- The international scientists also Some of the investment in infra- ture. The budget for science in the UK looked in detail at each of the sub- structure of recent years has gone probably have more than doubled between 1997 and fields of physics and astronomy. The towards the development of the UK’s 2005, including £1 bn for the Science UK has an outstanding international central laboratories, and the panel studied physics.” Research Infrastructure Fund. reputation in astrophysics and solar was impressed by the major expan- Journalist Adrian Short on Hunting The panel also praised the increase system physics, which is “poised for a sion of the ISIS neutron source, as well for Asteroids, p5 in stipends for PhD students to an very productive decade”, they said. as the construction of the Diamond “acceptable level”. But it expressed Nuclear physics and particle physics synchrotron light source. “We appealed to concern over the training of PhD stu- in the UK are also world class. Sir John Enderby, president of the dents because of the short duration of But they found room for improve- Institute, welcomed the report. “The them on the grounds the UK PhD. This was undermining ment in other areas – atomic physics panel’s finding of improved morale the ability of graduates to compete needs to recover its leadership posi- within departments is most encour- that Einstein had with their international counterparts, tion; there needs to be more experi- aging for the future of UK physics and said the panel, which recommended mental work in quantum information astronomy,” he said. But he added: great hair and didn’t an in-depth review of graduate-level and computing; nanoscience research “The perennial concerns that the die a virgin.” education. lacks coherence and surface science is panel raised – short-term contracts Jim Al-Khalili on a debate to decide The high morale noted by the inter- patchy, the report said. While soft for postdocs, the lack of female aca- the greatest-ever scientist, p8 national scientists may come as a sur- matter research in the UK is “vibrant”, demics and dwindling provision for prise to those reading headlines about the panel was disappointed to find undergraduate physics – are worry- the closure of physics departments, that few physics students get exposed ing. The Institute, in consultation with but the panel was not complacent on to research in this important field. the physics community and the FREE CAREER this issue. It was “deeply concerned” Biophysics has been rejuvenated in research councils, will explore solu- GUIDANCE AT and said that a continuation of the the last five years, but much of that tions to these problems.” trend would threaten the UK’s ability research is being conducted in biol- http://policy.iop.org/ careers.iop.org to produce enough physics graduates. ogy rather than physics departments, International_Review

Interactions February 2006 2 news HIGHLIGHTS Schools hit by lack of specialists Special relativity website wins award An Einstein Year website, www.thegreatrelativityshow.com, has won By Heather Pinnell in physics were aged over 50 (31%) ble reason why physicists are choos- an award in the Pirelli Relativity Challenge, an international The crisis in physics education in Eng- than aged 30 or under (17%). ing to teach maths instead. competition to find the best multimedia explanation of special land and Wales is deepening, accord- To replace those retiring, and to Nevertheless, the government’s relativity. The site is an interactive journey featuring a humorous ing to a report published in November. ensure that at least one quarter of response to the Smithers report Alan Smithers and Pamela Robinson every school’s physics teachers is emphasised that it was meeting its dialogue between an animated Einstein character and his of the University of Buckingham’s qualified in the subject, physics own targets for a general increase in glamorous assistant, Mimi. The characters first appeared in four Centre for Education and Employ- teacher training output would have to PGCE science entrants. This showed short films produced by Fulcrum TV, which aired on Channel 4 last ment Research found that 24% of rise from 450 to 750 teachers per year, that it was “in denial”, according to the year. The website was a collaboration between the Institute of 11–16 comprehensive schools do not said the report. However, while gov- Institute’s director of education and Physics and the film’s producers, and won a have a single teacher who has studied ernment incentives have gone some science, Peter Main. Some see a return special prize for the Most Humorous physics to any level at university. way to attract more graduates into to separate sciences at Key Stage 4 as Presentation. The report also showed a correla- teaching science, most of these have the only solution, but the Institute is tion between a teacher’s level of qual- been graduates in biology or com- focusing its efforts on securing sepa- The Pirelli Foundation launched the ification in physics and their pupils’ bined science. The intake of physics rate government targets for physics, Relativity Challenge to mark World Year of achievement in exams, which helps to graduates onto PGCE courses has chemistry and biology specialists in Physics 2005. It runs alongside their annual explain the 38% drop in entries to actually fallen since the early 1980s. teacher training, he said. Internetional Award for science A-level physics since 1990. In addition, one quarter of trainee Meanwhile, support for non-spe- communication using multimedia technology. The study, which looked at 10% of teachers with a degree in physics were cialist physics teachers must be English and Welsh secondary schools, training to teach maths rather than stepped up, said Main. “The number Famelab seeks talent in science communication further education and sixth form col- science. In most state schools, physics of trained physicists entering teaching Famelab – a competition to find the country’s most talented science leges, revealed that only 38% of those graduates working in the science will not be large enough to repair the teaching physics to 14–18-year-olds department are required to teach damage for the foreseeable future. communicators – is now into its second year, and regional auditions had physics as their main subject of some biology and chemistry up to Professional development for non- are due to start in March. Organised by the Cheltenham Science qualification. More teachers qualified GCSE. The report cites this as a possi- specialists must be seen as a priority.” Festival and NESTA, with backing from Channel 4, Famelab aims to identify the most promising talent in science communication as part of its drive to improve the public understanding of science. The overall winner will receive a £2000 prize and a “development Young physicists meet in Dublin deal” – the opportunity to work on an idea with a television producer Paul Sharp that will be pitched to Channel 4. The two runners-up will receive £750 each and the 10 finalists will win a weekend masterclass in science communication. Hopeful contestants are invited to turn up to one of the first auditions ready to give an exciting and engaging three-minute talk on a science topic in the morning and, if they are successful, a five- minute talk on a different topic in the afternoon. The national finals will be held in Cheltenham in June. www.famelab.org Science teachers juggle with ideas At the end of November science teachers from across Europe converged on CERN to spend a week exchanging ideas. The Science on Stage 2005 programme was packed with talks and workshops, on everything from juggling with LED clubs to jumping Doppler cows. In between, each country’s delegation had an exhibition stand. “Ingenious ideas using simple apparatus were used to demonstrate a plethora of enthralling experiments to reinforce key scientific concepts, which I cannot wait to try out in the classroom,” said Joanne Lord, a teacher at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Wakefield. The British delegation plans to produce a resource to share with other teachers the tips they picked up. www.scienceonstage.net Mark Lewney gets excited about the physics of music at the Young Physicists Conference in Dublin. Einstein Year in pictures Einstein Year – which officially came to an end on 31 December – Nearly 100 people went to Trinity Col- harmonics, and he used his guitar uate winner was Tom Whyntie of lege Dublin on 25–27 November 2005 skills to show the link between Cambridge University with “Life, the proved to be a huge success and engaged thousands of people in for the seventh Young Physicists Con- Vivaldi, Strauss and Queen. Lewney universe and the neutron?” and the talking about physics, taking part in physics-inspired events and ference and the first to be held in Ire- also waxed lyrical on the nature of the postgraduate winner was Keith Lam- websites and hearing about physics on the radio, television and in land. The annual conference brings scientific enterprise. “Science is about bkin of University College Dublin the press. A full evaluation is due to be published in the spring, but together physicists in the early stages drawing a map which explains our with “Gulliver’s travels and Kepler’s impressions so far suggest it has been one of the Institute’s most of their careers to network, share existence. Without it, we’re as lost and mistaken identity”. successful initiatives, stimulating interest in the whole of physics experiences and gain vital skills. uncertain as a caveman in a thunder- The most popular lecture was “The and its applications. Music emerged as a theme of the storm,” he mused. physics of beer”, given by Bill Gra- weekend. There to explain the subtle Another musical highlight was the ham, a physics professor at Queens The highlights of the year can now be viewed in pictures at connections between music, the uni- traditional Irish Seisiun, an evening of University, Belfast. He explained how www.einsteinyear.org/eyinpictures. verse and everything was Mark performances by the delegates. the “head” is formed and, as this was The website features memorable Lewney, winner of last year’s FameLab The power of the voice was also Dublin, also delved into the physics of images of the year’s activities, such competition (see “Highlights”), with explored in the two conference work- Guinness. as this one of a child making friends his talk “Rock guitar in 11 dimen- shops, which focused on how to use For the first time, the conference with one of the props used in the sions: strats, strads and superstrings”. your voice and body language when featured a debate. The motion pro- Move Over Einstein exhibition, Lewney, who now works in the UK giving a presentation – a vital skill for posed was: “Science does not pay.” commissioned for Einstein Year. Patent Office, did his PhD at Cardiff physicists. Several delegates put what After vigorous discussion, delegates University on the acoustics of the gui- they had learned into practice in the concluded that science does, in fact, tar. His talk covered the physics of lecture competition. The undergrad- pay – by benefiting society.

Interactions February 2006 news 3

IN BRIEF Visualising the beauty of science ● Lord Wakeham, chairman of the House of Lords Economics Affairs Committee, was the guest speaker at a meeting organised by the Institute’s Ayala Ochert reports on the première of a stunning “science show without words”. Energy Management Group on Giant smoke rings and sound waves In the most impressive section of 28 November. Wakeham addressed a made of flames wowed the audience at the show, Syrop is joined by several capacity audience on the importance of the première of the new science show other performers, who use dustbins considering economic factors when Visualise, performed in the Wales turned into drums to shoot huge developing policies to deal with climate Millennium Centre in Cardiff on smoke rings across the audience. change – the subject of a recent House of 6 December. The idea for the show came from Lords report. Subtitled “The Beauty of Science”, Wendy Sadler, director of Science Economics needs to be considered the show was the last big celebration Made Simple, after she saw some when weighing up the options of how to of Einstein Year. The performance impressive demonstrations at the respond to climate change — both the emphasised sound and vision, and European science festival Physics on costs of various technologies and their contained no spoken explanations. Stage. “The demos really got the audi- impact on economic growth, said Instead, its aim is to inspire the audience talking and I wondered, could we Wakeham. In his view, this meant that ence with the beautiful patterns in the do an entire science show without there should be a considerable increase world around us. It was commis- words?” said Sadler. She realised the in investment in carbon-free technologies sioned by the Institute and NESTA potential not only to move people but and that the UK’s nuclear capacity (the National Endowment for Science, also to reach many different audi- should be retrieved. Technology and the Arts), and created ences, regardless of the language they ● The Holweck Medal and Prize has and performed by the company Sci- speak or their age. been awarded to Philippe Monod, director ence Made Simple. Syrop says the result is a science of research at the Ecole Supérieure de “The show is unlike anything we’ve show unlike any other. “Science Physique et de Chimie Industrielles in done before,” said Debbie Syrop, who shows tend to be very information- Paris for his outstanding contributions to performs the entire piece. “It is full of oriented. We too often try to interest the understanding of highly correlated visually stunning science demonstra- people by giving them answers to electrons in condensed matter. tions – ones that really make people their questions. The Holweck Medal and Prize is given go ‘wow’. The live element really adds “Visualise is completely different – to French and British physicists in to the excitement and means every we are purely trying to communicate alternate years. It was instituted jointly by performance is unique.” the sense of awe and wonder that sci- the Institute and the French Physical Against a continuous musical entists feel when they are confronted Society in 1945 in memory of Fernand soundtrack, the show intersperses live with the intricate way the world Holweck, director of the Curie Laboratory demonstrations – like rotating a tall works. It’s the excitement of seeing a of the Radium Institute in Paris, who was flame inside a wire-mesh cylinder to pattern forming and trying to work tortured and killed by the Gestapo in create a spectacular glowing vortex – out what’s happening.” occupied France. with projected images from the natu- “Certainly the show raises a lot The medal was presented by the ral world. These are often simple, but more questions than it answers, but Institute’s president, Sir John Enderby, beautiful – peas boiling in a saucepan, that’s the point. We want people to be following a lecture given by Monod at ice crystals on a window, a knot in a so intrigued that they go and find out Bristol University on 12 December. In the piece of wood. the answers for themselves.” lecture, he touched on topics ranging In a more interactive section, the In March, Visualise will be per- from early work on Brownian motion, to audience’s own sounds are “transformed in Grahamtown, South electron spins, spin glasses and

lated” into wave-like patterns made Africa, and Science Made Simple has Andrew Welch oscillations in living matter. from a row of flames, to the delight of plans to tour with the show more In Visualise, Debbie Syrop (above) makes use of patterns in nature to the children in the audience. widely this year. convey the beauty of the physical world. NEWSMAKERS

Small firms look at Michael Pepper, Students hold alternative debate professor of physics at ways to succeed Cambridge University, By Sue Fryer by Caitlin Watson due to give its recommendations to On both days, the most heated dis- has been made a On 21 November, the Institute held In December, around 300 students government in July. cussion surrounded the relative Knight Bachelor in the the latest in its series of “Successful aged 14–19 took part in a debate On the first day of the debates more importance of short- and long-term New Year’s honours list, SMEs” events. The meeting explored a about how to manage the country’s than 150 students took part at the Life public safety. “We need to concentrate for his services to physics. William wide range of sources for finance and legacy of nuclear waste, created from Science Centre in Newcastle, the Glas- first on our current public, but the Stirling, pro vice-chancellor of Durham funding of small- to medium-sized the last 50 years of nuclear power and gow Science Centre and the Sellafield long-term public is important too. University, was awarded the CBE. Paul technology-based companies, and research. Visitor Centre. After a morning of We need to make sure we don’t take Callaghan of the University of Wellington, discussed the challenges and pitfalls These Debates with a Difference exploring what nuclear waste is and shortcuts that come back on us,” said was made a principal companion of the they face. were one of the final activities of Ein- its possible effects, the students another student. New Zealand Order of Merit. Of particular concern to SMEs was stein Year and followed a format that eagerly took part in a Eurovision-style Discussions also centred on the Stan Cowley, professor the “equity gap” – companies face dif- has been used in the past to get young video-link between the three venues. pros and cons of the three options for of solar-planetary ficulties securing funding in the region people talking about controversial The students were asked to rank the managing radioactive waste that physics at the University £100 000 to £2 m. David McMeekin, issues, ranging from stem cell criteria that CoRWM should use to CoRWM is considering: long-term of Leicester, has been director of Company Guides and the research to the future possibilities of assess the different options for man- interim storage, deep geological dis- awarded the gold medal London Technology Fund, explained nanotechnology. aging radioactive waste. At the end of posal and phased deep geological of the Royal that in this region investors regard the The “difference” is that participants the day, they rated short-term public disposal. Astronomical Society for his outstanding risks to be too high compared with the spend a whole day exploring the safety as the most important and cost After a final vote, the students contribution to geophysics. potential rewards. issues creatively through role play, as the least important. opted overwhelmingly for phased Haley Gomez, from The meeting included advice from research, discussion and by question- On the second day of the Debate deep geological disposal because it Cardiff University’s experts in the field of venture capital ing experts rather than relying on pre- with a Difference, students gathered at allows radioactive waste to be moni- School of Physics and and from business angels. Ken Cooper conceived ideas. W5 in Belfast and Thinktank in Birm- tored over the long term. Astronomy, has won the of the Small Business Service also gave The debates were designed to feed ingham. This group of students The debates were coordinated by Royal Astronomical an overview of government-sup- into the public consultation being run ranked security just above short-term ecsite-uk, the science centre and Michael Penston Prize ported funds, including the UK High by the Committee on Radioactive public safety but also put cost at the museums network, with funding for the best PhD thesis in astronomy and Tech Fund and regional venture capi- Waste Management (CoRWM) on bottom of their list of priorities. One from NESTA (National Endowment astrophysics. Her thesis was on the origin tal funds, which have been developed how best to deal with existing stores student remarked: “Surely the cost of for Science, Technology and the Arts). of cosmic dust. to help fill the equity gap. of radioactive waste. The committee is public safety shouldn’t matter.” www.scizmic.net

Interactions February 2006 4 news Physics departments IOP on Campus in Reading must welcome women By Averil Macdonald The department’s admissions team science, David Porter, to discuss issues On 17 November the physics depart- was also interested to learn about a in physics of importance to the uni- By Heather Pinnell Departments varied substantially ment at the University of Reading was new Institute initiative to support versity and the wider world. There is cause for both “optimism and in how they treated staff who had abuzz as it hosted a delegation from physics departments in rebranding The Institute hosted a lunch for all pessimism”, said a panel that visited taken a career break – one university the Institute of Physics. It was the lat- and marketing their courses. “We’ve final-year students, offering advice on UK physics departments to assess forbad promotion committees from est visit of the IOP on Campus pro- always been pretty open-minded and career planning, and another for post- how welcoming they are to women. knowing that a person had taken such gramme, which was set up in 2004 to innovative in how we put our courses graduates, postdocs and research The Women in Physics Site Visits a break, leaving them with unex- encourage better communication together and how we attract students, assistants, which included individual Scheme was set up by the Institute in plained gaps in their CVs. between the Institute and academic but any initiative by the Institute to advice from Yann Amouroux of Insti- 2003. Every department in the UK and Childcare was a major issue. The physicists around the country. take this further is really useful,” said tute of Physics Publishing on how to Ireland was contacted, and 40% report comments: “It was depressing Institute staff, including chief exec- admissions tutor Mo Hilton. get published. requested a visit. An external panel of to see how many young, female utive Robert Kirby-Harris, were given There was a packed lecture theatre Academic staff also met Institute physicists then conducted visits research assistants and postgraduate a tour of the department and learned for Kirby-Harris’s presentation on the staff for an informal discussion on between 2003 and 2005. They spent a students felt that an academic career of its recent recruitment successes Institute’s activities. Everyone, from issues in physics today, from nuclear day looking around the departments was not within their compass. The and high-profile investments in students to retired professors, was power to the under-representation of and talking to staff and students. Each average age of first appointment is 35, research infrastructure, such as its surprised by how much was on offer. women in physics and how to support visit was followed up with a confiden- posing serious questions for women new Centre for Advanced Microscopy “I had no idea you could get an indi- widening participation in physics. tial written report to the department who may wish to start a family before and the Ultrafast Laser Laboratory. vidual careers consultation,” noted IOP on Campus has visited four head, and a final report of the scheme that age.” Among research assistants “The visit was an excellent oppor- one member. university physics departments since is about to be published. and postgraduates in particular “there tunity to discuss local issues within Kirby-Harris and Peter Main, the 2004: Heriot-Watt, Kent, Bristol and The aim was to offer friendly advice was a widespread feeling...that a suc- the broader context of physics nation- Institute’s director of science, met Reading. Any UK physics department rather than to conduct a formal audit, cessful academic career is not consis- ally,” said John Blackman, head of the later with Reading’s pro vice-chancel- can request a visit by e-mailing and to highlight good practice. Most tent with having a family”. physics department. lor, Dianne Berry, and its dean of [email protected]. departments said they found the visits The report recommends that fam- helpful, and for many they were a cat- ily-friendly policies and flexible work- BT YOUNG SCIENTIST COMPETITION Fennells alyst for discussion of gender issues. ing should be given a much higher The report notes: “The majority of profile, with the department head departments had a great deal of trou- leading by example in taking leave. ble providing gender disaggregated Most departments had a harass- data, indicating that the idea of look- ment policy, but this was not always ing for evidence of dissimilar treat- backed up by adequate procedures. ment was a new one to them.” The panel also found many instances This lack of evidence sometimes led of inappropriate pictures openly visi- to myths about the reasons for the ble in workshops, sometimes where under-representation of women. In one female students were present. Train- university with a below-average intake ing of all tutors and demonstrators of women, it was suggested that “girls should include gender awareness, it did better than boys, and so would go to recommends. The panel found that Oxbridge instead”, and in another that “groups with a strong multinational a higher-status neighbouring univer- flavour tended to be more welcoming sity took all the female applicants. The to women and less likely to revolve evidence did not support these ideas. around a ‘laddish culture’.” Many departments had a long-hours Often simple measures, such as culture, which disadvantaged women including a statement in recruitment particularly. The report recommends literature encouraging women to that productivity and output should be apply, having women visible at open valued more than working excessive days, and an encouraging attitude hours, and it recommends much from postgraduate supervisors and greater transparency in appointments, group leaders, were highly effective. A group of girls from Colaiste Choilm, Ballincollig, County Cork, won the Institute of Physics in Ireland Special recruitment to PhDs, promotion, and For a copy of the report, e-mail Prize for the best physics content at the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition in Dublin last month for in the allocation of duties. [email protected]. their project The Maths of Bubbles. Left to right: Katie O’Donovan, Jennifer Martin, Neil Marks (chair of the Chairs of Branches Committee), chief executive Robert Kirby-Harris and Orla Murphy. Teachers brush up ‘No barriers’ to nuclear power their physics skills With the UK government poised to waste generated from weapons man- Stability Centre at the University of Topics ranging from “meteorites and Most of those who attend Physics reconsider the building of new ufacture, not from civil nuclear Sussex, said that a new study about to moon rocks” to the “physics of road Updates are teachers in secondary nuclear power stations, the Institute power, he went on. be published showed “no indication accidents” were covered at a three-day schools or further education colleges of Physics and the Royal Society of Neil Chapman of the University of of any effect on childhood cancers in residential course for physics teach- and graduates in physics or an asso- Chemistry held a joint seminar on Sheffield looked at the various any of the vicinities [around nuclear ers, run by the Institute in December. ciated discipline. The events usually 13 December to investigate their options for handling nuclear waste reactors]”. The event at Oxford University was attract about 50 teachers, but 80 peo- potential risks. from new reactors. He said that a con- Such a study is unlikely to make one of three Physics Update courses ple attended the course in Oxford. The meeting, Future Nuclear sensus is emerging that deep geologi- public concerns disappear, but Mal- held each year. These provide training Project co-ordinator Leila Solomon Power: Addressing the Barriers, cal disposal is the way forward, and colm Grimston, associate fellow at for physics and science teachers, said the course had attracted a lot of attempted to examine all potential pointed out that the UK will need such Chatham House, noted that public updating them on innovations in positive feedback. One newly quali- areas of risk – health dangers to local a repository in any case to deal with opinion has been moving towards physics and curriculum matters, and fied teacher commented: “I found it populations, terrorist threats, nuclear existing nuclear waste. “Future waste nuclear in recent years, from a low of opportunities to develop new skills. both inspiring and educational.” Oth- waste – as well as public perceptions could be incorporated into those three-to-one against in 2001. As well as lectures on discoveries at ers welcomed the chance to meet of these risks. plans that are being considered for The nuclear industry has histori- the frontiers of physics and its appli- other teachers and talk about physics. Peter Zimmerman of the Depart- current waste,” he told the audience. cally been seen as secretive and cations, there were “hands-on” work- The next Physics Update course will ment of War Studies at King’s College One of the big concerns about untrustworthy, and this must change, shops in which teachers could learn be held at the University of Reading London said he was convinced that nuclear power has come from the he said. “There are no real barriers to new IT skills, develop experimental on 31 March – 2 April. the risk of terrorists developing a dirty clusters of childhood cancers around new build in terms of public percep- techniques and investigate alternative For more details on the course, bomb is a real one. However, at pres- Seascale and Dounreay. But Bryn tion, as long as people are treated hon- teaching and learning strategies. e-mail [email protected]. ent, that risk comes mostly from the Bridges, of the Genome Damage and estly and seriously.”

Interactions February 2006 people 5 profile: Tony Sherborne OBSERVATIONS Andrea Fesmer of the Institute’s Merseyside Branch describes how she spent Einstein Year helping Learning from film to children across the country to hunt for asteroids. bring science to life Most physicists can tell you who or what inspired them to do physics. As a physics teacher, I’m always on the lookout for those people or projects that will inspire my own pupils to become physicists. About seven years ago I found such a project – the National Schools Ayala Ochert meets a Observatory (NSO), run by the Astrophysics Research Institute (ARI) at man who says Liverpool John Moores University. It gives schoolchildren the chance to use a multimillion pound robotic telescope, sited on La Palma in teachers should the Canary Islands and accessed via the Web. I’ve seen dozens of watch more TV. young faces light up at NSO – children are amazed that they’re allowed to use such an expensive piece of equipment. Last year Andy Last year Tony Sherborne took a Newsom of ARI and I got an Einstein Year grant to produce a Hunting seminar from a celebrated Hollywood for Asteroids workshop that would make full use of the telescope. script doctor, but the former physics 11 February teacher wasn’t trying to break into a The workshop is mainly for use at the new City Learning Centres career as a screenwriter. He was trying to learn what all good filmmakers (CLCs), which have state-of-the-art computer facilities. Last week was know – how to grab an audience’s our first training day, for CLC managers from northern England. They attention and keep them hooked. got more and more enthusiastic as the day wore on and predicted “Only half our learning is cognitive. that their centres would be overwhelmed with demand from schools. The other half is emotional, yet that side Today I’m in Hackney with Andy to train CLC managers from London. is entirely overlooked in traditional sci- They take more convincing than their northern colleagues but all are ence education,” says Sherborne, who on board by the end. At the actual workshops there will be a real is now creative director at the Centre for astronomer on hand to answer children’s questions.

Science Education at Sheffield Hallam David Bebber University. He has also been awarded a Tony Sherborne designs computer games to motivate children to learn. 7 March fellowship from the National Endow- Today is the official launch of the Hunting for Asteroids workshop at ment for Science, Technology and the science out there in the real world, a carbon quota, and rewards those Saints Peter and Paul CLC in Widnes, next to the school where I Arts (NESTA) to “explore new ways of which is made quite fascinating by who can save energy through better teach. The local MP and junior education minister Derek Twigg has making science lessons relevant, con- popular science, and what goes on in insulation or those who generate it temporary and unforgettable”. the classroom. I can’t accept that gap. using renewable sources. The physics come along to join in the hunt with some local schoolchildren. He’s As a teacher, Sherborne always I can’t see why it has to be that way.” is interwoven throughout the game – delighted at finding an asteroid until I tell him that there are actually tried to make his lessons unforget- After eight years teaching physics, for example, players can measure the two and he needs to keep looking. By this time most of the children table – he once took his class to Alton he decided that he was not a “natural solar intensity at various places before have found both and are celebrating. Local journalist Adrian Short Towers to teach them about g-forces teacher” and would be better off play- deciding whether to invest in a solar was overheard saying: “If only I’d done projects like this at school, I and acceleration. Now he has devoted ing to his strengths, which lie in panel. It’s contemporary, it’s relevant would probably have studied physics.” himself to developing even more designing learning experiences. and it teaches the core principles of exciting lessons for others to deliver. Recently he’s been involved in devel- energy conservation and transfer as 14 March In 2002, for Science Year, he created oping a new science curriculum and well as the science of climate change, It’s Einstein’s birthday, and we’re expecting most of the CLCs to run SciFiles– a series of computer games in GCSE syllabus. Thanks to him, the syl- says Sherborne. the workshops today. Andy and I are running four in Widnes. The the style of the X Files and CSI– to con- labus beginning in September will But building interactive computer girls seem to enjoy the workshops as much as the boys -- they’re vey some really hard-to-teach ideas. include a section on special relativity. games takes time, which is a problem just as competitive and as vocal when they discover the asteroids. For one game, Sherborne enlisted the “We won’t be asking them to do if you want the science to be really help of a filmmaker to create a time corrections, but they’ll look at it topical. So two years ago Sherborne 30 June thrilling story about ghost hunting to in terms of how science works. It’s an came up with Science UPD8 – inno- I’m here at Liverpool’s physics department for a conference teach electromagnetic induction. example of how developing theories vative lesson plans based on what’s in organised by the Merseyside Branch aimed at A-level physics (Some think that ghost sightings may in science involves a creative leap of the news that can be e-mailed to teachers. I was here a couple of weeks ago, talking to non-specialist be the result of magnetic disturbances the imagination.” teachers every week. When actor causing electromagnetic induction in Sherborne has also been working Leonardo di Caprio bought a hybrid- teachers of physics. One teacher attended the earlier conference and the brain, leading to hallucinations.) with the Institute on a set of resources electric car, Sherborne created a les- had tried out the workshop with his school’s entire Years 7 and 8. “We were playing off the children’s to help teachers with the new GCSE. son plan in which teenagers had to He’s been recommending it highly, which makes my job a lot easier. interest in CSI and X Files and being Called SimPhysics, they are based on storyboard an advert for Toyota fea- 5 September involved in a story. In order to push the popular computer game SimCity. turing the star. “It was a task that nat- the plot forward they had to reason The first one – SimEnergy – follows a urally led to some motivated learning Back to school. I had a busy summer with more workshops alongside things out or complete a task,” he day in the home of a family living on and fun, and the kids remember it. my summer job working as education adviser to Spaceport. Hunting explains. This results in children being The teacher can build on that and go for Asteroids has been such a success that it’s just been extended much more motivated to learn. more deeply into the concepts,” he beyond CLCs, so all schools will now be able to access the telescope. His own motivation comes from a says. More than 4000 teachers have need to make up for the boredom he “There’s a gap now signed up to receive UPD8s. 21 November experienced in the north London pri- between real Sherborne plans to write a book for The local CLC has invited children from around Halton to listen to a vate school he attended. (It was an teachers distilling the principles he is Russian cosmonaut and a space scientist talk about the Russian “exam factory”, he says.) Sherborne science – which is learning from filmmakers, TV pro- space programme. As they speak, there’s the same buzz of carried on with science at Cambridge, ducers, actors and even advertisers excitement that I’ve become used to seeing at the workshops. I feel but rapidly gravitated away from fascinating – and about how to engage an audience. a twinge of sadness as Einstein Year draws to a close, but I remind physics towards psychology, which “Teaching can be incredibly creative. myself that we’ve had more than 3000 children hunting for led him into teaching. After univer- what goes on in the If there was less government prescrip- asteroids, and being inspired by physics. sity, he discovered popular science classroom.” tion about what to teach and how, I books and science documentaries, think that would sell teaching to more If you would like to hunt for asteroids, visit www.schoolobservatory.org.uk/asteroids. which kindled a new-found love for physicists and you’d find physics To contribute to OBSERVATIONS send an e-mail with your idea to [email protected]. science. “There’s this gap between the teachers more eager to continue.”

Interactions February 2006 6 letters

President Prof. Sir John E Enderby CBE FRS CPhys FInstP, President Elect Mr Peter Saraga CPhys FInstP, Honorary Secretary Prof. John L Beeby CPhys FInstP, Honorary Treasurer Dr J A (Tony) Scott CPhys Hon.FInstP, Vice-president, Education Dr Elizabeth Swinbank CPhys FInstP, Vice-president, Industry and Business Dr Keith Winters CPhys FInstP, Vice-president, Membership and Qualifications Mr Alan Pratt CPhys FInstP, Vice-president, Science Prof. Carole Jordan FRS CPhys FInstP, Chief Executive Dr Robert Kirby-Harris CPhys FinstP, Director, Education and Science Prof. Peter Main CPhys FInstP, Director, International Dr Peter Melville CPhys FInstP, Director, Membership and Electronic Services Mr John Brindley, Director, Strategy, Communications and Business Dr Paul Danielsen FInstP, Group Finance Director Mr Sean Fox MInstP, Managing Director, Institute of Physics Publishing Mr Jerry Cowhig.

Editor Ayala Ochert, Assistant Editor Heather Pinnell, Art Director Andrew Giaquinto Institute of Physics, 76 Portland Place, London W1B 1NT, UK. Tel: +44 (0)20 7470 4800 ; fax: +44 (0)20 7470 4991; e-mail: [email protected]; Web: http://members.iop.org

LETTER FROM Defending defence organisation of similar events, and In the 1950s and 1960s it was clear programme If the Lights Go Out gave a appreciate the time and hard work that physics was the “mother of 76% backing for nuclear power. ...a mentor I am sorry to hear of David putting it together; I would have engineering” but I doubt that the up A Royal Academy of Engineering Greenwood’s reaction to AWE’s been bitterly disappointed to have and coming students in our schools report in 2004 estimated that nuclear Last August I got a call presence at the Institute of Physics received such derogatory comments. today still see it that way. costs 2.3p/kW h, which is com- asking if I would act as a careers fair in October (“Letters”, I only hope that, if he continues his Until physics regains her proper parable to electricity produced by mentor to women December 2005). While he may not career in physics, Mr Greenwood position as the matriarch of all gas-fired plants. Nuclear electricity applying for fellowship of approve of our mission to maintain learns to appreciate the efforts of his engineering disciplines, I fear the generators are also more than three the Institute. This made the UK’s nuclear deterrent, our vision fellow physicists. retreat will continue. That is sad times less dependent on fuel costs sense as women make is to be a world-class centre of Paul Johnson because a physicist’s approach to than gas-fired generators. up just 4% of fellows, and I’ve been scientific and technical excellence, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire problem solving could bring much With gas prices rising rapidly, the encouraging the Institute to promote and in doing so we employ more fresh thinking to the practical world advantage of nuclear power will be the many successful but largely than 250 physicists. Get practical, physics of engineering. even more marked. unrecognised women physicists out As an active recruiter of graduate David Haspel Terri Jackson there. I also knew that women often physicists, AWE was pleased to be I am saddened, but not surprised, to Matlock, Derbyshire Bangor, Northern Ireland doubt their own value and can need more involved in the careers fair. learn that physics teaching is on the active encouragement to apply. I myself Caroline Handley retreat. I read physics at university in Wrong assumptions We’ve got soul would never have become a fellow had I AWE Aldermaston the early 1960s and was employed in not been practically pushed into it. industry as a physicist/engineer for May I correct some erroneous Thank you for the December 2005 I was a little hesitant at first as I am no I do not work for AWE, but David most of my working life. assumptions made by speakers at the edition of Interactions – excellent as longer actively involved in physics Greenwood’s letter in December’s It was the practical aspects of the Challenges and Solutions conference usual. I was glad to see the front page research, but I was reassured that I Interactions really infuriated me. If he subject that inspired me. I fear that (“How to solve our energy crisis”, article about the developing world. would receive full training as a mentor, had taken the time to investigate its this potential source of inspiration to November 2005)? So physicists have got soul after all! as well as ongoing support. The training stand further, some of his today’s students is being lost as First, public opinion in the UK is Mike Hill took the form of a comprehensive preconceptions may have been research at universities appears to not against nuclear power. A 2005 Reading briefing pack and an interactive online dispelled. His subsequent have become ever more esoteric, MORI poll shows opposition to seminar – a first for me. assassination of the Institute’s focusing on finding the origins of the nuclear power has been reduced by We’d like to hear from you. Please send your I was soon matched up with a mentee careers fair aggravated me further. I universe or identifying ever smaller half since 2001. And a BBC poll of letters to [email protected] or the address – a woman who holds a very senior post have been involved in the subatomic particles. nearly 9000 people after the above. Letters may be edited for length. in a major international technology- based company. When she sent me the elements of her application for fellowship notices – her draft CV and professional review – I was impressed. But when we spoke she NEW FELLOWS O’Connell, James Ollier, Brian Pugsley, Roy, Adolf Schallamach, Harry Schecter, and dates: http://teachingphysics.iop.org/ tended to focus more on what it did not David Hinde, Brynley James, Robert Kelsall, James Rhodes, Debidulal Roy, Chandan Harry Scholefield, V Subramanian (New events/student_events/schools_lecture. contain than what it did and to apologise Hazel Rymer. Sarkar, Muhiddin Sheriff, Edward Stephens, South Wales), Mary Troughton, Charles for what she saw as her shortcomings Ben Van Well, Elizabeth Veitch, David Wall, Edington Williams. MEMBER OFFER rather than selling her very considerable NEW MEMBERS Alan Walton, Jianjun Yu. ● Online subscription prize draw strengths. Her other professional Sharon Ashbrook, John Austing, Paul Bird, ANNOUNCEMENTS H Trodahl from Wellington, New Zealand, is activities, such as her involvement with Sumit Biswas, Marco Borghesi, Derek IN MEMORIAM ● The Institute’s Schools and Colleges November’s prize-draw winner and Jonathan her local Learning and Skills Council, Brown, Clair Collins, Nigel Crawley, Ana De C H Baxter, Robert Nigel Bell, Alexander C Lecture for 2006 -- entitled “Gravity, gas Dowling from Louisiana, USA, is December’s also strengthened her case. Paula, Marcus Donnelly, Ilias Drouzas, Brown, John Dugdale, Jan Evetts, Ivan and stardust” – will begin its tour of winner. They will each receive a 512 MB I compared my mentee’s CV and Steven Franklin, Rodolfo Gambini, Lindsey Fisher, Alan Foster, Edward Green, Kenneth England, Scotland and Wales throughout data stick. For your chance to win a data professional review against the Institute’s Gaunt, Simon Haining, Daniel Hatton, Aled Harwood, Ian McColl, Alec Radcliffe, 2006 on 10 March in Durham. This year’s stick, pay your membership subscription criteria for fellowship and saw ways that it Jones, Semiu Kareem, Graham Kemp, Paul Donald Richardson Joseph Roberts, David lecturer is Pete Edwards from Durham online at http://members.iop.org when you could be improved — by using more Messenger, Christopher Morriss, Barry John Robertson (Aylesbury), Bimalendu University. Check the website for venues receive your subscription notice. evidence and phrasing it more confidently – and spotted entire areas that she had completely overlooked, such as her major industrial PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT collaborations. I think this is natural. WHERE IN THE WORLD WILL YOUR Once we’ve achieved an objective, we GRANT SCHEME 2006 tend to forget it immediately and focus PHYSICS DEGREE TAKE YOU? • Are you a great communicator? on what comes next or what we have still • Do you have a fantastic idea for making physics to achieve. So it can help to have an accessible? A physics degree opens up a world of independent but supportive person to • Can you inspire other people with your possibilities. With so many options highlight past achievements. available to physics graduates, your future enthusiasm? career path is sure to be an exciting My mentee has now submitted her • Do you need some support to make your outreach journey – one that the Institute of Physics application, and I hope that our sessions activity happen? would like to follow you on. have helped her to present herself in the The Institute is starting a study to find out best possible light and boosted her self- If you answered yes to all these questions, then why where physics graduates end up, and it will confidence. I found the experience very not apply for a Public Engagement Grant? be sending a questionnaire to every final- year physics undergraduate in the UK. rewarding and I’m looking forward to The grants are worth up to £1000 and aim to support repeating it. I would highly recommend individuals organising physics-based outreach All students who take part will mentoring to other fellows — men and activities throughout 2006. automatically be entered into a prize women alike. It allows you to update your draw with the chance of winning prizes Application forms and guidelines for the grant scheme ranging from MP3 players to digital own skills while providing an invaluable cameras. service to other members. are available online at http://physics.iop.org/IOP/grants.html For further information, contact [email protected]. Julie Corbett is a member of the Closing date: 10 March 2006 Institute’s Council. For more information Probing Rydberg atoms through collisions with helium in the presence of static electric and magnetic about mentoring, visit fields S Bivona et al 2005 Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics 38 S131–S140 http://careers.iop.org/mentoring.

Interactions February 2006 event horizon 7 Visit whatson.iop.org for full details of all Institute of Physics events.

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Interactions February 2006 8 matters Battle of the physics giants – Einstein vs. Newton www.suspectpackage.org/geof Jim Al-Khalili fights Albert Einstein’s corner in a Royal Society debate to select the world’s greatest-ever scientist.

I know it’s geeky, but I’ve always loved compiling lists of showed Newton to be in the lead by a majority of my top-10 records, books, films, you name it. So when roughly two-to-one. the Royal Society asked me to take part in a debate to In the run-up to the debate, the Royal Society had car- choose the greatest-ever scientist, I jumped at the ried out an online public vote, with the results to be chance. Of course, I realise that science is not a popu- revealed at the end of the evening. Each team began larity contest, but it sounded like fun as well as a great with a short presentation putting the case for their opportunity for promoting physics. champion. There then followed a good-natured debate Now, if you asked me to produce a list of the world’s on their relative merits: Newton’s equations of motion top-10 physicists, it would be tough to put them in versus Einstein’s theories of relativity; Newton’s inven- order. Kepler or Kelvin? Faraday or Feynman? Heisen- tion of calculus versus Einstein’s proof of the existence berg or Hawking? And what about Dirac, Maxwell or of atoms (his 1905 Brownian motion paper); the Prin- Rutherford? But choosing the two greatest scientists of cipia Mathematica versus general relativity and cosmol- all time (and here I mean across the whole of science, not ogy; the father of the scientific method versus the just physics) is a no-brainer. Head and shoulders above master of space-time. Both transformed our under- anyone else are Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein. Both standing of nature and both made contributions across had their annus mirabilis while still in their 20s – 1666 for the whole of physics. Newton and 1905 for Einstein. Their discoveries dur- Our case relied on the fact that it is Einstein’s universe ing those short periods marked them out as true that we live in, not Newton’s. But one member of the geniuses as well as changing our view of the universe. audience showed the weakness of this argument by Our case grounds that Einstein was a nicer bloke, had great hair Having embarked on a quest last year to find Ein- pointing out that if, at some time in the future, someone and didn’t die a virgin. Newton certainly did himself no stein’s brain for Channel 4 (“Antimatters”, March 2005), were to come up with a complete theory of quantum relied on the favours with his long-running and bitter disputes with I was there to defend the cause of Einstein with the help gravity that modifies general relativity, then that person contemporaries Hooke and Leibniz. Whether this of Mark Lythgoe, my neurophysiologist friend who would presumably replace Einstein as the greatest. fact that it is helped or not, we cannot tell, but at the end of the accompanied me on that journey. Fighting Newton’s To help restore our credibility I threw in this brilliant debate a second show of hands revealed that the two corner was Sir John Enderby, president of the Institute quote from the physicist Michio Kaku: “All physical Einstein’s men were neck and neck. of Physics and former vice-president of the Royal Soci- knowledge at the fundamental level is contained in two universe that I was satisfied with that result, as I mentioned later ety, along with Cambridge historian of science and pillars of physics – general relativity and quantum the- to Sir John Enderby. In fact, had I been given a choice, I Newton biographer Patricia Fara. ory. Einstein was the founder of the first, the godfather we live in, not would have preferred to defend Newton who, if truth be Even setting aside the eminence of our opponents, of the second and paved the way for the possible unifi- told, I would place ahead of Einstein. Sir John admitted we were aware that we had a battle on our hands. While cation of both.” Newton’s. that he would not have minded arguing for Einstein. Joe Public might choose Einstein for his sheer iconic Clearly, much depends on luck and timing. So it As for the public, the online poll revealed that they are status, the several hundred people who had turned up would be unfair on Newton to say that Einstein was more familiar with Newton’s work than I’d given them for the debate were going to be harder nuts to crack. greater because he showed the Newtonian view of credit for. The final result was Newton 62%, Einstein 38%. They would no doubt be aware of the stature of Newton space and time to be wrong. But, equally, it would be as the father of modern science – the person who unfair on Einstein to say that Newton had the greater Jim Al-Khalili is head of the nuclear theory group at the University almost single-handedly discovered just about all the influence on our thinking. After all, he simply was of Surrey, where he also holds a chair in the public engagement in physics one learns at school – and they would surely put lucky enough to have been around first, when all the science. He is author of several popular science books, including him ahead of Einstein. The scale of our task became discoveries were there to be made. Quantum: a Guide for the Perplexed. His Channel 4 documentary clear when a show of hands at the start of the evening Mark and I also tried to appeal to the audience on the The Riddle of Einstein’s Brain aired last March. particles INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS AWARDS2007 The Institute of Physics Awards Committee is now seeking nominations for the Institute’s 2007 Awards, and we need your help to nominate the most outstanding physicists in their respective fields. This year we are looking for nominations for the following medals and prizes: Born, Boys, Bragg, Chree, Dirac, Duddell, Glazebrook, Guthrie, Kelvin, Maxwell, Mott, Paterson and Young. The committee would particularly welcome nominations for outstanding women physicists and outstanding physicists from ethnic minorities. Deadline: 27 March 2006

Details of the awards and a nomination form are on our website at http://about.iop.org/IOP/Awards. Please send completed forms to: The Secretary to the Awards Committee, The Institute of Physics, 76 Portland Place, London W1B 1NT or e-mail: [email protected].

Interactions February 2006