Physics Department News
Physics undergraduate awarded prestigious US-university scholarship
Michael Lindon, currently on the 4yr M.Phys. Physics course in our department, has just won the James B Duke Fellowship of Duke University in North Carolina, USA. Duke is among the top 10 universities in the US and ranked 19th world-wide. These fellowships are awarded to a small number of students applying to (all) Duke PhD programs following a campus-wide competition. Winning the award is a distinction and an honor; the award recognises a student's academic achievement to date and reflects Duke University's view of their scholarly and research promise for PhD studies at Duke. The Fellowship carries a substantial stipend supplement per year for each of the first 4 years -- in addition to the financial PhD support at Duke. Well done Michael and all the best for your future PhD work at Duke University next academic year!
‘Stealth’ properties of cancer-causing genetic mutations identified
Scientists have discovered that cancer-causing genetic mutations have better-disguised electronic signatures than other mutations - a trait which could help them fly under the radar of the body’s defence mechanisms.
Results of a new study by physicists at the University of Warwick and in Taiwan hint at the possibility that one day the electronic properties of DNA could play a role in early diagnosis and detection of mutation hotspots.
[A Chinese version of the press release can be found here: http://www.thu.edu.tw/thunews/detail.php?newsID=1794&prevID=38
]
Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair, ...
Robin Ball's research has recently been highlighted in the international press. If you want to read for yourself, here are some links:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/11/science/ponytail-shape-is-determined-by-complex-physics.html
And if you fancy the original, here is the link to Phys Rev Lett 108, 078101 (2012).
Neutrinos - faster than light?
On Tuesday 6th December the Physics department held a Christmas Lecture for the public. Teachers, school children and individuals interested in physics made up the 160 people who were excited to hear Daniel Scully talk about his research into neutrinos. Addressing a packed lecture theatre, he explained what different neutrino experiments look for, and the results from CERN that caught the headlines around the world. Together they considered the staggering implications if these results were confirmed and exactly why they caused such a sensation.
The talk was very enthusiastically received with 30 peopple queuing to ask Daniel questions at the end.
The feedback from the public was overwhelmingly positive, with Daniel's excellent communication skills and infectous enthusiasm, inspiring the audience. "Terrific" and "superb" were amongst the feedback.
Daniel has been inundated with requests to speak at further events, such as Cafe Scientifique, local schools and amateur astronomy groups.
If you missed Daniel's talk, you can watch it here.