Giving to the Department of Physics

The Department of Physics at Oxford tackles some of the most urgent and fascinating challenges we face today: our physicists are probing new ways to harness solar energy, modelling the earth’s atmosphere to predict future climate, exploring the potential of quantum physics to revolutionise information technologies and executing calculations that reveal the fundamental structure of space and time. We participate in many large-scale, international physics projects that challenge our understanding and the way we think, including the Large Hadron Collider and Square Kilometre Array. We welcome donations from those who wish to support the Department of Physics financially, helping to support our world-class scientific research and teaching.

Oxford Physics Endowment for Graduates (OXPEG) 

The Oxford Physics Endowment for Graduates (OXPEG) provides scholarships and flexible financial support to graduate students. OXPEG enables the department to attract the best possible candidates from around the world, and foster the keenest minds, regardless of their financial circumstances or backgrounds. If you would like to contribute to OXPEG, please donate online or contact mpls@devoff.ox.ac.uk.

The Graduate Studentship Fund in Particle Physics was set up in memory of eminent particle physicist, Henry Moseley Centenary Professor of Experimental Physics Ian Shipsey who passed away suddenly in October 2024. He was Head of Department at Oxford’s Department of Physics. Professor Shipsey was passionate about giving young people from all backgrounds a chance to transform their lives through science and apply the power of physics to the greatest challenges facing humanity – ranging from climate change and phasing out fossil fuels, to exploring space and improving health and healthcare across ageing populations. The Graduate Studentship Fund in Particle Physics will help to ensure that the brightest minds, from any background, are able to consider studying particle physics at Oxford – able to learn from and with world-leading experts, contribute to major international collaborations and further particle physics to benefit society.

Our outreach programmes have engaged more than 200,000 people with physics in the last five years – from primary and secondary school pupils to community groups. It is our aim to inspire young scientists around the world – particularly those who would not usually consider physics as a pathway. Our outreach programmes improve access to Oxford's Department of Physics for secondary school children and widen young people’s participation in STEM; equally, we work closely with our local communities and run a diverse programme of activity to engage the public with our research.

Find out more about our outreach work with schools and with the wider public; to support our outreach work, contact mpls@devoff.ox.ac.uk.

The Department of Physics also welcomes support for individual projects, with opportunities available to fund academic programmes, projects studentships and posts. In funding supporting these, donors have an opportunity to make a lasting impact on the department and further scientific understanding. For example, by supporting an academic post, donors enable the Department of Physics to recruit the very best physicists from around the world, while funding a DPhil, or PhD, scholarship enables bright young students to study at Oxford who may not otherwise be able to do so.

Gifts can often be enhanced by a variety of tax-efficient giving initiatives. If you would like to discuss giving or to visit and see the impact of philanthropy, please contact mpls@devoff.ox.ac.uk.