Public open event
Is this event for you?
This event is aimed at adults and young people (age 14+ yrs) who are curious about the applications of physics. No background knowledge in physics is required and you will have the opportunity to ask lots of questions.
About the event
At the Department of Physics, our research spans everything from the tiniest particles to the entire cosmos, but we don’t just leave the ideas scrawled on blackboards, hidden on hard drives or tucked into unfathomable scientific papers. We take our research and make it work for you. For one night every year, we open our doors to show you how we shift our physics from the lab into your life.
You can tour the laboratories where the science is happening now, from next-generation solar cells to quantum computers. Researchers will give talks exploring how they have transformed their work into technology and there will be lots of demonstrations and time for Q&A where you can investigate more of these science stories, pick the brains of the researchers behind them, and uncover how physics is changing your life.
Research areas
We will be covering a wealth of topics during the evening – here are some examples:
- quantum computing
- the future of solar-cells for renewable energy
- the impact of citizen science
- how cells use, protect and copy DNA
- climate science
- quantum materials
- accelerators
Feedback from previous events
"I really liked learning about how physics is being applied in different ways, such as how it is being used to create 3D images of historical buildings that have been destroyed from photographs"
"it's really interesting to see the way they are doing the experiments in the labs"
"My favourite part was seeing how different technologies are used and adapted to different situations, because this opened my eyes to the wide range of topics physics can apply to"
Bookings
Registration is required for this event. Due to the safety requirements in our labs this event is for people age 14+ years only.
FULLY BOOKED
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Flash Talks
Making Waves in Magnetism - Dr Alexy Karenowska
Magnetician, Dr Alexy Karenowska, talks about the technological opportunities of her research in quantum materials, and tells the story of how she used physics to ensure our cultural history lives on. From a monumental-scale replica of Syria’s destroyed Triumphal Arch to the aromas of ancient books.
Understanding Climate Change - Lilli Freischem and Sol Sanders-Farmer
A key question in climate science is how weather will change in response to global warming. Answering this question requires a detailed understanding of the physics of the atmosphere. In this session researchers from the climate science group talk about two very different ways of modelling the atmosphere and what these can teach us.
Gene Machines - Dr Jon Bath
DNA can be used as a construction material to make molecular machines. Dr Jon Bath will tell you about his work into molecular motors that walk along linear tracks and assembly lines that translate instructions written in DNA into a sequence of chemical reactions. We hope to use these machines to discover new molecules.