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School of Physical and Chemical Sciences

News

The Center for Condensed Matter Physics is recruiting
13 March 2024

We are looking for a new Lecturer in Experimental Condensed Matter Physics to join our group.

New research challenges ideas on the origin of polarization in perovskite ferroelectrics
13 March 2024

Ferroelectric materials are ubiquitous materials found in applications, ranging from actuators, to capacitors.

Dr Richard Whiteley demonstrates the new Nano-inXider Queen Mary scientists welcome new equipment in a major boost for materials analysis at the university
11 March 2024

The Faculty of Science at Queen Mary University has acquired a new system allowing us to characterise advanced materials to a new level of detail. 

Radiation from massive stars shapes planetary systems
29 February 2024

Astronomy unit members are part of a team that has discovered a unique planetary system where a young star is being stripped bare of its planet-forming material at an astonishing rate

Offer Holders Day
23 January 2024

On Saturday, 20 January the Department of Physics and Astronomy welcomed sixth-form undergraduate offer holders for an amazing day of events.

 

New research journal launched by Astronomy Unit member
8 December 2023

Dr Enrico Camporeale, Senior Lecturer in QMUL’s Astronomy Unit, has become the founding editor-in-chief of the new journal Journal of Geophysical Research (JGR): Machine Learning and Computation

New James Webb Space Telescope observations reveal potential for earth-like planets in harsh environments
30 November 2023

A new study published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters suggests that planets like Earth, including those with water, could form even in the harshest known star-forming environments. These environments, drenched in intense ultraviolet radiation from massive stars, were previously thought to be too hostile for planet formation.

Two postdoctoral research positions at the Centre for Theoretical Physics
24 November 2023

The Centre for Theoretical Physics is seeking to appoint two outstanding postdoctoral candidates. 

Astronomy Unit win SEPnet award for public engagement
28 September 2023

The Astronomy Unit has jointly topped the Research Group category at the biennial SEPnet Public Engagement awards, being one of only two groups chosen as “Highly Commended”.

QMUL Physics Open Days Poster Join us for an Exciting Physics and Astronomy Open Day at Queen Mary University of London!
25 September 2023

We are happy to announce an exciting Queen Mary University of London Open Day event for prospective physics and astronomy undergraduate students on Saturday, 7 October starting at 10am in the GO Jones building on the Mile End Campus! 

Astronomy Unit member receives €1.5 million European Research Council Grant to study exoplanet evolution
5 September 2023

Dr Ed Gillen, from Queen Mary's Astronomy Unit, has been awarded €1.5 million from the European Research Council to support a team to investigate how exoplanetary systems evolve into potentially habitable environments

QMUL's Astronomy Unit members deliver a series of talks at the Royal Institution
31 August 2023

Five academics from QMUL, including four from the Astronomy Unit, have delivered a series of talks at the Royal Institution, covering topics in Astronomy from stars, to gravitational waves and cosmology.

Queen Mary Astronomy Unit Part of New Leverhulme Grant for Astrobiology
13 July 2023

Queen Mary's new inter-school astrobiology initiative has been awarded a prestigious Leverhulme Trust Research Project grant.

A new Tatooine-like multi-planetary system identified
13 June 2023

Researchers in QMUL’s Astronomy Unit were involved in the discovery of a new multi-planetary system orbiting two stars, only the second such system known to exist

Gravitational waves From small to large: a study of gravitational waves using scattering amplitudes of subatomic particles
25 May 2023

A recently awarded grant on current research done in the CTP related to gravitational waves features in the Leverhulme Trust newsletter.

Queen Mary students win Undergraduate of the Year awards Queen Mary students win Undergraduate of the Year awards
5 May 2023

Queen Mary’s Leila Pooriakia and Monzur Chowdhury pipped out thousands of students to be named as undergraduates of the year in the nation-wide TARGETjobs Undergraduate of the Year Awards.

 

AU academic awarded €2m from European Research Council to investigate planet forming discs
3 February 2023

Dr Thomas Haworth from QMUL's Astronomy Unit has been awarded a European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grant worth €2m to investigate how planet forming discs evolve in different environments.

Physics and Astronomy Department Taster & Offer-Holder Day
15 December 2022

The Department of Physics and Astronomy held an eventful Taster and Offer-Holder Day on 14th December 2022.

AU members, together with NASA and Edinburgh scientists, use James Webb Space Telescope data to unveil young stars in early stages of formation
15 December 2022

James Webb Space Telescope infrared capabilities pierce through dust clouds to make rare find.

Notpla awarded one of the Earthshot prizes 2022
5 December 2022

This weekend Notpla was awarded one of the Earthshot prizes 2022 in Boston.

Professor Alan Drew appointed a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
24 November 2022

Professor Alan Drew has just been appointed to be a Fellow of The Royal Society for Arts (FRSA), for his charitable work in Indonesia.

Congratulations to Dr Lesley Howell
4 November 2022

Recognizing Dr Lesley Howell for receiving the Principal Fellow of the HEA award

NOvA PPRC physicist appointed as NOvA Analysis Coordinator
1 November 2022

Dr Linda Cremonesi, UKRI Future Leaders Fellow and Lecturer in Particle Physics, has been appointed Analysis Coordinator of the NOvA Experiment

Calabi-Yau Award of a £1.5M STFC Consolidated Grant to the Centre for Theoretical Physics
31 October 2022

The Centre for Theoretical Physics has been awarded a £1.5M STFC Consolidated Grant.

J. Heyrovsky Medal for Achievements in Chemical Sciences Prof. Tony Vlcek has been awarded the "J. Heyrovsky Medal for Achievements in Chemical Sciences"
16 September 2022

Prof. Tony Vlcek has been awarded the "J. Heyrovsky Medal for Achievements in Chemical Sciences" by the Czech Academy of Sciences.

Sagex logo SAGEX Students’ Film
14 September 2022

SAGEX (Scattering Amplitudes: from Geometry to Experiment) is an Innovative Training Network funded by the European Union’s Marie Skłodowska-Curie programme.

QMUL Astronomy Unit member Dr Andrea Larosa awarded the AGU Fred L. Scarf Award
6 September 2022

Dr Andrea Larosa has been awarded the AGU Fred L. Scarf Award for his work on magnetic switchbacks and Langmuir waves with the NASA Parker Solar Probe mission

Observatory QMUL Astronomical Observatory undergoes significant upgrade
11 August 2022

The QMUL Astronomical Observatory is undergoing a major upgrade to allow full remote operation of the dome and telescopes. This will greatly expand the range of projects that students will be able to carry out as part of their final-year projects.

Exactmer and Queen Mary awarded Knowledge Transfer Partnership from Innovate UK
2 August 2022

The partnership will address barriers to the commercialisation of exact Polyethylene Glycol polymers (PEGs)

'Girls into Physics' Summer School
1 August 2022

The Girls into Physics summer school took place over three days in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Queen Mary University from the 27th - 29th July 2022.

Atrial Digital Twins. Credit: Caroline Roney. Queen Mary Science and Engineering researchers awarded UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships to tackle heart irregular heart rhythms and explore turbulence in space plasma
15 June 2022

Dr Caroline Roney and Dr Christopher Chen are among 84 promising leaders awarded fellowships totalling £98 million.

Physics and Astronomy at the Festival of Communities
12 June 2022

Members of the Department of Physics and Astronomy took part in QMUL's Festival of Communities to showcase our work to the public.

Sagex logo SAGEX Closing Meeting
30 May 2022

Queen Mary University of London hosts a celebratory final meeting of the European Commission Innovative Training Network SAGEX (Scattering Amplitudes: from Geometry to Experiment).

Physics and machine-learning join hands as molecular modelling doctoral network is awarded €2.6m EU Horizon funding
26 May 2022

The EU Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska–Curie Actions Doctoral Network ‘PHYMOL’ has been awarded nearly €2.6m following an application coordinated by Queen Mary’s Dr Alston J. Misquitta.

Astronomy Unit academic awarded ERC grant to investigate how planets are formed from dust
27 April 2022

Dr Sijme-Jan Paardekooper has been awarded € 2,314,680 from the European Research Council (ERC) to study how dust distribution impacts the formation of planets.

SAGEX Exhibition
26 April 2022

Two PhD students from the Department of Physics and Astronomy had a key role in developing an online exhibition “SAGEX - At the Frontier of Physics”.

 

World Health Day - Redefining The Role Of Medical Imaging In The Advancing Healthcare Environment
4 April 2022

Thursday 7th April is World Health Day. This event, organised by the World Health Organisation is an annual event dedicated to promoting the benefits of good health and wellbeing worldwide. Many people do not associate Physics with healthcare but the science is vital for many advancements in medicine, including medical imaging. To mark the occasion, 1st year BSc Theoretical Physics student Shiksha Teeluck wrote about advancements in medical physics and how they are used today.

 

 

Grenville Davey obituary
22 March 2022

School of Physical and Chemical Sciences is sorry to learn of the loss of Grenville Davey, Artist in Residence at in Physics 2011-2014. 

Alena Vdovchenko nominated for the 71st Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting
21 March 2022

Alena Vdovchenko nominated for the 71st Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting

British Science Week - Chemistry, Passion and Gender
15 March 2022

The School of Physical and Chemical Sciences is celebrating British Science Week (11-20th March). British Science Week is a ten-day celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths, with the theme this year being 'Growth'. To celebrate her growth as a scientist, BSc Pharmaceutical Chemistry student Afra Nower decided to write about her journey to study Chemistry and the barriers she faced as a woman. 

British Science Week - Why is Physics Important
14 March 2022

The School of Physical and Chemical Sciences is celebrating British Science Week (11-20th March). British Science Week is a ten-day celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths. To mark the occasion, 1st year BSc Theoretical Physics student Shiksha Teeluck shares why Physics is so important to her.

British Science Week - The Electromagnetic Spectrum: Seeing Beyond our Eyes
11 March 2022

The School of Physical and Chemical Sciences is celebrating British Science Week (11-20th March). British Science Week is a ten-day celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths, with the theme this year being 'Growth'. To celebrate his growth as a scientist, BSc Physics student Christopher wrote about a topic that really fascinates him; The Electromagnetic Spectrum. 

Dr Lesley Howell and the QMUL team are the winners of the LearnSci Teaching Innovation Awards.
7 February 2022

Dr. Lesley Howell and the team from QMUL have won the LearnSci Teaching Innovation Award for their use of mixed reality technology in undergraduate labs.

The Department of Chemistry recognised as frontrunners in advancing Social Mobility
26 January 2022

The Sutton Trust, along with the Institute for Fiscal Studies, have written a report exploring how social mobility varies by University, subject and at course level. Thanks to analysis by Dr Micheal O’Neill at the University of Oxford, it has emerged that the Department of Chemistry at Queen Mary University of London is leading the way on advancing social mobility.

AU researchers join the LIGO Scientific Collaboration
24 January 2022

A team of researchers from the QMUL Cosmology & Relativity group have been admitted to the LIGO Scientific Collaboration, the global organisation leading the detection and interpretation of gravitational wave events.

Thumbnail Image New Postdoctoral Position
24 December 2021

We're hiring a new postdoctoral research assistant in theoretical physics with closing date 12 January, 2022. Click on to find out more.

Parker Solar Probe enters the magnetic atmosphere of the Sun
14 December 2021

The NASA Parker Solar Probe mission has become the first spacecraft to enter the solar corona – the magnetically dominated atmosphere of the Sun. Researchers from the AU played a key role in the research confirming this historic event in space exploration.

Universe Dr Christopher Chen was featured on BBC2's programme, Universe: The Sun.
29 October 2021

The Astronomy Unit's Dr Christopher Chen, Senior Lecturer in Space Plasma Physics from the Queen Mary University of London featured on BBC2's programme, Universe: The Sun.

SPCS students work to highlight the scientific contributions of minoritised communities.
12 October 2021

Black History Month is important for raising awareness around racial inequalities while holding a spotlight to and celebrating black inspirational figures. 

Pearson's Inauguaral HE Innovate Awards Department of Chemistry a winner at Pearson’s inaugural HE Innovate Awards
20 September 2021

Department of Chemistry at Queen Mary University of London has won the award for ‘Most innovative hybrid or blended learning project’ at the first ever HE Innovate Awards.

Christopher Chen American Geophysical Union’s James B. Macelwane Medal Dr Christopher Chen awarded medal for outstanding contributions to space science
15 September 2021

Dr Christopher Chen from Queen Mary University of London has won American Geophysical Union’s James B. Macelwane Medal for his significant contributions to the geophysical sciences as an early career scientist.

Michael Royal Society Award Queen Mary University of London professors awarded prestigious medals by the Royal Society
24 August 2021

The Royal Society is a Fellowship of many of the world's most eminent scientists and is the oldest scientific academy in continuous existence.

QMUL Science and Engineering Faculty of Science and Engineering establishes new School structure to continue delivering excellence in research and education
2 August 2021

The proposal to create a new School structure in Queen Mary’s Faculty of Science and Engineering has recently been approved by Senate and Council.

QMUL's Astronomical Observatory Captures Solar Eclipse
11 June 2021

Members of the Astronomy Unit gathered at the School of Physics and Astronomy's Observatory to witness the recent partial solar eclipse.

Thumbnail Image Black Holes: The Edge of All We Know
8 June 2021

A documentary film following the quest to understand the most mysterious objects in the Universe.

Queen Mary Physicist stars in new documentary opposite Stephen Hawking
8 June 2021

‘A black hole is stranger than anything dreamed up by science fiction writers. It’s a region of space where gravity is so strong that nothing can escape. Once you are over the edge, there’s no way back’

– Stephen Hawking

World Environment Day - Delivering the Battery Revolution
4 June 2021

As part of a series of events running up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2021, Queen Mary University of London in collaboration with the National Battery Research Institute and the British Council will be running the workshop ‘Delivering battery revolution: Reducing the drivers of climate change in Indonesia’. The workshop aims to explore the role of the Island nations role in climate change, both globally and locally.

The primordial goo created by the Big Bang may have flowed like water.
3 June 2021

“We do not fully understand the origin of this striking similarity yet but we think it could be related to the fundamental physical constants which set both the universal lower limit of viscosity for both ordinary liquids and quark-gluon plasma,” Kostya Trachenko, a physics professor at Queen Mary University of London and author of the recent paper, said in the statement.

Sanjaye's diagram Linguistic Matrix Theory
24 May 2021

A collection of short articles based on the research of Dr Sanjaye Ramgoolam (CRST, QMUL) in the area of ``Linguistic Matrix Theory.’’

Linguistic Matrix Theory
24 May 2021

A collection of short articles based on the research of Dr Sanjaye Ramgoolam (CRST, QMUL) in the area of ``Linguistic Matrix Theory.’’

Important plasma waves in the solar atmosphere identified by AU researchers
11 May 2021

AU researchers have confirmed the existence of magnetic plasma waves, known as Alfvén waves, in the Sun’s photosphere.

A sky view of HERA National Space Day – Celebrating Queen Mary’s Astronomy Unit and their work exploring the Cosmos
7 May 2021

On the first Friday of May each year, countries around the world celebrate National Space Day. Established in the late 1990s, National Space Day encourages people to explore the wonders of the universe and promote cutting-edge astronomy and astrophysics research.

SEPnet Public Engagement Awards 2021
26 March 2021

Public engagement is central to Queen Mary’s commitment to work and collaborate with our local community for the good of all. We work hard to make sure that the world-class research carried out by the university and the School of Physics and Astronomy is understood and enjoyed by the public.

QMUL's Astronomy Unit Celebrates International Women's Day
8 March 2021

On Monday 8th March 2021, QMUL's Astronomy Unit celebrated International Women's Day by showcasing current staff, alumni, and eminent astrophysicists. A selection of tweets celebrating this day can be found below.

A decorative image of Queen Mary students in a laboratory Celebrating Queen Mary Women in Science
22 February 2021

The UN International Day of Women and Girls in Science (11 February) aims to recognise the critical role women and girls play in science and technology communities. 

 

Research led by the AU finds black holes could reach ‘stupendously large’ sizes
20 January 2021

A recent study suggests the possible existence of ‘stupendously large black holes’ or SLABS, even larger than the supermassive black holes already observed in the centres of galaxies.

Chromosol logo Queen Mary spinout Chromosol wins Royal Society of Chemistry competition
30 September 2020

Chromosol, a spinout company from Queen Mary University of London has been announced as a winner of the Royal Society of Chemistry Emerging Technologies Competition.

Nishma Thakor, GSK Meet the Placement student - Nishma Thakor, BSc Chemistry with a Year in Industry
15 September 2020

We spoke to Nishma, who reflected on her time as a placement student at GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceutical Supply Chain at Ware in the Incoming Materials Quality Control Laboratory.

Tessa Baker and Phil Bull AU researchers win prestigious European Research Council grants
14 September 2020

Two cosmologists in the Astronomy Unit in the School of Physics and Astronomy have been awarded prestigious Starting Grants from the European Research Council.

Simranjeet_Duhra Meet the Undergraduate - Simranjeet Duhra, MSci Chemistry
12 August 2020

Simranjeet is going into her final year of her MSci Chemistry degree and in this blog reflects on her time so far, including the impact of the pandemic on studying.

Naeem Ahmed Student blog- How to survive uni life, Naeem Ahmed
11 August 2020

Naeem is just going into his final year of studying BSc Chemistry and in this blog shares his tips and tricks for new students

Tayibb_Ahmed_Saddique Meet the Undergraduate - Tayyib Ahmed Saddique, MSci Chemistry
11 August 2020

Tayyib has recently graduated from his MSci Chemistry degree and in this blog he explains what studying the subject at Queen Mary has been like 

Comet NEOWISE (close-up), seen by Dr Thomas Haworth from Cheltenham on 10th July Rare naked-eye comet NEOWISE lights up the sky
19 July 2020

A recently-discovered comet has become visible to the naked eye during twilight. QMUL astronomer Thomas Haworth has been making the most of this rare opportunity by taking some photos!

Theory MSc Videos
16 July 2020

Several of our academics discuss their research interests and how these interests fit in with our Theoretical Physics MSc. Read on to find out more and view the videos. We are currently accepting new applications for the 2020-21 academic year.

Artist's impression of Gliese 887 V2b (RedDots collaboration) Super-Earths discovered orbiting nearby star
26 June 2020

A system of super-Earth planets has been detected orbiting one of closest stars to the Sun, Gliese 887. An international team of astronomers, including Professor Richard Nelson and Dr Gavin Coleman of Queen Mary University of London, made the discovery as part of Red Dots, a project to detect terrestrial planets orbiting stars close to the Sun.

Artist's impression of Gliese 887 V2b (RedDots collaboration) Super-Earths discovered orbiting nearby star
26 June 2020

A system of super-Earth planets has been detected orbiting one of closest stars to the Sun, Gliese 887. An international team of astronomers, including Professor Richard Nelson and Dr Gavin Coleman of Queen Mary University of London, made the discovery as part of Red Dots, a project to detect terrestrial planets orbiting stars close to the Sun.

Cassini image of Saturn and Titan Saturn's Moon Titan Drifting Away Faster Than Previously Thought
8 June 2020

Research involving scientists from Queen Mary University of London has shown that the moons of Saturn are moving outwards faster than first estimated, providing new insights into how the Saturn system formed. 

Cassini image of Saturn and Titan Saturn's Moon Titan Drifting Away Faster Than Previously Thought
8 June 2020

Research involving scientists from Queen Mary University of London has shown that the moons of Saturn are moving outwards faster than first estimated, providing new insights into how the Saturn system formed. 

Image of the observatory with the QMSPEC experimental set-up (the instrument is under the black ‘cloth’ which is used to block stray light). (Clark Baker) Innovative spectrometer sees first light (and breaks a record)
1 June 2020

Astronomers at QMUL have developed an extremely high-resolution spectrometer for exoplanet studies that is many times smaller, lighter, and cheaper than current alternatives. Its first-light spectrum is thought to be the highest resolution ever taken from the UK!

Queen Mary astronomer makes the connection to Data Science
11 May 2020

The QMUL School of Physics and Astronomy is a member of the Data Intensive Science Centre in the South East Physics Network (DISCnet). DISCnet is an STFC funded Centre for Doctoral Training, aimed at training a new generation scientists in data science. Paula Soares, a cosmology PhD student in the Astronomy Unit being supervised by Dr Alkistis Pourtsidou, is part of DISCnet and undertook a 3-month long data science internship in the summer of 2019.

Sunset over the Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array (credit: D. Storer) Queen Mary astronomers celebrate funding success
30 April 2020

Astronomers at QMUL are celebrating a bumper research funding award from the UK Government's Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).

Astronomy Unit hosts the Parker Solar Probe FIELDS team meeting
16 March 2020

The QMUL Astronomy Unit hosts a meeting for the team that designed and operates the FIELDS suite of instruments onbaord NASA's Parker Solar Probe spacecraft.

The MeerKAT radio telescope. Courtesy: SARAO. Astronomy Unit researchers help usher in a new era of radio cosmology
6 March 2020

Researchers at Queen Mary are leading the way as a new generation of cosmic surveys with radio telescopes begin.

An artists impression of Alpha Cen B, discovered as part of the pale red dots programme Updates from the Planets group at Queen Mary
5 March 2020

The Planets group at Queen Mary has had another busy year! Here are some recent highlights.

An artists impression of Alpha Cen B, discovered as part of the pale red dots programme Updates from the Planets group at Queen Mary
5 March 2020

The Planets group at Queen Mary has had another busy year! Here are some recent highlights.

Parker Solar Probe. Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben Researchers uncover intense chaotic motions of the solar wind
3 February 2020

New research from Queen Mary University of London has observed the chaotic behaviour of the solar wind at distances closer to the Sun than ever before.

Parker Solar Probe. Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben Researchers uncover intense chaotic motions of the solar wind
3 February 2020

New research from Queen Mary University of London has observed the chaotic behaviour of the solar wind at distances closer to the Sun than ever before.

Queen Mary researcher awarded prestigious Eccellenza Professorial Fellowship
6 January 2020

Dr Julian Adamek, a senior postdoctoral researcher in the Astronomy Unit, has been awarded a prestigious Eccellenza Professorial Fellowship by the Swiss National Science Foundation.

Closest-ever approach to the Sun reveals dynamic origins of solar wind
5 December 2019

Queen Mary researchers were part of an international team interpreting ground-breaking results from the Parker Solar Probespacecraft, which has flown closer to the Sun than ever before.

Astronomy Unit Members Attend the Les Houches School on Plasma Physics
27 May 2019

Members of the QMUL Astronomy Unit attended the Les Houches Physics School on "The multiple approaches to plasma physics from laboratory to astrophysics" and PhD student Alice Giroul won first prize for best poster presentation at the school.

Dr Alkistis Pourtsidou to explore the universe as a Future Leaders Fellow
9 May 2019

A Queen Mary cosmologist has been announced as a Future Leaders Fellow as part of a new government initiative to give leading researchers an opportunity to deliver global impact.

Spacecraft measurements reveal mechanism of solar wind heating
14 February 2019

Queen Mary University of London has led a study which describes the first direct measurement of how energy is transferred from the chaotic electromagnetic fields in space to the particles that make up the solar wind, leading to the heating of interplanetary space.

Astronomers find a super-Earth at Barnard's star
15 November 2018

Astronomers from the School of Physics and Astronomy are members of an international team that has found a planet in orbit around the second-closest star to the Sun, known as Barnard's star. 

Thermosphere Aurora_100x100 Queen Mary astronomer to play key role in ESA’s Ariel exoplanet mission
27 March 2018

Dr James Cho of the School of Physics and Astronomy is a member of the UK-led international team that will develop the European Space Agency’s Ariel mission, dedicated to observing and characterising planets in orbit around other stars (exoplanets).

Small ESO Release NGC3201_100x100 QMUL Astronomer helps to find Dormant Black Hole
17 January 2018

Queen Mary astronomer Dr Guillem Anglada Escudé is a member of an international team of astronomers who have used a novel method to find a black hole hiding in a nearby group of stars.

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