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School of Physical and Chemical Sciences

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Catching up with Morium after her placement year at Jaguar Land Rover

We recently caught up with Morium, a Physics student at the School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, who has returned from her placement year at Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), to reflect on the skills she developed and how her degree prepared her for the workplace. 

Date added: Wednesday, October 21, 2026


Student contributes to space mission aboard the International Space Station

Ziyaad Ahmed Mohamed, a Physics student at the School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, has contributed to the SCAMPI project (Saltwater Crustaceans, Algae, and Microbial Population Investigation), a research initiative launched aboard NASA’s recent SpaceX CRS-35 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). 

Date added: Friday, October 16, 2026


Student Spotlight: Jessica Davidoff wins prize for innovative brain inflammation project

Jessica Davidoff, a final-year Pharmaceutical Chemistry student, has been awarded the Prize for Project Work in Physical/Theoretical Chemistry, which recognises the top third-year research project in the field at the School of Physical and Chemical Sciences.

Date added: Tuesday, July 15, 2025


A year of opportunities, community and events: A message from Chemistry Society

From solving murders with IR spectroscopy to exploring the science behind skincare, QMSU’s Chemistry Society is kicking off another year of socials, science and career opportunities.

Date added: Tuesday, September 29, 2026


Queen Mary research partnership brings microwave catalysis closer to real-world impact

A research partnership between the School of Physical and Chemical Sciences and deep-tech company MCatalysis is helping turn cutting-edge chemistry into technologies with potential applications in sustainable fuels and greener chemical manufacturing.

Date added: Friday, September 25, 2026


Jan Mol wins Royal Academy of Engineering Research Chair in scaling graphene quantum electronics

We’re delighted to share that Professor Jan Mol has been awarded a Royal Academy of Engineering Research Chair in scaling graphene quantum electronics. The award recognises Jan’s pioneering research and will support his work at Queen Mary to develop scalable graphene-based hardware for the next generation of quantum computers.

Date added: Monday, September 21, 2026


School of Physical and Chemical Sciences welcomes global physics community for Amplitudes 2026

Researchers from around the world gathered at Queen Mary University of London from 29 June to 3 July 2026 for Amplitudes 2026, one of the leading international conferences in theoretical high-energy physics. 

Date added: Monday, July 20, 2026


First ‘backwards’ planet discovered around a small star challenges ideas about how planets form

Queen Mary Astronomy Unit researchers help reveal an unusual exoplanet orbit that could provide new clues about the formation and evolution of planetary systems 

Date added: Monday, September 21, 2026


Student spotlight: Making the most of university life

For Ciara, studying Astrophysics at Queen Mary offered the perfect combination of academic challenge, hands-on astronomy and the exciting experience of student life in London. 

Date added: Wednesday, August 26, 2026


A headshot of a student with brown hair looks at the camera
Student spotlight: From summer school to graduate scheme

Having completed her MSc in Physics with Astrophysics at Queen Mary University of London, Argena Golloshi reflects on the journey that began years earlier with a physics summer school on campus. 

Date added: Wednesday, July 8, 2026


Students stand in front of colourful specialised research equipment
Inside PsiStar’s exciting year: A message from the Physics Society President

This year has been an incredible one for PsiStar, filled with exciting weekly events, unforgettable trips, and the continued growth of a welcoming scientific community at Queen Mary University of London.

Date added: Wednesday, May 27, 2026


A diagram demonstrating the upcycling of medical waste
Dr Michael Jie leads innovative medical waste recycling project backed by national funding

Researchers at the School of Physical and Chemical Sciences have secured major funding for a pioneering project that aims to develop next-generation technologies for sustainable healthcare waste management.

Date added: Wednesday, May 20, 2026


Queen Mary Astronomy Unit research on the properties of the Universe featured in New Scientist

Research from members of Queen Mary's Astronomy Unit on long-held assumptions about the Universe have been featured in an article from the New Scientist magazine.

Date added: Friday, May 15, 2026


Applied AI Students with Lord Tim Clement-Jones.png
SPCS students engage with AI policy leader Lord Tim Clement-Jones

Students from Queen Mary’s School of Physical and Chemical Sciences (SPCS) recently welcomed leading AI policy expert Tim Clement-Jones for a thought-provoking session on the future of Artificial Intelligence.

Date added: Tuesday, April 21, 2026


Pritha Paul
From MSc to postdoctoral researcher: Pritha Paul awarded PhD in theoretical cosmology

Dr Pritha Paul was awarded her PhD by Queen Mary’s School of Physical and Chemical Sciences in February 2026, after joining the school as a student on the MSc Astrophysics programme.

Date added: Thursday, March 26, 2026


Athena Swan Silver Award
SPCS Athena SWAN Silver Award (2026)

The School of Physical and Chemical Sciences (SPCS) is proud to announce that we have been awarded an extension of our Athena SWAN Silver Award.

Date added: Monday, March 23, 2026


Queen Mary Moonlight Palace
Moon Palace lands at Queen Mary: a cosmic celebration of science, art and community

Queen Mary’s School of Physical and Chemical Sciences recently hosted Moon Palace at its Mile End campus for a two-day programme blending astronomy, creativity and community engagement.

Date added: Tuesday, March 17, 2026


Queen Mary hosts international PLATO Theory Meeting as ESA's exoplanet mission approaches launch

Queen Mary's Astronomy Unit (AU) has just hosted the third PLATO Theory Meeting, bringing more than 70 researchers to Mile End to discuss how the community can make the most of ESA's forthcoming exoplanet mission, PLATO.

Date added: Wednesday, January 14, 2026


Queen Mary-led team discovers warped planetary nurseries

New ALMA observations reveal that the discs where planets form are often slightly warped, challenging long-held assumptions and offering clues about the subtle misalignments seen in our own Solar System.

Date added: Wednesday, August 27, 2025


New Royal Society URF awardee to lead exoplanet research project

Dr Andrew Winter has been awarded £1.8 million grant from the Royal Society's University Research Fellowship (URF) programme. He will join Queen Mary's School of Physical and Chemical Sciences in April and lead a groundbreaking project investigating the influence of neighbouring stars on planetary system formation.

Date added: Monday, January 27, 2025


Queen Mary Astronomy Unit awarded £1.5 million for astrophysics and space science research

Researchers in the Astronomy Unit (AU), in the School of Physical and Chemical Sciences at Queen Mary, have been awarded a total of £1.5 million from the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) to fund 3 research projects over the next 3 years.

Date added: Tuesday, February 10, 2026


Takaaki Kajita Delivers a Lecture at QMUL
Nobel Laureate Professor Takaaki Kajita Delivers Inspiring Lecture at Queen Mary

Queen Mary’s School of Physical and Chemical Sciences recently had the honour of hosting Nobel Prize-winning physicist Professor Takaaki Kajita as part of the Sir Peter Mansfield Lecture Series. 

Date added: Sunday, November 9, 2025


Discover Chemistry Outreach Event
Opening Pathways to Chemistry for Students

Queen Mary’s School of Physical and Chemical Sciences recently hosted Discover Chemistry: Pathways to A-Level and Beyond, an engaging outreach event designed to support and inspire elective home educated students and their families.

Date added: Monday, January 26, 2026


SPCS winning SEPnet awards
Celebrating success at the SEPnet Public Engagement Awards

Academics from Queen Mary’s School of Physical and Chemical Sciences won two awards at the South East Physics Network (SEPnet) Public Engagement Awards, held at the International Students House.

Date added: Monday, December 1, 2025


Dr Christopher Chen appointed as a Fellow of the American Physical Society

We are delighted to announce that Dr Christopher Chen, Reader in Space Plasma Physics in the Astronomy Unit of the School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, has been made a Fellow of the American Physical Society.

Date added: Friday, October 10, 2025


A vast molecular cloud, long invisible, is discovered near the solar system

An international team, including members from the QMUL Astronomy Unit, uncovers a hidden celestial structure using innovative far-ultraviolet techniques.

Date added: Monday, April 28, 2025


Dr Kymani Armstrong-Williams
Alumni Spotlight: Dr Kymani Armstrong-Williams Wins Prestigious Royal Society Fellowship

Dr Kymani Armstrong-Williams, who completed both his MSci and PhD studies in Physics at Queen Mary’s School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, has been awarded a prestigious four-year fellowship from the Royal Society.

Date added: Wednesday, August 27, 2025


AU research reveals presence of helicity barrier the the near-Sun solar wind

New research utilising data from NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has provided the first direct evidence of a phenomenon known as the “helicity barrier” in the solar wind. This discovery, published in Physical Review X by Queen Mary University of London researchers, offers a significant step towards understanding two long-standing mysteries: how the Sun’s atmosphere is heated to millions of degrees and how the supersonic solar wind is generated.

Date added: Wednesday, July 9, 2025


Queen Mary’s School of Physical and Chemical Sciences in the 2025 NSS

Queen Mary’s School of Physical and Chemical Sciences (SPCS) has achieved strong results in the 2025 National Student Survey (NSS), placing it among the top performers in the Russell Group and in London across key areas of teaching and student support.

Date added: Wednesday, July 23, 2025


Professor Peter Hobson showcases pioneering cancer research at Great Exhibition Road Festival

Professor Peter Hobson recently represented Queen Mary University of London and the cutting-edge LhARA collaboration at the Great Exhibition Road Festival in South Kensington. This annual public science and arts festival, organised by Imperial College London, drew thousands of curious minds, offering a unique platform to engage the public with the very forefront of scientific discovery.

Date added: Wednesday, June 25, 2025


Dr Florian Koller Awarded Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship to work in the QMUL Astronomy Unit

QMUL Astronomy Unit member Dr Florian Koller has been awarded a prestigious Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship to continue working in the AU's space plasma group

Date added: Friday, May 30, 2025


A Year of Growth and Ambition
Springing Forward: A Message from the Chemistry Society President

As the days grow longer and the scent of spring fills the air, Chemistry Society President Shane Dunne shares a message of reflection, celebration, and anticipation. From board games to breakthrough planning, discover what ChemSoc has been up to—and what’s still to come.

Date added: Friday, April 4, 2025


Dr Dimitrov’s Solar Innovation Featured in the Press
Dr Dimitrov in the News: Solar Research Breakthrough

Research from Dr Dimitrov in the Department of Chemistry at Queen Mary University of London is gaining widespread attention, featuring in several prominent scientific and industry magazines. The coverage highlights a new collaboration between Queen Mary and Power Roll – an innovative solar technology start-up – aiming to revolutionise the future of solar energy.

Date added: Wednesday, February 26, 2025


Year 1 Sustainability Presentations_02
First-Year Chemistry Students Shine in Sustainability Presentations

On Thursday 6th March, first-year and associate students in the School of Physical and Chemical Sciences showcased their knowledge, creativity, and commitment to sustainability during a dynamic programme-level group assessment. This exercise formed part of the coursework for CHE102B, CHE108, and CHE114 modules and reflected the department’s strong emphasis on integrating global challenges into the curriculum.

Date added: Thursday, March 6, 2025


Scientist solves 100-year-old problem that could change physics forever

The concept of a substance's melting point, a cornerstone in understanding its transition from solid to liquid, has long baffled researchers.

Date added: Monday, March 18, 2024


Paul Shepherd wins Drapers Company Postgraduate Prize

Paul Shepherd has won one of QMUL’s Drapers Company Postgraduate Prizes, for his outstanding postgraduate performance during his Astrophysics MSc.

Date added: Monday, February 3, 2025


Dr. Edward Gillen Presented with Research and Innovation Excellence Award
Astrophysicist Presented with Research and Innovation Excellence Award

Dr. Edward Gillen, a leading astrophysicist, has been recognised for his world-leading work in the study of planetary systems, which earned a prestigious ERC Starting Grant last year. 

Date added: Monday, January 6, 2025


New study furthers our understanding about the origins of energetic cosmic particles in the universe

A new study, published today in Nature Communications by a team including members from the QMUL Astronomy Unit, has shed new light on how shock waves throughout the Universe can accelerate electrons to high energies.

Date added: Monday, January 13, 2025


Queen Mary embarks on new collaborative initiative, Moon Palace!

We are thrilled to announce our partnership in a collaborative initiative, Moon Palace, made possible by a generous collaborative project funding of £22,000 from The Ogden Trust.  

Date added: Monday, December 2, 2024


Queen Mary Celebrates Horizon Prize Win for Groundbreaking Virtual Education Initiatives

Queen Mary University of London is proud to announce that the 3DI Virtual Reality Institute and the International Sustainable Chemistry Consortium (ISCC), co-founded by Dr. Stellios Arseniyadis, have been awarded the prestigious 2024 Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Horizon Prize for Education.

Date added: Tuesday, November 19, 2024


The large scale galaxy distribution is not as symmetric as we thought

Astronomy Unit PhD Student Pritha Paul has led a study, published in Physical Review Letters, showing that large scale galaxy distribution is not as symmetric as we thought.

Date added: Wednesday, September 25, 2024


Postdoc Appreciation Week 2024: Celebrating Our Postdoctoral Researchers

In celebration of National Postdoc Appreciation Week (16-20 September), Queen Mary recognises the vital contributions of our postdoctoral researchers across all faculties. 

Date added: Friday, September 20, 2024


NSS
Astronomy and Chemistry Shine in 2024 National Students Survey Results

The recently released 2024 National Students Survey (NSS) results have highlighted significant achievements in Astronomy and Chemistry, marking a milestone for the Faculty and contributing positively towards our TEF2027 objectives. These encouraging outcomes underscore our ongoing commitment to delivering a student experience rated as Gold.

Date added: Friday, July 19, 2024


An artist's illustration of a rogue planet, dark and mysterious. Image Credit: NASA
Where are all these rogue planets coming from?

What are rogue planets and how did they come into existence? This article cites research in a new paper by Dr Gavin Coleman in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Date added: Monday, April 1, 2024


Mono-tau lepton searches with the ATLAS Detector at Run 2
Mono-tau lepton searches with the ATLAS Detector at Run 2

This paper from ATLAS aims to discover new particles, such as W' bosons, that decay into a tau lepton and large missing transverse energy. No significant excess over the Standard Model expectation is observed, but upper limits of the W' bosons cross sections are derived.

Date added: Monday, June 10, 2024


Queen Mary Student Wins Prestigious SEDA Award for Innovative Augmented Reality Chemistry Guides

Shane Dunne, a second-year chemistry student at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), has been honoured with the esteemed SEDA Student Partnership Impact Award.

Date added: Friday, July 19, 2024


Dr. Dimitris Kalogiros Honored with 'Academic Advice Champion' Award at Queen Mary University of London Education Awards

We are thrilled to announce Dr. Dimitris Kalogiros won the “Academic Advice Champion” award in the Educational Awards across Queen Mary University of London.

Date added: Thursday, July 4, 2024


Interfaces : Strings, Symmetries, ComputationsInterfaces : Strings, Symmetries, Computations
New perspectives on algorithms and complexity from string theory

Dr Ramgoolam has worked with “Research Features” to produce an expository article for general audiences on his recent research with an international team of collaborators. The research is developing novel applications of string theory ideas to understand the complexity of classical and quantum algorithms related to symmetries. 

Date added: Monday, April 15, 2024


Jesse Coborn
Jesse Coburn Wins RAS Keith Runcorn Thesis Prize

Jesse Coburn, a former PhD student at Queen Mary University of London, has been awarded the Royal Astronomical Society's Keith Runcorn Thesis Prize for his doctoral work, which was carried out in QMUL's Astronomy Unit.

Date added: Monday, July 1, 2024


Shaping the future of STEM education: Nobel laureate Carl Wieman visits Queen Mary

Professor Wieman and Queen Mary University of London academics discussed their techniques for effective teaching informed by research. 

Date added: Monday, June 24, 2024


New NOvA Results Add to the Mystery of Neutrinos

The international NOvA collaboration has released new findings at the Neutrino 2024 conference in Milan, Italy, on June 17. These latest results add further intrigue to the study of neutrinos, one of the universe's most mysterious particles.

Date added: Thursday, June 20, 2024


ATLAS Collaboration Unveils New Insights into Z Boson Production with Heavy-Flavour Quarks

The ATLAS Collaboration at CERN has released groundbreaking results on the production of Z bosons in association with heavy-flavour quarks (bottom and charm quarks). Utilizing the full dataset from LHC Run-2, researchers have enhanced their understanding of the proton's internal dynamics and the distribution of its constituent quarks. These findings offer significant contributions to the field of particle physics and pave the way for more precise theoretical predictions.

Date added: Friday, May 10, 2024


PPRC24: PPRC PhD Student Akeem Hart Receives Prestigious Institute of Physics HEPP Poster Prize

PPRC PhD Student Akeem Hart has won the 2024 Institute of Physics HEPP Poster Prize. His poster showcases the DUNE 2x2 prototype at Fermilab, demonstrating cutting-edge technology for the next-generation of neutrino detectors.

Date added: Friday, April 5, 2024


First ATLAS measurement of W and Z boson production using Run-3 data

For over four decades, the study of W± and Z bosons, discovered at CERN’s SPS collider, has been integral to particle physics research. As carriers of the weak force, these bosons play a crucial role in elucidating the electroweak sector of the Standard Model. Moreover, they offer a window into the possibility of new physics beyond the Standard Model, with deviations from theoretical predictions potentially indicating novel particles or interactions.

Date added: Thursday, March 28, 2024


ATLAS Breaks New Ground with First Measurement of W-Boson Width at the LHC

Since the groundbreaking discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012, the scientific community has been driven by a quest to uncover the mysteries that lie beyond the confines of the Standard Model. Among the lingering questions are those pertaining to the nature of Dark Matter and the puzzling matter-antimatter asymmetry.

Date added: Friday, April 5, 2024


Half-cut view of modelled volume, the proton beam enters via the cylinder from the top.
Queen Mary joins the LhARA collaboration

Queen Mary became a member of the Laser-hybrid Accelerator for Radiobiological Applications (LhARA) collaboration. LhARA is an innovative biomedical initiative that could revolutionise cancer treatment. 

Date added: Wednesday, January 24, 2024


Quantum interference enhances the performance of single-molecule transistor

An international team of researchers from Queen Mary University of London, the University of Oxford, Lancaster University, and the University of Waterloo have developed a new single-molecule transistor that uses quantum interference to control the flow of electrons. 

Date added: Thursday, March 28, 2024


The Center for Condensed Matter Physics is recruiting

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

Date added: Wednesday, March 13, 2024


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

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

Date added: Wednesday, March 13, 2024


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

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. 

Date added: Monday, March 11, 2024


Radiation from massive stars shapes planetary systems

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

Date added: Thursday, February 29, 2024


Offer Holders Day

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

Date added: Tuesday, January 23, 2024


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