As we embark on a new year, let’s reflect on the remarkable achievements and exciting developments that shaped our community in 2023.
Celebrating Success
2023 was a year of success for many of our students. 152 pre-honours students received Certificates of Merit, 23 undergraduate and MSc students were awarded Class Medals, and 17 undergraduates received Prizes and Scholarships.
Notably, our PhD students had an exceptional year. Gary Robertson received the LHCb Early Career Scientist award; Minas Karamanis, Emmet Byrne, and Sara Mitchell each received the Winton Award for their theses; Robin Burton received first prize for her poster created for the 7th Edwards Symposium; and Max Huisman and Giorgia Palombo received prizes for their posters at the 2023 International Soft Matter Conference.
For their exceptional research, Professor Jim Dunlop was awarded a Royal Society Research Professorship; Dr Patrick Pietzonka received recognition for his work in stochastic thermodynamics by the European Physical Society; Professor Alexander Morozov received the 2023 British Society of Rheology Annual Award; and Professor John Peacock received the Royal Astronomical Society’s highest honour, the Gold Medal in Astronomy.
Dr Andrew McLeod was awarded a Royal Society University Research Fellowship, Dr Andreia Fonseca da Silva received an Industry Fellowship from the Royal Society, and Doctors Adam Carnall and Liza Mijovic were recipients of the Chancellor’s Fellows scheme for their outstanding research.
As a whole, the School of Physics and Astronomy had it’s Juno Champion and Athena SWAN Silver Status renewed for commitment to advancing gender equality.
Research Highlights
Dr Cyrielle Opitom and Professor Colin Snodgrass published a paper about their involvement with NASA’s DART mission, which deflected an asteroid in September 2022. Their research focused on studying the cloud of material ejected from the asteroid after the collision.
Dr Dominique Laniel was the lead researcher in a paper that synthesized four carbon nitrides, the “holy grail of materials science”. The hardness of these compounds exceeds that of cubic boron nitride and approaches that of diamond, with vast potential applications.
Nuclear astrophysicist Dr Ragandeep Singh Sidhu secured a fellowship collaborating with researchers at the University of Notre Dame, USA. His research will investigate the nuclear reactions within stars.
Soft matter physicist Professor Wilson Poon and art historian Professor Jill Burke partnered to study the flow properties of Renaissance cosmetics, developing the Beauty Sensorium for the Wellcome Collection in London.
Edinburgh astronomers participated in the launch of ESA’s Euclid telescope in July 2023. The telescope is intended to study dark energy and dark matter, with SoPA researchers leading the analysis of gravitational lensing data.
Insights for the Year Ahead
Looking ahead, the School is set to engage in exciting industry and entrepreneurship activities, aligning our academic pursuits with real-world applications. We are proud to announce that our groundbreaking Master’s program, Astrobiology and Planetary Sciences, successfully launched in September 2023, a testament to our commitment to advancing education and exploring new frontiers.
Building on the social events for year 3 students last year, the School is working to expand its efforts to foster a sense of community across other academic years. From careers forums to social gatherings, we are dedicated to creating an enriching environment that goes beyond the classroom.
As we continue our journey in 2023, stay tuned for updates on our website (www.ph.ed.ac.uk/news) for the latest developments, collaborations, and achievements. Thank you for being an integral part of our vibrant and dynamic community. Here’s to another year of exploration, innovation, and success in the field of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Edinburgh!
Useful Links
School of Physics and Astronomy news:
https://www.ph.ed.ac.uk/news
MSc in Astrobiology and Planetary Sciences:
https://www.ph.ed.ac.uk/msc-astrobiology-planetary-sciences
Nucleus building at KB:
https://www.ed.ac.uk/science-engineering/about/nucleus
2023 news in full:
https://www.ph.ed.ac.uk/news/archive/2023
(Photo by the University of Edinburgh)
