BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//SoPA UoE//Event Calendar//EN X-WR-CALNAME:School of Physics & Astronomy General Interest Seminars X-WR-CALDESC:School of Physics & Astronomy General Interest Seminars X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT12H CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Europe/London X-LIC-LOCATION:Europe/London BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 DTSTART:19810329T010000 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYMONTH=3;BYDAY=-1SU TZNAME:BST END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 DTSTART:19961027T020000 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYMONTH=10;BYDAY=-1SU TZNAME:GMT END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT CLASS:PUBLIC UID:EVENT-86268@www.ph.ed.ac.uk DTSTAMP:20261014T153501 CREATED:20251021T095011 LAST-MODIFIED:20251021T095011 STATUS:CONFIRMED DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251023T170000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251023T180000 SUMMARY:What has particle physics ever done for me? DESCRIPTION:All students and staff welcome.\n\nSpeaker\n\nProfessor Pippa Wells\, Deputy Director CERN\n\nRefreshments\n\nMeet at 16.30 in the Nucle us Building foyer for tea and cakes prior to the talk.\n\nSpeaker:\n* Prof essor Pippa Wells (CERN) LOCATION:Alder Lecture Theatre\, Nucleus Building\, King's Buildings URL:https://www.ph.ed.ac.uk/events/2025/86268-what-has-particle-physics-ev er-done-for-me END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT CLASS:PUBLIC UID:EVENT-86593@www.ph.ed.ac.uk DTSTAMP:20261014T153501 CREATED:20251104T083706 LAST-MODIFIED:20251106T141932 STATUS:CONFIRMED DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251106T170000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251106T180000 SUMMARY:Interested in applying for a PhD? DESCRIPTION:All students and staff welcome.\n\nSpeaker\n\nDr Tyler Shendru k and Dr Pascal Reiter (School of Physics and Astronomy\, University of Ed inburgh)\n\nRefreshments\n\nMeet at 16.30 in the Nucleus Building foyer fo r tea and cakes prior to the talk.\n\nSpeakers:\n* Dr. Tyler Shendruk (Sch ool of Physics & Astronomy\, University of Edinburgh)\n* Dr Moritz Pascal Reiter (School of Physics & Astronomy\, University of Edinburgh) LOCATION:Alder Lecture Theatre\, Nucleus Building\, King's Buildings URL:https://www.ph.ed.ac.uk/events/2025/86593-interested-in-applying-for-a -phd END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT CLASS:PUBLIC UID:EVENT-87110@www.ph.ed.ac.uk DTSTAMP:20261014T153501 CREATED:20260304T091018 LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T133222 STATUS:CONFIRMED DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260306T120000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260306T130000 SUMMARY:Facilitating student learning in the Physics Teaching Laboratory - Imperial College London DESCRIPTION:All students and staff welcome.\n\nSpeaker\n\nDr Michael Fox ( Department of Physics\, Imperial College London)\n\nAbstract\n\nIn this ta lk Dr Michael Fox will give an overview of the experimental physics progra mme for undergraduate physics students at Imperial College London before e xplaining how a handful of simple changes in the last few years have made a dramatic improvement to the student and staff experience of the second-y ear lab course.\n\nThese changes include updating how reports are graded t o align with what they want students to learn\; how they assess student la b notebooks and professional skills in the lab\; and how the staff and gra duate teaching assistants in the lab are trained.\n\nDr Michael Fox will p resent a case study rather than a research report\, as the effect of indiv idual changes on overall outcomes or student sentiment cannot be separated . He hopes to provide the audience with some examples that may be of pract ical use when considering how to design or alter their own courses.\n\nRef reshments\n\nMeet at 11.45 level 6 corridor for tea and cakes prior to the talk.\n\nSpeaker:\n* Dr Michael Fox (Imperial College London ) LOCATION:Room 6206\, JCMB URL:https://www.ph.ed.ac.uk/events/2026/87110-facilitating-student-learnin g-in-the-physics-teaching-laboratory-imperial-college-london END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT CLASS:PUBLIC UID:EVENT-87145@www.ph.ed.ac.uk DTSTAMP:20261014T153501 CREATED:20260310T131539 LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T131539 STATUS:CONFIRMED DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260312T170000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260312T180000 SUMMARY:How pipe flow becomes unstable or why turbulence is physics? DESCRIPTION:All students and staff welcome.\n\nSpeaker\n\nProf Alexander M orozov (School of Physics and Astronomy)\n\nAbstract\n\nProf Morozov will give an overview of what is currently known about transition to turbulenc e in straight pipes and channels. He will review the existing experimenta l results for such flows\, discuss how they are interpreted in mathematica l terms\, and argue that this problem belongs to the realm of non-equilib rium statistical mechanics.\n\nRefreshments\n\nMeet at 16.30 outside the l ecture theatre for tea and cakes prior to the talk.\n\nSpeaker:\n* Profess or Alexander Morozov (School of Physics & Astronomy\, University of Edinbu rgh) LOCATION:Elm Lecture Theatre\, Nucleus Building\, King's Buildings URL:https://www.ph.ed.ac.uk/events/2026/87145-how-pipe-flow-becomes-unstab le-or-why-turbulence-is-physics END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT CLASS:PUBLIC UID:EVENT-87217@www.ph.ed.ac.uk DTSTAMP:20261014T153501 CREATED:20260325T164454 LAST-MODIFIED:20260325T164454 STATUS:CONFIRMED DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260326T170000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260326T180000 SUMMARY:What’s in the box\, and does it matter? DESCRIPTION:All students and staff welcome.\n\nSpeaker\n\nProf Ross Gallow ay (School of Physics and Astronomy)\n\nTalk\n\nWhat’s in the box\, and does it matter?: 'Black box' experiments to promote exploratory thinking.\ n\nRefreshments\n\nMeet at 16.30 outside the lecture theatre for tea and c akes prior to the talk.\n\nSpeaker:\n* Professor Ross Galloway FInstP FRAS (School of Physics & Astronomy\, University of Edinburgh) LOCATION:Elm Lecture Theatre\, Nucleus Building\, King's Buildings URL:https://www.ph.ed.ac.uk/events/2026/87217-whats-in-the-box-and-does-it -matter END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT CLASS:PUBLIC UID:EVENT-87366@www.ph.ed.ac.uk DTSTAMP:20261014T153501 CREATED:20260505T191348 LAST-MODIFIED:20260526T143819 STATUS:CONFIRMED DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260601T121000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260601T130000 SUMMARY:The arts and crafts\, life\, loves and dogs of James Clerk Maxwell DESCRIPTION:As physicists know\, James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879) was one o f the greatest scientists who ever lived. To him we owe the most significa nt discovery of our age - the theory of electromagnetism\, laying the foun dations for Hertz’s discovery of radio waves. He is rightly acclaimed as the founder of modern physics. In Maxwell’s equations lay the origins o f our understanding of electromagnetism and field theory.\n\nEinstein is q uoted as saying\, reflecting the development of Maxwellian realities:\n\n ‘One scientific epoch ended and another began with James Clerk Maxwell ’\n\nThe legacy left to us continues\; as recently as 2007 Freeman Dyson said:\n\n‘We may hope that a deep understanding of Maxwell’s theory w ill result in the dispersal of the fog of misunderstanding that still surr ounds the interpretation of quantum mechanics [and] … will help to lead the way towards further triumphs of physics in the twenty-first century.'\ n\nThis is a rare chance to learn more from three knowledgeable speakers a bout this strange and wonderful human being who navigated the politics of science with wit\, grace and kindness\, supported by a family who loved hi m.\n\nDr Kate Macdonald on his early life\, art and craft\; Dr Alan Walker on his career and achievements\; Dr Howie Firth on the legacy of the conc ept of a field\; and why Maxwell is not well known\, reflecting on how the 21st-century scientific culture is shaped by what happened in the latter half of the 19th century – effectively writing James Clerk Maxwell out o f popular scientific history.\n\nWe thank our friends at IOP Scotland for seed funding for Clerk Maxwell @ 200 project\, and providing funding for t eas and coffees.  \n\nSpeakers:\n* Dr Kate Macdonald (Institute of Physi cs Scotland)\n* Dr Howie Firth (Orkney Science Festival)\n* Dr Alan Walker MBE\, D.hc\, FInstP\, BSc\, ARCS (School of Physics & Astronomy\, Univers ity of Edinburgh) LOCATION:Elm Lecture Theatre\, Nucleus Building URL:https://www.ph.ed.ac.uk/events/2026/87366-the-arts-and-crafts-life-lov es-and-dogs-of-james-clerk-maxwell END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT CLASS:PUBLIC UID:EVENT-87850@www.ph.ed.ac.uk DTSTAMP:20261014T153501 CREATED:20260918T151622 LAST-MODIFIED:20260922T073604 STATUS:CONFIRMED DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260924T170000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260924T180000 SUMMARY:Is “interactive” teaching sufficient to promote conceptual dev elopment in physics? DESCRIPTION:All students and staff welcome.\n\nSpeaker\n\nProf Paula Heron \, University of Washington \n\nAbstract\n\nOver the past few decades\, s ystematic research has shown that many physics students express essentiall y the same (incorrect) ideas both before and after instruction. Other STEM disciplines have reported similar results. It is frequently assumed that these ideas can be identified by research and then addressed through “in teractive” teaching approaches such as hands-on activities and small-gro up collaborative work. In many classrooms\, incorrect ideas are elicited\, their inadequacy is exposed\, and students are guided in reconciling thei r prior knowledge with the formal concepts of the discipline. Variations o f this strategy have proven fruitful in science instruction at all levels from elementary through graduate school. However\, this summary greatly ov er-simplifies the use of students’ ideas as the basis for effective inst ructional strategies. Examining what students have actually learned after using research-based curriculum is essential for improving the curriculum and validating its effectiveness.  \n\nRefreshments\n\nMeet at 16.30 outs ide the lecture theatre for tea and cakes prior to the talk.\n\nSpeaker:\n * Professor Paula R. L. Heron (University of Washington) LOCATION:Elm Lecture Theatre\, Nucleus Building\, KB URL:https://www.ph.ed.ac.uk/events/2026/87850-is-interactive-teaching-suff icient-to-promote-conceptual-development-in-physics END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT CLASS:PUBLIC UID:EVENT-87856@www.ph.ed.ac.uk DTSTAMP:20261014T153501 CREATED:20260923T110102 LAST-MODIFIED:20260928T113721 STATUS:CONFIRMED DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20261001T170000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20261001T180000 SUMMARY:Detecting biosignatures with future missions DESCRIPTION:All students and staff welcome.\n\nSpeaker\n\nDr Sarah Rugheim er\, School of Physics and Astronomy\, University of Edinburgh\n\nAbstract \n\nThe JWST (James Webb Space Telescope) is the first mission able to obs erve rocky exoplanet atmospheres. Future missions such as the proposed LIF E (Large Interferometer for Exoplanets) mission concept and HWO (Habitable Worlds Observatory) aim to directly detect of the atmospheres of planets orbiting FGKM stars (classification of star based on spectral type). As we observe these targets\, we need to consider their UV environments to unde rstand these observations. The diversity of the planets themselves adds ad ditional complexity\, and their atmospheres will not be fixed in time. In this talk\, I will discuss the importance of UV radiation for the detectio n of biosignatures and prebiotic signatures\, along with mechanisms for fa lse positives with future missions.\n\nRefreshments\n\nMeet at 16.30 outsi de the lecture theatre for tea and cakes prior to the talk.\n\nSpeaker:\n* Dr Sarah Rugheimer (School of Physics & Astronomy\, University of Edinbur gh) LOCATION:Elm Lecture Theatre\, Nucleus Building\, King's Buildings URL:https://www.ph.ed.ac.uk/events/2026/87856-detecting-biosignatures-with -future-missions END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT CLASS:PUBLIC UID:EVENT-87855@www.ph.ed.ac.uk DTSTAMP:20261014T153501 CREATED:20260923T105836 LAST-MODIFIED:20261005T103614 STATUS:CONFIRMED DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20261008T170000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20261008T180000 SUMMARY:Shake it till it moves DESCRIPTION:All students and staff welcome.\n\nSpeaker\n\nDr James (Jian) Guan\, University of Hull\n\nAbstract\n\nPut a tray of liquid on a shaker\ , and things start to move on their own. In 2005\, oil droplets were disco vered to "walk" across a vibrating bath\, surfing on their own waves. For over twenty years\, no one could get a solid particle to do the same. Roug h surfaces\, awkward wetting\, and badly matched fluid properties kept scr ambling the bouncing rhythm a particle needs to resonate with the waves be neath it.\n\nIn this talk\, I show how millimetric glass beads can walk al ong the interface between two immiscible liquids\, and explain how added m ass\, viscous drag\, and density ratios shape their motion. We then flip t he problem on its head: instead of a solid bouncing on a fluid\, what abou t a bubble in a shaken fluid? I reveal a new symmetry-breaking mechanism i n which bubbles "gallop" by coupling their shape oscillations. They swim b y flexing their bodies and using inertia rather than shedding vortices\, s o they keep going even where viscous swimming fails. Depending on the sett ings\, they move in straight lines\, orbit\, or run and tumble.\n\nFrom be ad herds to bubble couriers that transport cargo\, sort\, and clean surfac es\, I'll show how a little vibration can create surprisingly lifelike beh aviour\, with implications for microfluidics\, soft robotics\, heat transf er\, and active matter.\n\nRefreshments\n\nMeet at 16.30 outside the lectu re theatre for tea and cakes prior to the talk.\n\nSpeaker:\n* Dr James (J ian) Guan (University of Hull) LOCATION:Elm Lecture Theatre\, Nucleus Building\, King's Buildings URL:https://www.ph.ed.ac.uk/events/2026/87855-shake-it-till-it-moves END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT CLASS:PUBLIC UID:EVENT-88101@www.ph.ed.ac.uk DTSTAMP:20261014T153501 CREATED:20261013T132048 LAST-MODIFIED:20261013T132048 STATUS:CONFIRMED DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20261015T170000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20261015T180000 SUMMARY:Understanding decolonisation in higher education context DESCRIPTION:All students and staff welcome.\n\nSpeaker\n\nDr Omolabake Fak unle\, Moray House School of Education and Sport.\n\nAbstract\n\nThis pres entation discusses practical application decolonisation in the context of interdisciplinary learning in higher education. The session offers insight s into why decolonisation matters for learning at an international univers ity and will invite students to consider what this might mean for their su bject area.\n\nRefreshments\n\nMeet at 16.30 outside the lecture theatre f or tea and cakes prior to the talk.\n\nSpeaker:\n* Dr Omolabake Fakunle (I nstitute for Education\, Community and Society\, University of Edinburgh) LOCATION:Elm Lecture Theatre\, Nucleus Building\, King's Buildings URL:https://www.ph.ed.ac.uk/events/2026/88101-understanding-decolonisation -in-higher-education-context END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT CLASS:PUBLIC UID:EVENT-87857@www.ph.ed.ac.uk DTSTAMP:20261014T153501 CREATED:20260923T110723 LAST-MODIFIED:20260923T111014 STATUS:CONFIRMED DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20261029T170000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20261029T180000 SUMMARY:Why we need to tell stories about physics if we're going to change the world (in a good way)  DESCRIPTION:All students and staff welcome.\n\nSpeaker\n\nDr Mark Haw\, Un iversity of Strathclyde \n\nRefreshments\n\nMeet at 16.30 outside the lec ture theatre for tea and cakes prior to the talk.\n\nSpeaker:\n* Mark Haw (University of Strathclyde) LOCATION:Elm Lecture Theatre\, Nucleus Building\, King's Buildings URL:https://www.ph.ed.ac.uk/events/2026/87857-why-we-need-to-tell-stories- about-physics-if-were-going-to-change-the-world-in-a-good-way END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT CLASS:PUBLIC UID:EVENT-87858@www.ph.ed.ac.uk DTSTAMP:20261014T153501 CREATED:20260923T110929 LAST-MODIFIED:20260923T110929 STATUS:CONFIRMED DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20261105T170000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20261105T180000 SUMMARY:How to choose a PhD DESCRIPTION:All students and staff welcome.\n\nSpeakers\n\nDr Tyler Shendr uk and Dr Pascal Reiter\, School of Physics and Astronomy\, University of Edinburgh\n\nRefreshments\n\nMeet at 16.30 outside the lecture theatre for tea and cakes prior to the talk.\n\nSpeakers:\n* Dr. Tyler Shendruk (Scho ol of Physics & Astronomy\, University of Edinburgh)\n* Dr Moritz Pascal R eiter (School of Physics & Astronomy\, University of Edinburgh) LOCATION:Elm Lecture Theatre\, Nucleus Building\, King's Buildings URL:https://www.ph.ed.ac.uk/events/2026/87858-how-to-choose-a-phd END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT CLASS:PUBLIC UID:EVENT-87859@www.ph.ed.ac.uk DTSTAMP:20261014T153501 CREATED:20260923T111253 LAST-MODIFIED:20260923T111253 STATUS:CONFIRMED DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20261119T170000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20261119T180000 SUMMARY:TBC DESCRIPTION:All students and staff welcome.\n\nSpeaker\n\nProf Graeme Ackl and\, School of Physics and Astronomy\, University of Edinburgh\n\nRefresh ments\n\nMeet at 16.30 outside the lecture theatre for tea and cakes prior to the talk.\n\nSpeaker:\n* Professor Graeme Ackland FRSE (School of Phys ics & Astronomy\, University of Edinburgh) LOCATION:Elm Lecture Theatre\, Nucleus Building\, King's Buildings URL:https://www.ph.ed.ac.uk/events/2026/87859-tbc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT CLASS:PUBLIC UID:EVENT-87860@www.ph.ed.ac.uk DTSTAMP:20261014T153501 CREATED:20260923T111430 LAST-MODIFIED:20260923T111430 STATUS:CONFIRMED DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20261126T170000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20261126T180000 SUMMARY:TBC DESCRIPTION:All students and staff welcome.\n\nSpeaker\n\nDr Giuseppe Negr o\, School of Physics and Astronomy\, University of Edinburgh\n\nRefreshme nts\n\nMeet at 16.30 outside the lecture theatre for tea and cakes prior t o the talk.\n\nSpeaker:\n* Dr Giuseppe Negro (School of Physics & Astronom y\, University of Edinburgh) LOCATION:Elm Lecture Theatre\, Nucleus Building\, King's Buildings URL:https://www.ph.ed.ac.uk/events/2026/87860-tbc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT CLASS:PUBLIC UID:EVENT-87861@www.ph.ed.ac.uk DTSTAMP:20261014T153501 CREATED:20260923T111545 LAST-MODIFIED:20260923T111545 STATUS:CONFIRMED DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20261203T170000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20261203T180000 SUMMARY:TBC DESCRIPTION:All students and staff welcome.\n\nSpeaker\n\nDr Anna Lisa Var ri\, School of Physics and Astronomy\, University of Edinburgh\n\nRefresh ments\n\nMeet at 16.30 outside the lecture theatre for tea and cakes prior to the talk.\n\nSpeaker:\n* Dr Anna Lisa Varri (School of Physics & Astro nomy\, University of Edinburgh) LOCATION:Elm Lecture Theatre\, Nucleus Building\, King's Buildings URL:https://www.ph.ed.ac.uk/events/2026/87861-tbc END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR