Congratulations to Dr Sam Stranks, who was recently presented with the Institute of Physics’ Roy Thesis Prize. The prize is awarded annually to the best nominated thesis in condensed matter and materials physics.

Congratulations to Emeritus Professor Mike Glazer on winning the Jan Czochralski Award of the European Materials Research Society. The medal was presented on 19 September 2012 at the E-MRS Fall Meeting in Warsaw, with laudation for the prize delivered by Professor Ekhard Salje FRS from Cambridge University. The award recognizes lifetime achievements in Materials Science - in Mike's case particularly his highly cited works on perovskites.

Why String Theory? website aims to provide the general public with an introduction to the mysteries of string theory.

You’ll learn where string theory came from, why people research it and what they hope to find out. No prior knowledge of higher physics or mathematics is assumed, but nevertheless there is sufficient depth of material for you to be able to gain a true insight into current developments.

Condensed Matter Physics is delighted to announce that Mr Chaw Keong Yong, third year postgraduate student, has been awarded the Nicholas Kurti Prize 2012 for the best presentation and distinguished work by a third year postgraduate student.

The John Adams Institute for Accelerator Science is expanding, with a new research base at Imperial College London joining two existing centres at Royal Holloway, University of London and the University of Oxford.

The Department of Physics has been granted an Athena Swan Bronze Award.

For further details, please see the full Story at www2.physics.ox.ac.uk/athena-swan.

The beliefs underpinning the Athena Swan Charter are:

Summer 2012

Our latest Department newsletter is now available to download in PDF format here. Have a look at the wide range of work that we do in front-line research, teaching, public outreach and school education. We would welcome contributions to future newsletters from undergraduate or postgraduate alumni and previous members of the physics department.

Congratulations to Yulin Chen (Condensed Matter) who has been awarded the prestigious Outstanding Young Researcher Award of the International Organization of Chinese Physicists and Astronomers, with the following citation:

Congratulations to Yulin Chen (Condensed Matter Physics), who was awarded the prestigious OYRA award with the following citation:

"For his pioneering contribution in advancing our knowledge of topological insulators using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, for the realization of the topological insulating state of Bi2Te3, and the discovery of the massive topological surface state in magnetically doped topological Bi2Se3."