Outreach
Lab, Camera, Action!
Lab, Camera, Action! is a series of short videos about physics, explaining basic concepts, the work done here in Oxford, and even some experiments to try at home.
Workshops for schools
We have developed two workshops for presentation in schools. One of these, called Fantastic Fields, explores the world of magnetic materials and magnetic fields. The other, called Levitate!, introduces the fascinating and strange behaviour of superconductors at low temperatures.
The workshops are a mix of front-of-class presentations, demonstrations and hands-on experiments for the students.
For more information contact:
a [dot] boothroyd [at] physics [dot] ox [dot] ac [dot] uk (Professor Andrew Boothroyd), p [dot] goddard [at] physics [dot] ox [dot] ac [dot] uk (Dr Paul Goddard) or a [dot] steele [at] physics [dot] ox [dot] ac [dot] uk (Dr Andrew Steele).
Public lectures
Cooking, Fishing and Jogging through Phase Space: A Practical Guide to Discovering New Materials
Date: 30 Apr 2012 - 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Venue: Clarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PU
Room: Martin Wood Lecture Theatre
Audience: General public (Age 14+)
Paul C. Canfield
Distinguished Professor and Robert Allen Wright
Chair of Physics
Senior Physicist, Ames Laboratory
Iowa State University, USA
The design, discovery, characterization and control of novel materials is perhaps the most important research area for humanity as it moves into the 21rst century. A myriad of societal problems concerning energy, clear water and air, and medicine all need to be solved by the discovery of new compounds with dramatically improved, or even new, properties. The search for such materials requires a blending of skills and mind sets that, traditionally, have been segregated into different academic disciplines: physics, chemistry, metallurgy, materials science. In this lecture I will outline the basic philosophy and techniques that we use to search for novel materials. These include a combination of intuition, experience, compulsive optimism and a desire to share discovery.
In the second half of the lecture, the specific case of superconductivity will be used as an example of one specific such search. Over the past couple of decades a growing sense of where, and even how to seach for new superconductors has been developing, with the recent discovery of the FeAs based materials providing, at least for me, clear guidance. The lecture will be general and include side comments, mildly slanderous asides and references to philosophers living and dead.
To reserve places at the event please fill in our online form at
Quantum Materials Outreach
For futher queries please contact Corina Danke .
