For an idea in physics to have real-world impact, you need an unbroken chain stretching from physics, through materials discovery and development, and right along to industry. Joining up these disparate areas in the field of superconductor research is the aim of a new Centre for Applied Superconductivity (CfAS), a collaborative effort between local industrial companies and Oxford University’s Departments of Materials and Physics.

Two researchers from the Department of Physics scooped prizes at the annual MPLS Impact Awards, which aim to foster and raise awareness of impact by rewarding it at a local level. The awards were presented by Prof Alison Noble at the MPLS Winter Reception to Prof Myles Allen and Prof Achillefs Kapanidis.

Our latest Department newsletter is now available to download in PDF format here (the file may not display correctly with Firefox/Chrome pdf viewers -- in this case save it to a file and open it with e.g. Acrobat reader or Preview).

Have a look at the wide range of work that we do in front-line research, teaching, public outreach and school education.

The Department of Physics at the University of Oxford will be holding an Industry Day on Friday 23rd September 2016.

The event will see us open our doors with the objective of exploring how Oxford Physics can help your company innovate and grow. The event will allow companies to:

• Find out about our research and how to access our facilities
• Discuss our technologies and applications
• Meet our staff and students
• Network with other companies
• Explore collaboration opportunities

The Physics Department is sad to announce the death of Professor Harry Jones.

Harry, who was 70 in February, joined the department in 1968 and served Oxford Physics for 44 years before formally retiring in 2012. He was well known around the world for his great expertise in superconducting magnets, which formed the basis of high magnetic field work done in the Clarendon Laboratory over very many years. His legacy is kept alive by the newly formed Oxford Centre for Applied Superconductivity.

Our condolences go to his wife Linda, and to his wider family.

Yesterday a Soyuz-Fregat rocket lifted off at just before 5PM and along for the ride was a new, compact infrared instrument developed by the Planetary Experiments Group in Oxford Physics and RALSpace at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. Called the Compact Modular Sounder, or CMS, the instrument is designed to map surface and atmospheric temperature properties, is about the size of a shoe box and has a mass of just 4.5 kg.

Spring 2014

Physics Today has highlighted research using the PImMS camera, a fast CMOS-based imaging camera developed by the PImMS collaboration between Oxford Physics, Oxford Chemistry and the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.