Investigations of particles, quantum fields and extended objects
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Cambridge
Department Name: Applied Maths and Theoretical Physics
Abstract
We are interested in what is happening to the smallest bits of matter, how
they interact with each other, what a force really is, and how all of this
fits into what we observe around us in the universe. We have a very good
theory that describes all this for many of the particles and interactions
(quantum field theory). By and large, the
measurements line up with the predictions and this is a significant scientific
achievement. However, there are large holes in our knowledge and this leaves
oppurtunity for work by our research group.
For instance, in the centre of atoms lies the nucleus. The nucleus is strongly
bound, which means that we don't know how to calculate anything analytically
(with a pen and paper) using the standard techniques.
Our research has found a clever way of mathematically modelling the nucleus
using analytic techniques: the Skyrme model. Now, we can describe all nuclei
from atomic number 1 to 108 using this model. We shall be exploring the
mathematics behind this in more detail: it has a connection to gravitational
theories and string theories (mathematical theories that model particles as
tiny quantum loops).
There are also other particles other than nuclei which
are strongly bound, such as B-mesons.
For these, sophisticated computer programs must be
built which break space and time up into a grid of points, and the quantum
fluctuations of the sub-nuclear interactions are simulated using random
numbers on this lattice. Analytic calculations must be done to match the
numbers obtained on the computer to experimental data. We shall develop these
calculations, and perform new ones so that data can be used to extract the
level to which various quarks (for example, the up quark and the b-quark)
mix. This helps provide an accurate description of an unexplained phenomenon:
how the funny pattern of quark mixing comes about. These calculations also
help the extraction of the difference between matter and anti-matter from
experimental data.
String theory is an extraordinarily mathematically rich structure, that
purports to describe gravity. One variant of it may also even underlie all of
the interactions between particles that are observed in nature. The tiny loops
behave like particles unless one probes them at energies that are far too high
for us to reach in current experiments. Some of our research examines the rich
structure behind the mathematics of these theories: it turns out that
scattering two particles and scattering three particles have strict relations
between the interaction probabilities. Sometimes, truths such as these are
easier understood by mapping one string theory to another one, which has a
different coupling strength and a different number of space-time
dimensions. These "dualities" help us winkle out truths and
deep connections in string theory. We shall be investigating their role in the
relations between interaction probabilities.
The LHC will start up again after the shut-down around 2015 with double the
energy that it had in 2012. This means that if supersymmetry keeps the higgs
light (this is the main motivation for the kind of supersymmetry that the LHC
can discover), the LHC should discover supersymmetric particles in the first
year of running. Even if this idea of supersymmetry is not present in nature,
some other particles or interactions should be responsible for cancelling the
quantum fluctuations (a seething random mass of particles popping in and out
of existence) which tend to make the Higgs mass some 10^15 times heavier than
has just been observed at the LHC. These particles should also be discovered
soon. We shall be interpreting the data, and discriminating various models by
comparing their predictions to any signals that the LHC sees. We should be
able to work out which theories are ruled out, and which are favoured.
they interact with each other, what a force really is, and how all of this
fits into what we observe around us in the universe. We have a very good
theory that describes all this for many of the particles and interactions
(quantum field theory). By and large, the
measurements line up with the predictions and this is a significant scientific
achievement. However, there are large holes in our knowledge and this leaves
oppurtunity for work by our research group.
For instance, in the centre of atoms lies the nucleus. The nucleus is strongly
bound, which means that we don't know how to calculate anything analytically
(with a pen and paper) using the standard techniques.
Our research has found a clever way of mathematically modelling the nucleus
using analytic techniques: the Skyrme model. Now, we can describe all nuclei
from atomic number 1 to 108 using this model. We shall be exploring the
mathematics behind this in more detail: it has a connection to gravitational
theories and string theories (mathematical theories that model particles as
tiny quantum loops).
There are also other particles other than nuclei which
are strongly bound, such as B-mesons.
For these, sophisticated computer programs must be
built which break space and time up into a grid of points, and the quantum
fluctuations of the sub-nuclear interactions are simulated using random
numbers on this lattice. Analytic calculations must be done to match the
numbers obtained on the computer to experimental data. We shall develop these
calculations, and perform new ones so that data can be used to extract the
level to which various quarks (for example, the up quark and the b-quark)
mix. This helps provide an accurate description of an unexplained phenomenon:
how the funny pattern of quark mixing comes about. These calculations also
help the extraction of the difference between matter and anti-matter from
experimental data.
String theory is an extraordinarily mathematically rich structure, that
purports to describe gravity. One variant of it may also even underlie all of
the interactions between particles that are observed in nature. The tiny loops
behave like particles unless one probes them at energies that are far too high
for us to reach in current experiments. Some of our research examines the rich
structure behind the mathematics of these theories: it turns out that
scattering two particles and scattering three particles have strict relations
between the interaction probabilities. Sometimes, truths such as these are
easier understood by mapping one string theory to another one, which has a
different coupling strength and a different number of space-time
dimensions. These "dualities" help us winkle out truths and
deep connections in string theory. We shall be investigating their role in the
relations between interaction probabilities.
The LHC will start up again after the shut-down around 2015 with double the
energy that it had in 2012. This means that if supersymmetry keeps the higgs
light (this is the main motivation for the kind of supersymmetry that the LHC
can discover), the LHC should discover supersymmetric particles in the first
year of running. Even if this idea of supersymmetry is not present in nature,
some other particles or interactions should be responsible for cancelling the
quantum fluctuations (a seething random mass of particles popping in and out
of existence) which tend to make the Higgs mass some 10^15 times heavier than
has just been observed at the LHC. These particles should also be discovered
soon. We shall be interpreting the data, and discriminating various models by
comparing their predictions to any signals that the LHC sees. We should be
able to work out which theories are ruled out, and which are favoured.
Planned Impact
We will communicate the results of our research to the general public and to
school children. Our goal is to both educate and to inspire, to explain the
wonder of
the natural world, the excitement of being involved in cutting edge research
and the joy of understanding something that no one else on the planet
knows. Members of the group have media connections through radio, television,
print and the internet and we will continue to develop these.
Members of the group have been very active in promoting their work and physics
more generally. This
includes interaction with researchers in other disciplines, education at the
University level and outreach, both to public and to schools.
Details of recent
outreach activities can be found in the Pathways to Impact document.
We teach ``Part III", a one year Masters degree course that attracts 250 of
the best mathematics and physics students from all over the world. Our
courses on theoretical physics are routinely attended by over 100
students. While we appreciate that teaching is a core University activity, we
wish to highlight the fact that Part III is recognised as one of the most
influential courses worldwide in fundamental physics training. It raises the
UK's international profile and helps recruit graduate students for the UK as
a whole. A google search for "Quantum Field Theory" (or even just "QFT")
brings up the extensive Part III lecture notes in a prominent position, while
videos of Tong's quantum field theory lectures are available on YouTube
and the first in the series has been viewed around 50,000 times. Moreover,
Part III provides a forum in which the latest research results can be
directly communicated to a large number of students (e.g. lectures on the
applications of AdS/CFT).
Our educational activities stretch beyond the UK. Various members of the group
have been engaged in starting a Masters course at the Perimeter institute in
Canada. Dunajski has been heavily involved in mentoring mathematical
research in sub-Saharan Africa, working
closely with the maths department in Accra, Ghana and advising PhD students
and young faculty members. This work is
covered by an LMS grant. Quevedo has set up a PhD programme
at the ICTP for promising students from developing countries.
school children. Our goal is to both educate and to inspire, to explain the
wonder of
the natural world, the excitement of being involved in cutting edge research
and the joy of understanding something that no one else on the planet
knows. Members of the group have media connections through radio, television,
print and the internet and we will continue to develop these.
Members of the group have been very active in promoting their work and physics
more generally. This
includes interaction with researchers in other disciplines, education at the
University level and outreach, both to public and to schools.
Details of recent
outreach activities can be found in the Pathways to Impact document.
We teach ``Part III", a one year Masters degree course that attracts 250 of
the best mathematics and physics students from all over the world. Our
courses on theoretical physics are routinely attended by over 100
students. While we appreciate that teaching is a core University activity, we
wish to highlight the fact that Part III is recognised as one of the most
influential courses worldwide in fundamental physics training. It raises the
UK's international profile and helps recruit graduate students for the UK as
a whole. A google search for "Quantum Field Theory" (or even just "QFT")
brings up the extensive Part III lecture notes in a prominent position, while
videos of Tong's quantum field theory lectures are available on YouTube
and the first in the series has been viewed around 50,000 times. Moreover,
Part III provides a forum in which the latest research results can be
directly communicated to a large number of students (e.g. lectures on the
applications of AdS/CFT).
Our educational activities stretch beyond the UK. Various members of the group
have been engaged in starting a Masters course at the Perimeter institute in
Canada. Dunajski has been heavily involved in mentoring mathematical
research in sub-Saharan Africa, working
closely with the maths department in Accra, Ghana and advising PhD students
and young faculty members. This work is
covered by an LMS grant. Quevedo has set up a PhD programme
at the ICTP for promising students from developing countries.
Publications
Abdul Khalek R
(2019)
A first determination of parton distributions with theoretical uncertainties
in The European Physical Journal C
Abdul Khalek R
(2019)
Parton distributions with theory uncertainties: general formalism and first phenomenological studies NNPDF Collaboration
in The European Physical Journal C
AbdusSalam S
(2015)
MFV reductions of MSSM parameter space
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Acharya BS
(2016)
Lightest Visible-Sector Supersymmetric Particle is Likely to be Unstable.
in Physical review letters
AchĂșcarro A
(2019)
Constraints on Holographic Multifield Inflation and Models Based on the Hamilton-Jacobi Formalism.
in Physical review letters
Adamo T
(2014)
Perturbative gravity at null infinity
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Adamo T
(2016)
Twistor methods for AdS5
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Description | Recent data issuing from the LHC have made for exciting physics. Our phenomenologists have been very active in interpreting these data. After the discovery of the Higgs boson, our phenomenologists have been providing constraints and search strategies for composite Higgs models that are compatible with Higgs data. There have been several exciting deviations at the 3-4s level from Standard Model predictions. For example, members of our group have provided a new physics explanation of the 750 GeV di-photon excess. They also provided an early but substantive analysis of the di-boson excess and b-physics anomalies. The focus is always on compatibility with all current measurements, and testability in the near future. Another major phenomenological highlight was the computation of fully differential next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) corrections to top pair production at the LHC and the Tevatron, the first calculations of such high complexity. It resolved a hot topic issue with the forward-backward asymmetry measurement at the Tevatron, which was highly discrepant with the next-to-leading order (NLO) corrections. On the formal side of theoretical physics, the group has played an important role in a range of developments in areas of string theory, quantum field theory and holography. We have pioneered a new approach to gravitational scattering, via the construction of twistor-string descriptions of various supergravities. These have been shown to correctly compute all scattering amplitudes, both at tree-level and at one loop. This provides, for the first time, a twistor description of Einstein (not conformal) gravity, a major goal of the twistor programme since the 1970s. In a different approach, we have constructed "doubled" formalisms of M-theory which make U-duality manifest. In quantum field theory, we have continued to explore the properties of conformal blocks in higher dimensional CFTs. This programme, initiated ten years ago in DAMTP, is important for the ongoing development of bootstrap techniques. We have made the first steps in uncovering the origins of integrability in N = 4 super Yang-Mills, showing that the discrete light-cone quantisation preserves the full superconformal symmetry, together with hints of a much larger, hidden, Yangian. Using precision non-perturbative techniques, we showed that supersymmetric Kaluza-Klein compactifications on R 3 × S 1 are, rather surprisingly, unstable to gravitational instantons; this is arguably the first Euclidean quantum gravity calculation in four dimensions, involving summing over different topologies, where all divergences are under full control. The dynamics of BPS solitons, pioneered by Manton, has been extended to solitons interacting with Wilson lines and other defect operators. Meanwhile, the programme of quantising the solitons in the Skyrme model has been pushed much further, showing impressive agreement with energy levels of Carbon. The group has been active in the study gauge/gravity duality, both in formal developments and in applications. On the formal side, highlights include a proposal for the holographic dual of AdS 3 ×S 3 ×S 3 ×S 1 , solving a problem which had remained open since the advent of AdS/CFT. An expanded study of the turbulent instability of AdS showed that the formation of black holes is generic for arbitrarily small perturbations. The discovery of a new massive gravity theory in three dimensions has developed into a major research topic since its inception in DAMTP in 2009 and we have now understood how this fits in with holography. On the application side, much progress has been made in modelling how momentum is dissipated in the holographic context, and the implications for charge and heat transport. The application of holography has been developed for disordered systems, shedding light on dirty critical points and, potentially, many-body localisation while also connecting to fundamental issues of singularity formation in quantum gravity. |
Exploitation Route | The NNLO top pair production calculations are being made available to the Tevatron and LHC experiments at their request. These are used to check the Standard Model predictions accurately against the data. The twistor-string descriptions are being used by others to investigate gravitation scattering. Condensed matter physicists are using our results on disordered systems to further their theoretical description. |
Sectors | Education,Other |
Description | We are very active in public engagement. Our media, arts and other contribution to the UK and international culture is diverse and substantial. |
First Year Of Impact | 2014 |
Sector | Education |
Impact Types | Cultural |
Description | TSSAH - Twistor Strings, Scattering Amplitudes and Holography |
Amount | âŹÂ 100,000 (EUR) |
Funding ID | FP7-People-2013-CIG 631289 |
Organisation | Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | Global |
Start | 04/2014 |
End | 03/2018 |
Description | EU COST Collaboration CANTATA on Modified Gravity Theories |
Organisation | European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) |
Department | COST Action |
Country | Belgium |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) is a pan-European intergovernmental framework. Its mission is to enable break-through scientific and technological developments leading to new concepts and products and thereby contribute to strengthening Europe's research and innovation capacities. It allows researchers, engineers and scholars to jointly develop their own ideas and take new initiatives across all fields of science and technology, while promoting multi- and interdisciplinary approaches. |
Collaborator Contribution | COST aims at fostering a better integration of less research intensive countries to the knowledge hubs of the European Research Area. |
Impact | COST is the longest-running European framework supporting trans-national cooperation among researchers, engineers and scholars across Europe. |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | ACD - The Accelerating Universe at Sheffield and Lancashire Institute of Physics |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Members of Sheffield and Lancashire Institute of Physics attended with a Q and A session at the end. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | ACD - The Accelerating Universe at Trinity Mathematical Society |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | Gave an accessible talk to undergraduate students to promote the discussion of subjects of mathematical interest. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | https://www.srcf.ucam.org/tms/2015/11/prof-anne-christine-davis-the-accelerating-universe/ |
Description | ACD - The Accelerating Universe at Wysing Arts Centre |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | A talk as part of the Multiverse series at a local arts centre talking abou the Universe from the earliest time to present. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | https://www.facebook.com/7660871383/photos/a.10152598574581384.1073741856.7660871383/101525985752163... |
Description | AS - Graduate science talks in March 2013, 2014 and 2015 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Cross discipline Graduate Conference at Jesus College. Won best science talks in 2014 and 2015. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013,2014,2015 |
URL | http://mcr.jesus.cam.ac.uk/academic |
Description | BA - Guerilla Science |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Our 2011 program featured more than 50 lectures, demonstrations, interactive events, live experiments, games and performances by academics, including Ph.D. students and postdocs, as well as professional communicators of science. We aim to educate as well as entertain and to target people who may be unfamiliar with or even hostile towards "science." In line with our approach, "science by stealth," we explicitly target festivals and events where science is not normally found - the traditional doma Guerilla Science has featured in The Times, The Guardian, Scientific American, Getty Images, The Telegraph and more. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HehqTFj_hCQ |
Description | BA - Interview The Guardian |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Interpretation of SuSy data. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | https://www.theguardian.com/science/life-and-physics/2014/sep/17/ambulance-chasing-large-hadron-coll... |
Description | BA - Lecture at The Royal Society |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Panel discussion plus questions with Professor Ben Allanach, Professor John Ellis CBE FRS, Professor Tara Shears, Professor Terry Wyatt FRS and chaired by Alok Jha.Panel discussion with Professor Ben Allanach, Professor John Ellis CBE FRS, Professor Tara Shears, Professor Terry Wyatt FRS and chaired by Alok Jha on the implications of the discovery of the Higgs Boson. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | https://royalsociety.org/events/2014/we-have-a-discovery/ |
Description | BA - Naked Scientist radio programme |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Interview about distance the laws of physics and the Universe at large looking pretty symmetrical. But, underneathn the fabric of the matter we're made of, and some glaring asymmetries emerge. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/interviews/interview/1000659/ |
Description | BA - Open Access blog 2.0 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Financial implications around "open access" publishing. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | http://www.science20.com/a_quantum_diaries_survivor/guest_post_ben_allanach_on_open_access-151641 |
Description | BA - Plus Magazine |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Talk about Dark Matter to 180 school children. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | https://plus.maths.org/content/dark-matter-mystery |
Description | BA - Quantum Diaries guest blog on Open Access charges |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Ben Allanach, guest blogger, is a Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Cambridge. He is grumpy about the way that public funds are being unnecessarily directed to scientific publishing houses. So I am offering this space to him to hear what he has to say about that... |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | http://www.science20.com/a_quantum_diaries_survivor/guest_post_ben_allanach_on_open_access-151641 |
Description | BA - interviewed for New Scientist lead article |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Interviewed and quoted in "Will the revamped LHC make or break physics?" |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22530112.700-will-the-revamped-lhc-make-or-break-physics/#.VP... |
Description | BA -Music at Science Festivals |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Over 1311 people came to various science talks during the weekend (1311 feedback forms were received). This occurred over a number of different locations rather than just at the Secret Garden Party music festival. The other locations included Bethnal Green Working Men's club, Stoke Newington International Airport's 'Distance' festival (June) Lovebox music festival (July), Green Man festival (August) and the Roundhouse's Turning Point festival (September). Media reportage in The Guardian and elsewhere on the web. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013,2014,2015 |
URL | http://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2012/jul/27/elusive-subatomic-particles-secret-garden-party |
Description | BA Cambridge Science Festival talk |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | 200 people, many school children attended an hour long talk on the dark matter mystery |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | BA Guardian guest blog |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Wrote Guardian guest blog about CERN's Run II round-up seminar. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | https://www.theguardian.com/science/life-and-physics/2015/dec/16/end-of-year-event-at-cern |
Description | BA Talk for New Scientist Live |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | 300 people came to this public talk on particle physics in London |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://conwayhall.org.uk/event/new-scientist-live-the-lhc-solving-the-mysteries-of-the-universe/ |
Description | BA Video interview for Plus magazine |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Video interview on my interpretation of CERN's 2015 end of year round-up seminar and 750 GeV photon resonance results |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bf8xXWoMSzY |
Description | BA talk to schools |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Hour-long talk, which was videod (the video has been put online) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | https://plus.maths.org/content/finding-dark-matter-large-hadron-collider |
Description | BA: Quantum Diaries blog on our SUSY interpretation of CMS lljjMET events |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | This was a guest blog for Quantum Diaries |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | https://muon.wordpress.com/2014/10/26/the-cms-kinematic-edge/ |
Description | BG - BBC news article: LHC scientists to search for fifth force of Nature |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Article on BBC new webpage for a cover story in New Scientist magazine. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-28218775 |
Description | CET - SET for Britain Poster exhibtion |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | A event for early-career reseachers attended by MPs and other |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.setforbritain.org.uk/index.asp |
Description | DS - Sutton Experience Cambridge Day |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Talk on Leopards, Drums and Origin of the Universe to around 30 Year 12 students as part of the widening access scheme. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | DS - Sutton Experience Cambridge Day |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Talk on Leopards, Drums and Origin of the Universe to Year 12 students |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | DS - The Naked Scientists, BBC Radio Cambridgeshire, Truth and Beauty: the hidden world of Symmetry. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Scientifc advisor to the radio programme. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | DS - Trinity College Widening Access Scheme |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Talk on Tying Things Together: Knots in Maths, Physics and Biology. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | DS - Trinity College Widening Access Scheme |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Talk on Tying Things Together: Knots in Maths, Physics and Biology to Westminster School students. Feedback from the Principal: Thank you very much for the engaging and interesting lecture on knots you gave to the Harris Westminster mathematicians last week. The whole day was a big success in terms of raising student aspirations and their expectations of themselves: I particularly enjoyed seeing the applications of knot theory and I think it was brilliant for students to see that something abstruse as knots can be useful in a number of real world settings. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | DT - AIM conference, Camden Centre, London: Particle Physics |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | An day event aimed at A-Level Physics students. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.aimconferences.co.uk/physics-jim-al-khalili/ |
Description | DT - Also Festival: " Speed of the Universe." |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The Also Festival is the UK's best festival for the mind - think TED Talks in a field - a critically acclaimed festival that gets audiences up close and personal with exceptional ideas. Spoke about the "Speed of the Universe." |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | http://www.causeuk.com/uks-residential-festival-ideas/ |
Description | DT - Also Festival: "Our Dark Universe." |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | A talk given to Festival goers about "Our Dark Universe." |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/whats-on/whats-on-news/warwickshires-compton-verney-hosts-uks-72632... |
Description | DT - Cafe Scientifique talk, Bishops Stortford: The Higgs Boson and the Cosmological Constant |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | A talk/discussion was given to pupils regarding the puzzling phenomena of the Higgs boson and the cosmological constant. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.hertsandessexobserver.co.uk/Puzzling-phenomena-debate-Cafe-Scientifique/story-26458518-de... |
Description | DT - Cambridge Minds interview on Cambridge 105 FM |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | A populist local radio interview with David Tong. He's a professor of theoretical physics and spends his time wondering about quarks and black holes and trying to show where Newton and Einstein got things wrong. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://cambridge105.fm/cambridge-minds-18-04-2015/ |
Description | DT - Einsten and Relativity talk for Maths Millenium Project |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | The talk formed part of a mathematics enrichment day organised by MMP with a special focus on encouraging the development of mathematical thinking. It was recorded on 27 June 2014. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | http://mmp.maths.org/tong-einstein-jun14-video |
Description | DT - How the Light Gets in Festival: What we don't know |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | HowTheLightGetsIn, the world's largest philosophy and music festival. With 300 events and more performers. Talk given on "What we don't know." |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.last.fm/festival/3992228+How+The+Light+Gets+In+2015 |
Description | DT - Latitude Festival: "Secrets of the Universe." |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Gave a talk to festival goers about "Secrets of the Universe." |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | http://www.neonlondon.uk/2014/03/latitude-festival-2014-henham-park-suffolk-17-20th-july/ |
Description | DT - New Scientist Live, British Library "Particle World." |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Talk on Our Quantum Universe at the British Library, organised by New Scientist for members of the public. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | https://www.newscientist.com/round-up/quantumworldlive/ |
Description | DT - New Scientist Live, British Library: Our Quantum World. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Talk given on: Our Quantum Universe. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | https://www.newscientist.com/round-up/quantumworldlive/ |
Description | DT - The Guardian: Star Wars and Dark Energy interview. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | A high profile interview as a result of the Star Wars film release. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/dec/12/star-wars-questions-wookies-breed-death-star |
Description | DT - Wilderness Festival: The Universe. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Talk to festival goers entitled The Universe. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | https://www.wildernessfestival.com/wilderness/3dv8l0am/ |
Description | DT: Eton School: The Higgs and the Cosmological Constant |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Pupils listened to a talk on The Higgs and Cosmological Constant. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Debate the Secret Garden Festival |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Talk alongside Guerilla Science to increase understanding of theoretical physics. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Elemental Ideas |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | A two part tv programme on String Theory for Cambridge TV. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.cambridge-tv.co.uk/elemental-ideas-string-theory-part-one/ |
Description | Friday Evening Discourse, Royal Institution - "The Real Building Blocks of the Universe." |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Discourses are one of the Ri's oldest and most prestigious series of talks. Since 1825, audiences in the theatre have witnessed countless mind-expanding moments, including the first public liquefaction of air by James Dewar, the announcement of the electron by J.J. Thomson and over 100 lectures by Michael Faraday. In more recent times, we have had Nobel laureates, Fields medal winners, scientists, authors and artists - all from the cutting-edge of their field. Discourses are an opportunity for the best and brightest to share their work with the world. Steeped in nearly two centuries of tradition, a Discourse is more than just a lecture. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.rigb.org/whats-on/events-2016/november/public-the-real-building-blocks-of-the-universe |
Description | From Big Bang to the End of Eternity talk at the New Scientist |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | New Scientist Live is a festival of ideas and discovery, taking place at ExCeL London. Rooted in the biggest, best and most provocative science, New Scientist Live will touch on all areas of human life. The show will feature four immersive zones covering Humans, Technology, Engineering, Earth and Cosmos. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | https://live.newscientist.com/david-tong/ |
Description | Guardian blog on dipthon news fromt the Recontres de Moriand conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Blog article in the Guardian giving an update on potential new particle detected by LHC at CERN. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | https://www.theguardian.com/science/life-and-physics/2016/mar/17/an-update-on-a-possible-new-particl... |
Description | Interview on how to apply to Cambridge with a TEDex conference in Poland |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Interview on how to apply to Cambridge to school children at a TEDex conference. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016,2017 |
URL | http://tvtoya.pl/news/show/15619,1 |
Description | Interview with Horizon who were making a documentary on the LHC at CERN. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | TV documentary made by the BBC about "behind the scenes work at the LHC." |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07nsxkk |
Description | MD - Mentoring African Mathematical Intitute of Sciences students in Tanzania |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Mentoring AIMS students in Tanzania |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.aims-tanzania.org/Default?pPage=TxBT0WI9JmIOddc |
Description | MD - popular science talk in Hackney and Tower Hamlets (STEM series) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Explanation of an 11 Dimensional universe to school children in Hackney and Tower Hamlets. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.damtp.cam.ac.uk/user/md327/Perse42_new.pdf |
Description | MH - Cambridge Science Festival |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | School age children, of all ages attended an open day at Centre for Mathematical Sciences. Demonstrated soliton activity in a large water bath. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | https://www.maths.cam.ac.uk/maths-open-day-cambridge-science-festival |
Description | MH - SET for Britain Poster exhibtion |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Presented a poster on research at SET for Britain in Houses of Parliament, an event for early-career researchers attended by MPs and others. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.setforbritain.org.uk/index.asp |
Description | Marie Curie - A Pioneering Life |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | The Polish physicist and chemist Marie Curie was the first woman to receive a Nobel Prize, and the first person to be awarded twice in two different fields. Her discoveries in the field of radioactivity - adding polonium and radium to the table of elements - changed the course of scientific history and led to huge advances in the treatment of cancer. This year marks 150 years after her birth to a poor family in occupied Poland. Quentin Cooper traces Marie Curie's extraordinary life story with Patricia Fara, president of the British Society for the History of Science; Maciej Dunajski, mathematician and theoretical physicist at Cambridge University; and Susan Quinn, author of Marie Curie: A Life. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04vx744 |
Description | Opening talk to a preview of the film Midnight Special. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | A talk on many worlds interpretation at Cambridge Arts Picturehouse. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | https://www.picturehouses.com/film/midnight-special |
Description | PKT - Einstein Symposium: 100 years of General Relativity |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | A general talk on 100 years of GR. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | PKT - Einstein's Brane talk at Spanish Royal Physics Society |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | A talk in recognition of the centennial discovery of General Relativity. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | RRH - contribution to mathematics colouring book "Snowflake, Seashell, Star." |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | A colouring book of mathematical shapes and a description of the shapes included. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | https://plus.maths.org/content/snowflake-seashell-star |
Description | Smashing Particle! Talk at Norwich Science Festival. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Awareness raising and discussion regarding the search for new particles and forces happening at CERN, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, with the Large Hadron Collider. "There is a chance to find dark matter. If we can measure enough of its properties, we can infer more about the early universe." |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://norwichsciencefestival.co.uk/events/science-cafe-smashing-particles/ |
Description | TC - General particle physics talk at Hereford Sixth Form College |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | A generalist talk about particle physics attended by about 4 pupils. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Talk at Also Festival on the LHC, gravitational waves, the big bang and dark matter. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Increasing understanding of the work that goes on at the LHC. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/whats-on/whats-on-news/also-festival-2016-you-need-11013928 |
Description | Talk at Ashlyn School science students |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Entry level talk to years 7,8,9,10 and 12 school pupils about theoretical physics |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Talk at Oundle School - " The Higgs and the Cosmological Constant." |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | A talk at Oundle School to 120 pupils. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Talk on Dark Matter at AIM conference in London for GCSE students |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | A talk on Dark Matter was delivered to 500 GCSE students at conference in London. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Talk on Ice Cube |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | A talk on a neutrino telescope constructed at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica.[1] Its thousands of sensors are distributed over a cubic kilometre of volume under the Antarctic ice. Similar to its predecessor, the Antarctic Muon And Neutrino Detector Array (AMANDA), IceCube consists of spherical optical sensors called Digital Optical Modules (DOMs), each with a photomultiplier tube (PMT)[2] and a single board data acquisition computer which sends digital data to the counting house on the surface above the array.[3] IceCube was completed on 18 December 2010.[4] |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IceCube_Neutrino_Observatory |
Description | Talk to Oxbridge applicants plus a talk on do we live in 11 dimensions |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Intended outcome was to advise Oxbridge applicants from an inner London city school about the process. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |