Proposal for UK Involvement in the Operation of Advanced LIGO
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Birmingham
Department Name: School of Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
Within the next five years, and before the end of the period covered by this proposal, Advanced LIGO (aLIGO) is expected to detect gravitational waves and hence open a new era in astronomy. In this proposal we request support for essential infrastructure and travel costs required to ensure that the UK maintains its place among the leaders in the field and its partnership within the project.
Through the design and construction project "Advanced LIGO UK", and building on existing strengths, the UK has succeeded in making unique and fundamental contributions to major aspects of the aLIGO gravitational wave detectors in the US, primarily by transfer of silica suspension technology originally developed at Glasgow for GEO600. The resulting suspensions are absolutely central in enabling aLIGO to meet its sensitivity target. During the first phase of operations, the UK supplied equipment has been installed and integrated into two aLIGO detectors. As a direct result, UK groups are in a position to exploit the rich science data that will be produced by these detectors and their observing partners during the current decade.
We propose to strengthen the UK position by providing the support and infrastructure necessary for full involvement in the operation of the aLIGO detectors and therefore to remain active partners in the user-community group, the LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC), through which data rights are earned and distributed.
Of similar importance is the need to ensure that UK-delivered equipment and facilities for the aLIGO detectors are fully exploited to maximise the science potential of aLIGO. This is true both in terms of their implementation within aLIGO, and later when it is planned that aLIGO will be further upgraded.
The applicant groups are recognised leaders in the field of analysis of data from gravitational wave detectors. Novel methods were developed for searches with GEO600 and other detectors operational over the past decade. Leadership in this area has ensured that the UK groups have strong roles in all of the LSC data analysis groups that coordinate search campaigns, set priorities and validate results. This complements the similarly strong role that the UK has on the hardware side, in the LSC's technical working groups.
The UK membership of the LSC is considerable - currently 12% by authorship. The ALUK project and exchange of data from GEO600 have allowed us to leverage top-level project management positions for a relatively small investment in the aLIGO hardware. This is set out in our Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with LIGO, and includes a seat on the project Oversight Committee for an STFC representative and membership of the LSC Executive Committee. Of course we have full access to data and an equal share in the science return.
It is essential that we maintain involvement at the highest level as set out in detail in this proposal. We therefore request travel support for essential observing duties and resources to allow us to provide technical support during detector commissioning and operations. Analysis of the data requires access to high performance computer infrastructure. With the first detections, demand for computing resources is certain to be high. Therefore, to provide a solid basis for exploitation of aLIGO science data within the UK we request computing infrastructure resources commensurate with our membership of the LSC.
At the US LIGO sites - the LIGO Livingston and LIGO Hanford Observatories (LLO/LHO) - first tests of the completed detectors are underway, and in November 2014, just a few months after first operation, the LLO detector achieved sensitivity to coalescing binary neutron stars at over 50 megaparsec (Mpc) distance - well on target for initial science runs to start in 2015.
Through the design and construction project "Advanced LIGO UK", and building on existing strengths, the UK has succeeded in making unique and fundamental contributions to major aspects of the aLIGO gravitational wave detectors in the US, primarily by transfer of silica suspension technology originally developed at Glasgow for GEO600. The resulting suspensions are absolutely central in enabling aLIGO to meet its sensitivity target. During the first phase of operations, the UK supplied equipment has been installed and integrated into two aLIGO detectors. As a direct result, UK groups are in a position to exploit the rich science data that will be produced by these detectors and their observing partners during the current decade.
We propose to strengthen the UK position by providing the support and infrastructure necessary for full involvement in the operation of the aLIGO detectors and therefore to remain active partners in the user-community group, the LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC), through which data rights are earned and distributed.
Of similar importance is the need to ensure that UK-delivered equipment and facilities for the aLIGO detectors are fully exploited to maximise the science potential of aLIGO. This is true both in terms of their implementation within aLIGO, and later when it is planned that aLIGO will be further upgraded.
The applicant groups are recognised leaders in the field of analysis of data from gravitational wave detectors. Novel methods were developed for searches with GEO600 and other detectors operational over the past decade. Leadership in this area has ensured that the UK groups have strong roles in all of the LSC data analysis groups that coordinate search campaigns, set priorities and validate results. This complements the similarly strong role that the UK has on the hardware side, in the LSC's technical working groups.
The UK membership of the LSC is considerable - currently 12% by authorship. The ALUK project and exchange of data from GEO600 have allowed us to leverage top-level project management positions for a relatively small investment in the aLIGO hardware. This is set out in our Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with LIGO, and includes a seat on the project Oversight Committee for an STFC representative and membership of the LSC Executive Committee. Of course we have full access to data and an equal share in the science return.
It is essential that we maintain involvement at the highest level as set out in detail in this proposal. We therefore request travel support for essential observing duties and resources to allow us to provide technical support during detector commissioning and operations. Analysis of the data requires access to high performance computer infrastructure. With the first detections, demand for computing resources is certain to be high. Therefore, to provide a solid basis for exploitation of aLIGO science data within the UK we request computing infrastructure resources commensurate with our membership of the LSC.
At the US LIGO sites - the LIGO Livingston and LIGO Hanford Observatories (LLO/LHO) - first tests of the completed detectors are underway, and in November 2014, just a few months after first operation, the LLO detector achieved sensitivity to coalescing binary neutron stars at over 50 megaparsec (Mpc) distance - well on target for initial science runs to start in 2015.
Planned Impact
In terms of academic impact, the immediate beneficiaries include the UK astronomy community - extending far beyond the applicant groups, who will gain access to Advanced LIGO data at the time when the first gravitational wave signals are most likely to be seen. In the longer term, the research will radically alter our understanding of the Universe, including information on the nature of neutron stars and black holes, and through opportunities for precision cosmology. This will benefit the widest astronomy/astrophysics community, internationally.
With regard to societal impact, cosmology and astrophysics are exciting areas and reliably excellent topics for public outreach. There will be considerable impact resulting from the discovery of gravitational waves and the burgeoning science that will inevitably result. To have a major focus for this new science in the UK should help revitalise public interest at a time when economic pressures could potentially fight against the growth of science in our community. There is no doubt that a discovery of gravitational waves would galvanise public interest at all levels from school pupils up, particularly in or around the Einstein centenary celebrating general relativity as a breakthrough in the understanding gravity, and the International Year of Light. An improved understanding of cosmology and compact-object astrophysics, of the most impressive and even violent nature, is bound to catch the public imagination, and produce demand for creative works such as television programmes. A concrete example of direct benefit of Advanced LIGO UK to the popular culture exists in the Science Museum, London, where pre-prototype test mass and the metal structural components of an Advanced LIGO test-mass suspension, both made available by the collaboration, have been on display for several years.
The earlier Advanced LIGO UK construction project brought direct benefit to several areas of UK industry both through the placement of over £3M of contracts, but also by pushing manufacturing techniques to reach higher standards of quality and precision required for our work. Examples include: optics, precision mechanics and electronics. In some cases these companies have subsequently been able to market the resulting technology, nationally and internationally winning substantial contracts.
Work carried out under our present Advanced LIGO Operations grants has included developments in the areas of grid computing, particularly in the field of authentication and access control - an area where the UK already leads. The current proposal will lead to further work in this area.
In summary there is a wide range of potential impact. The majority of these should start to be realised well within the duration of the project (it is more than likely that a discovery will be made during the period of this proposal). By the close of the decade gravitational wave science should be becoming mature, and the consequences for both science and its public understanding should have attained major proportions as one of the most exciting areas of new science.
With regard to societal impact, cosmology and astrophysics are exciting areas and reliably excellent topics for public outreach. There will be considerable impact resulting from the discovery of gravitational waves and the burgeoning science that will inevitably result. To have a major focus for this new science in the UK should help revitalise public interest at a time when economic pressures could potentially fight against the growth of science in our community. There is no doubt that a discovery of gravitational waves would galvanise public interest at all levels from school pupils up, particularly in or around the Einstein centenary celebrating general relativity as a breakthrough in the understanding gravity, and the International Year of Light. An improved understanding of cosmology and compact-object astrophysics, of the most impressive and even violent nature, is bound to catch the public imagination, and produce demand for creative works such as television programmes. A concrete example of direct benefit of Advanced LIGO UK to the popular culture exists in the Science Museum, London, where pre-prototype test mass and the metal structural components of an Advanced LIGO test-mass suspension, both made available by the collaboration, have been on display for several years.
The earlier Advanced LIGO UK construction project brought direct benefit to several areas of UK industry both through the placement of over £3M of contracts, but also by pushing manufacturing techniques to reach higher standards of quality and precision required for our work. Examples include: optics, precision mechanics and electronics. In some cases these companies have subsequently been able to market the resulting technology, nationally and internationally winning substantial contracts.
Work carried out under our present Advanced LIGO Operations grants has included developments in the areas of grid computing, particularly in the field of authentication and access control - an area where the UK already leads. The current proposal will lead to further work in this area.
In summary there is a wide range of potential impact. The majority of these should start to be realised well within the duration of the project (it is more than likely that a discovery will be made during the period of this proposal). By the close of the decade gravitational wave science should be becoming mature, and the consequences for both science and its public understanding should have attained major proportions as one of the most exciting areas of new science.
Publications
Miao Haixing
(2017)
Towards the Design of Gravitational-Wave Detectors for Probing Neutron-Star Physics
in ArXiv e-prints
Singer L
(2016)
SUPPLEMENT: "GOING THE DISTANCE: MAPPING HOST GALAXIES OF LIGO AND VIRGO SOURCES IN THREE DIMENSIONS USING LOCAL COSMOGRAPHY AND TARGETED FOLLOW-UP" (2016, ApJL, 829, L15)
in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
Singer L
(2016)
GOING THE DISTANCE: MAPPING HOST GALAXIES OF LIGO AND VIRGO SOURCES IN THREE DIMENSIONS USING LOCAL COSMOGRAPHY AND TARGETED FOLLOW-UP
in The Astrophysical Journal
Smetana J
(2022)
Compact Michelson Interferometers with Subpicometer Sensitivity
in Physical Review Applied
Smith G
(2018)
What if LIGO's gravitational wave detections are strongly lensed by massive galaxy clusters?
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Soares-Santos M
(2019)
First Measurement of the Hubble Constant from a Dark Standard Siren using the Dark Energy Survey Galaxies and the LIGO/Virgo Binary-Black-hole Merger GW170814
in The Astrophysical Journal
Stevenson S
(2017)
Hierarchical analysis of gravitational-wave measurements of binary black hole spin-orbit misalignments
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Stevenson S
(2017)
Formation of the first three gravitational-wave observations through isolated binary evolution.
in Nature communications
Tse M
(2019)
Quantum-Enhanced Advanced LIGO Detectors in the Era of Gravitational-Wave Astronomy.
in Physical review letters
Ubhi A
(2022)
Active platform stabilization with a 6D seismometer
in Applied Physics Letters
Ubhi A
(2022)
Cryogenic optical shadow sensors for gravitational wave detectors
in Cryogenics
Utina A
(2022)
ETpathfinder: a cryogenic testbed for interferometric gravitational-wave detectors
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Vinciguerra S
(2017)
Accelerating gravitational wave parameter estimation with multi-band template interpolation
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Wang C
(2022)
Boosting the sensitivity of high-frequency gravitational wave detectors using P T -symmetry
in Physical Review D
Wang H
(2017)
Thermal modelling of Advanced LIGO test masses
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Yu H
(2020)
Quantum correlations between light and the kilogram-mass mirrors of LIGO.
in Nature
Yu H
(2022)
Exposing gravitational waves below the quantum sensing limit
in Physical Review D
Zhang T
(2020)
Quantum squeezing schemes for heterodyne readout
in Physical Review D
Description | Work supported by this grant has enabled the first observation of the coalescence of a binary neutron star merger, which powered a short-hard gamma ray burst and a kilo nova. The phenomenon has been observed in gravitational wavs and at many wavelengths of the electro-magnetic spectrum and has opened the era of multi-messenger astronomy. In addition this work has led to GWTC-1 and more recently GWTC-2, the first two catalogues of gravitational wave transients. |
Exploitation Route | This is just the first step in technology, data-science/processing and fundamental physics/general relativity that will enable many further studies and whose impact can go beyond the realm of academia, in areas such as data science and high-precision experiments |
Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education |
URL | https://www.gw-openscience.org/about/ |
Description | Public engagement, increasing pupils and students interest in STEM subjects, developed data-science techniques with potential wider impact on big data / data science economy |
First Year Of Impact | 2016 |
Sector | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education,Other |
Description | Birmingham-Beijing Normal University Instrumentation Fund |
Amount | £269,638 (GBP) |
Organisation | Beijing Normal University |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | China |
Start | 03/2020 |
End | 12/2020 |
Title | GW sources |
Description | data set of the detected gravitational wave sources |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2016 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | it's the first and only catalogue of astronomical objects known in gravitational waves |
URL | https://losc.ligo.org/about/ |
Title | finesse |
Description | Frequency domain INterfErometer Simulation SoftwarE |
Type Of Material | Computer model/algorithm |
Year Produced | 2007 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | it has allowed design and debug laser interferometers with a simple but powerful tool. It has allowed to simulate many different user-defined optical setups. It has been used for Advanced LIGO |
URL | http://www.gwoptics.org/finesse/ |
Title | lalinference |
Description | data analysis technique to study the properties of gravitational-wave sources |
Type Of Material | Data analysis technique |
Year Produced | 2010 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | it has enabled the characterisation of the physical properties of GW sources |
URL | https://www.lsc-group.phys.uwm.edu/daswg/projects/lalsuite.html |
Description | GEO Collaboration |
Organisation | Max Planck Society |
Department | Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Data analysis and instrumental development |
Collaborator Contribution | Data analysis and instrumental development |
Impact | Many papers, technology developments, and outreach events |
Description | GEO Collaboration |
Organisation | University of Glasgow |
Department | Physics and Astronomy Department |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Data analysis and instrumental development |
Collaborator Contribution | Data analysis and instrumental development |
Impact | Many papers, technology developments, and outreach events |
Title | CPNest |
Description | A generic nested sampling tool for bayesian model selection and parameter estimation. |
Type Of Technology | Software |
Year Produced | 2017 |
Open Source License? | Yes |
Impact | Recently released, but intend it to be useful in population modelling and signal extraction, within the gravitational wave and wider community. |
URL | https://github.com/johnveitch/cpnest |
Company Name | Laser Labs Games CIC |
Description | Laser Labs is a small scale developer for educational apps. Our aim is to promote science using well designed and fun apps. Our endeavour can be traced back to the Gravitational Wave Group at the University of Birmingham where we developed our first applications, from simple simulations to arcade-style games. These were soon used at science fairs by ourselves and by other scientists around the world. The apps work well for attracting an audience and for providing talking points to introduce specific research topics. Our applications became an important element in a highly ranked impact case study for the REF 2014, a regular process for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. We are currently preparing a new impact case study for REF 2021 which includes the evolution of this activity. Laser Labs Games CIC, or Laser Labs for short, was founded to provide the legal structure for bringing our applications to the well known app stores. We are now recreating our applications for modern devices and technologies, and continue to work with research groups to discuss new ideas and to develop new apps to help bringing science to the masses. |
Year Established | 2016 |
Impact | We succesfull managed to port two of our apps Pocket Black Hole and Strecth and Squash to mobile apps in time for the announcement of the first graviational wave detection. Many of the groups in the LIGO Scientific Collaboration used these apps during the public engagement activities around the event. We later published a mobile version of Space Time Quest and are now preparing Black Hole Master for mobile. We further published Chirp, which has become the main way many people check and access GW alerts from LIGO and Virgo. |
Website | https://www.laserlabs.org/ |
Description | Astronomy in the City |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Astronomy in the City is our flagship outreach event. It's hosted about 5 times a year, advertised widely by the university in the city and region. Tickets are free and must be booked. We regularly have >100 attendees per event. Each event inlcudes a number of different activities, inlcuding a visit to the University's observatory, a talk by an expert and often hands-on exhibits. We make sure that the talks are related to our own STFC funded research and over the last 12 month gravitational waves and black holes have been the key feature. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014,2015,2016,2017 |
URL | http://www.sr.bham.ac.uk/observatory/astronomyinthecity.php |
Description | Astronomy in the City: Latest LIGO news - Neutron Star merger detection 10/2017 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Astronomy in the City is our regular flagship event with the (free) tickets typcially booked out well in advance. This was a dedicated event to the LIGO announcement of a neutran star detection. The evnt includes an expert talk, a question and answer session with an expert panel and hands-on demos. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Cheltenam Science Festival, Cheltenham, 06/2017 |
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 | Organised a stand on graviational wave science at this well know event. The event lasted 2 days and was very busy with more than 3600 visiting our stand. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | http://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/science/science-in-the-square/makershack/ |
Description | Educational computer games |
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 | Development of two completely new computer games (Black Hole Pong) and gravitational wave detection (Space Time Quest). In the first year after its release Space Time Quest achieved 10,000 downloads and Black Hole Pong close to 5000 The games have been used internationally at many science fairs and events and are always a focal point especially for younger children. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010,2011,2012,2013,2014,2015,2016,2017 |
URL | http://www.gwoptics.org/processing/space_time_quest/ |
Description | Forward Thinking programme for Year 9 school students |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | I was a speaker at the event Forward Thinking programme for Year 9 school students (50 participants). I gave a talk about space imaging and the students designed their own space telescope as a part of a group exercise and got positive feedback about the session. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/teachers/years-7-11/forward-thinking.aspx#:~:text=The%20programme%20is%... |
Description | Founder and editor on chief of the LIGO Magazine |
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 new magazine was founded in 2012 to cover the activities of the 900 scientists strong LIGO Scientific Collaboration. The magazine's prime audience is the collaboration itself. However, we chose to provide a professionally produced and layouted magazine so that members of the public and policy makes can be targeted as well. So far the magazine has been downloaded more than 10000 times. The magazine was founded by Prof Andreas Freise, who has been editor in chief until 2017, Hannah Middletos is deputy editor in chief. Several individual contributions from the Birmingham group have been published in the magazine over the years. We received several commendation from policy makes and external scientists alike on the professional image that the magazine conveys about our collaboration. However, a detailed impact analysis has not been done. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012,2013,2014,2015,2016,2017 |
URL | http://www.ligo.org/magazine/ |
Description | Girls in STEM, University of Birmingham |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Organising and hosting a 'Grabitational Waves Workshop' for the Girls in STEM day at the University of Birmingham. Classes from two local school attended. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Gravity Fields Festival, Grantham |
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 | Workshop at the national Gravity Fields Festival in Grantham on the gravitiational wave astronomy. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.gravityfields.co.uk/index.aspx?articleid=10447 |
Description | IMPACT Symposium by STFC/IOP 2017 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | IOP, STFC, SEPnet and the University of Birmingham organised a one-day conference on sharing best pracises for outreach and public engagements. In addition to participating to the conference, our group presented a stand showcasing gravitaitonal wave science and the media and exhibits we have developed for that purpose. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | http://iop-london.msgfocus.com/files/amf_iop_london/project_81/Final_programme.pdf |
Description | IOP Evening Lecture, University of Birmingham |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Public IOP Evening Lecture, University of Birmingham by Andreas Freise on "Gravitational waves, from detection to astronomy" |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/physics/outreach/Secondary-Schools/IOPEveningLectures.aspx |
Description | IOP Evening Lecture, University of Nottingham |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | IOP Evening Lecture, University of Nottingham, public talk on Gravitationl Wave Astronomy by Prof. Andreas Freise |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Interview by Guardian |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Interviewed by The Guardian newspaper. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/jun/15/gravitational-waves-detected-from-collision-of-secon... |
Description | Interview by Science Studio |
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 | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Interviewed for Science Studio programme on KTEP radio station, Texas plus their podcast. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | http://ktep.org/post/science-studio-ligo |
Description | Listening to Einstein's universe (exhiition at the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition 2017) |
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 | We, as part of a larger UK team, co-organisted a stand on graviaitonal waves at the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibitiion in 2017. The stand featrued a mini-LIGO interferometer provided by our group and two online apps (shown on tablets) made by our research group. The exhibition was vistited by 2002 students with 262 teachers, and 10,123 public visitors. We collected feedback from 100 visitors who reported a change in their understanding of current research. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://royalsociety.org/science-events-and-lectures/2017/summer-science-exhibition/ |
Description | Malvern Festival of Innovation 10/2017 |
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 | Joint event of several local schools, including: Malvern St. James, Hanley Castle, Woodrush High School, CWLS(?), Bishop Perowne, Baxter College. Catshill School. We presneted a plenetarium show (first shows using our new inflatable planetarium), in total 7 shows for 200 students. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://www.festival-innovation.com/programme/next-generation-innovators |
Description | Meet the Expert at Thinktank Science Museum, 08/2017 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Meet the export event as part of the 'Museum of Moon' theme, with focus on astromomy related to our STFC funded research. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Mobile App Development - Chirp |
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 | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Developed mobile app to communicate LIGO-Virgo gravitational-wave alerts to the general public. ~1000 unique users per day. Press release URL: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/latest/2019/11/mobile-app-to-provide-the-latest-on-black-hole-collisions-and-merging-neutron-stars.aspx |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019,2020 |
URL | http://chirp.sr.bham.ac.uk |
Description | Optomechanics for Gravity |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | This is a talk presented at The British Optomechanical Research Network workshop organised by University of Nottingham. I provided an overview talk on how to study gravitational physics using optomechanics/ |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Oxford University Student Society, public talk |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | Oxford University Student Society, public talk by Prof Andreas Freise. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Path Towards kHz Gravitational-Wave Astronomy |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | This is a talk given at the China-UK GREAT Network Workshop organised by University of Glasgow. In the talk, I presented ideas to improve the sensitivity of gravitational-wave detectors at kHz for probing neutron star physics. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Physics talks within the Birmingham Summer School for Year 10 students |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | I was a speaker at the event Physics talks within the Birmingham Summer School for Year 10 students (50 participants). I have a talk about imaging and discussed limitations on the optical resolution of cameras and human eyes and got positive feedback from the organisers. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/teachers/years-7-11/year-10-summer-school.aspx |
Description | Pint of Science |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Public talk "Einstein's Last Quest" on gravitational waves as part of the Pint of Science nation-wide event. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | https://pintofscience.co.uk/ |
Description | Public lecture (National Astronomy Meeting Schools Day) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Was invited to give a talk at the National Astronomy Meeting Schools Day 2016 to around 300 school-children (ages 16+). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | https://www.nam2016.org/public-and-schools-events/schools-and-teachers |
Description | Public talk at local secondary school (Five Ways), Freise 10/2017 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Public talk at a local secondary school (enrichment for 6th form). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Quantum Correlations of Light Mediated by Gravity |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | This is a talk presented at the Macroscopic quantum superpositions (MaQS) worshop organised by Imperial College London. I presented an approach to probing the quantum nature of gravity using optomechanical devices. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.imperial.ac.uk/quantum-engineering-science-technology/maqs-workshop/ |
Description | RAS public lecture |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | about 250 people from the general public attended the public lectures that sparkled interest and questions |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://ras.ac.uk |
Description | Raddical Sabbatical, Sarah Farmer |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | A new collaboration with an artist in residence, Sarah Farmer, at the University of Birmingham. The aim of the collaboration is to explore artistic explression related to the research effort around gravtiational wave astronomy. This activity has just started. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Radio Interview, Burn 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 | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | Interview with regional radion Burn FM on the discovery of gravitational waves with Prof. Andreas Freise. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://howesthat.org.uk/radio-show/2016/11/6/show-4-space-week |
Description | Release of mobile app Space Time Quest 10/2017 |
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 | We released a completely new implemetation of our computer game Space Time Quest in time for the LIGO annoucement of the neutron star detection. The game is a simultion game in which the player can design their own detector. It is avilable in English. Spanish, Catalan, Dutch, Chinese, French, Italian and Russian. The new mobile version has already accumulated more than 5000 entries in the online leaderboard. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://www.laserlabs.org/spacetimequest.php |
Description | School Visit, King Edward VI |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | School talk |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | School visit (Queensbridge) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | I was invited to talk to around 50 secondary students (ages 14-16) about my research, the discovery of gravitational waves, choosing a career in science and studying at university. Feedback from teachers suggests it was very well received by students. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Sociel media engagement for the announcement of Nobel Prize in Physics 2017 for LIGO |
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 | Our group was part of the team that supported the LIGO sociel media engagement around the Nobel prize annoucement. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | TEDXWarwick |
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 | One of the TEDX talks @ Warwick under the theme breaking boundaries. The talk sparkled many discussions and interactions with the public and other speakers about taking new and different approaches to problems in order to make progress. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | http://www.tedxwarwick.com |
Description | Talk at astronomical society Crewe, Freise |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Talk in a local astronomical society and the recent discoveries by LIGO. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Talk for school children at university residential summer school |
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 | Talk for school children on GW astronomy |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | The Superposition (Leeds) with Leon Trimble 08/2017 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The Superposition is a network and space for artists, makers and scientists to collaborate. We presented our science+art collaboration with artist Leon Trimble. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Wordls Collide, collaboration with Leaon Trimble |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | New collaboration wth audio-visual artist Leon Trimble. The aim of the collaboration is to explore artistic explression related to the research effort around gravtiational wave astronomy, in particular the visualisation and sonification of simulated and real gravitational wave detector activity and performance with cello, modular synthesiser and 360deg projection. This project has just started. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | public talk at UCL for Spins UK |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | about 100 people attended the talk that sparkled questions and interest |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | http://www.spins-uk.net |