Oxford Physics At Work

[Zee Petty]

KathrynBoast Kathryn is a DPhil student working on LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ), a direct dark matter detection experiment. Currently in her third year, she was also in Oxford for her undergraduate studies reading Physics and Philosophy. Finding terrestrial signs of dark matter would revolutionise our picture of the universe and confirm answers to some of the most important questions in physics today, so LZ is a thrilling experiment to be part of. When she isn't in the lab, Kathryn loves explaining physics to anyone who will listen - she talks at outreach days and science festivals on behalf of the department and enjoys working with the university science magazine, Bang!, as well as writing a physics blog and podcasting when she gets the chance!

Roxanne Guenette I am an Ernest Rutherford Fellow working in neutrino physics at Oxford University. I am an experimentalist, building Liquid Argon detectors to study neutrino properties like oscillation and interaction. We recently turned on our brand new detector in the MicroBooNE experiment to study neutrino anomalies. I am also involved in a future ambitious project, the DUNE experiment, which will construct a very large-scale Liquid Argon detector to study some of the remaining puzzles of neutrino physics. This experiment could explain at last why there is an asymmetry between matter and anti-matter in the Universe. I got my PhD in astroparticle physics at McGill University in Montreal and moved to Yale University for my first postdoc to work on neutrinos. I also play basketball and race cars at my family's track.

As a physicist turned physics educator and educational researcher, she is deeply interested in building research-informed networks and collaborations across the different parts of the education sector, and between the education and science communities

Discoveries in physics have formed the foundation of countless technological advances and play an important role in many scientific areas. Many techniques used in medical imaging, nanotechnology and quantum computing are derived from physics instrumentation. Even the World Wide Web was a spin-off from the information processing and communications requirements of high-energy particle physics.

There are two undergraduate courses, an MPhys and the BA. All applicants apply for the four-year MPhys in the first instance. The fourth-year MPhys option courses bring you to the threshold of current research, and can lead to subject specialism.

The department is equipped with state-of-the-art lecture facilities and teaching laboratories. Tutorials give students direct and regular access to physicists actively involved in research and provide an opportunity to explore scientific ideas with experts in the field.

In the third year, all students carry out a short project in the teaching laboratories. Students on both the BA and MPhys have the opportunity to do industry projects investigating a real physics problem. There is further flexibility to undertake computational and experimental projects.

'The tutorial system is one of the greatest things about studying at Oxford. Having to present your proofs and answers to world-leading mathematicians and academics on a twice-weekly basis can seem daunting, but it accelerates your understanding of difficult concepts and ideas, and equips you with the ability to deal with any other problems in a rigorous and precise way. The pace of the course is very rapid and the amount of material that is covered is vast. Very quickly, you will start to learn how to digest large volumes of information, understand it, and apply it to solving problems effectively. The ability to analyse situations critically, understand abstract problems and patterns, and apply a high level of computational knowledge are skills that are vital across all sectors and industries, both public and private, and are highly valued by employers.'

In the first year your time will be equally divided between mathematics and physics, with about ten lectures and two tutorials a week, plus one day a week working on experimental physics in the practical laboratories.

Tutorials are usually given in colleges with 2-4 students and a tutor. Fourth year class sizes may vary depending on the options you choose. There would usually be no more than around 20 students though classes for some of the more popular papers may be up to 40 students.

Most tutorials, classes, and lectures are delivered by staff who are also college tutors in their subject. Many are world-leading experts with years of experience in teaching and research. Some teaching may also be delivered by postgraduate students who are usually studying at doctoral level.

Final University examinations, Part B: MPhys: Part A plus up to five written papers, short option paper, mini project, laboratory work; BA: Part A plus up to four written papers, short option paper, mini project, laboratory work, project report, optional industrial project

The test consists of maths and physics questions, which are mixed in sequence (there are not separate maths or physics sections). Formula sheets, tables and data books are not permitted. Calculators are permitted.

The language of physics is mathematics and formulating physical theories requires new mathematical structures. Therefore, the tutors are also looking for a good level of mathematical competence and the ability to formulate a problem in mathematical terms and then extract the physical consequences from the solution.

We don't want anyone who has the academic ability to get a place to study here to be held back by their financial circumstances. To meet that aim, Oxford offers one of the most generous financial support packages available for UK students and this may be supplemented by support from your college.

Living costs for the academic year starting in 2024 are estimated to be between 1,345 and 1,955 for each month you are in Oxford. Our academic year is made up of three eight-week terms, so you would not usually need to be in Oxford for much more than six months of the year but may wish to budget over a nine-month period to ensure you also have sufficient funds during the holidays to meet essential costs. For further details please visit our living costs webpage.

In 2024 Oxford is offering one of the most generous bursary packages of any UK university to Home students with a family income of around 50,000 or less, with additional opportunities available to UK students from households with incomes of 32,500 or less. The UK government also provides living costs support to Home students from the UK and those with settled status who meet the residence requirements.

Unistats course data from Discover Uni provides applicants with statistics about a particular undergraduate course at Oxford. For a more holistic insight into what studying your chosen course here is likely to be like, we would encourage you to view the information below as well as to explore our website more widely.

College tutorials are central to teaching at Oxford. Typically, they take place in your college and are led by your academic tutor(s) who teach as well as do their own research. Students will also receive teaching in a variety of other ways, depending on the course. This will include lectures and classes, and may include laboratory work and fieldwork. However, tutorials offer a level of personalised attention from academic experts unavailable at most universities.

Why not have a look at the University's science blog to read about our latest research? You might also like to look at the Department of Physics' project, Galaxy Zoo which is part of the Zooniverse community of projects, and which allows members of the public to contribute to astrophysics research.

The physics.org website contains lots of interesting resources, while scientific organisations such as CERN and NASA publish a lot of good material online, like the Astronomy Picture of the Day website.

Yes, a degree in Physics from Oxford University is highly regarded and can open up many opportunities in the field of science and research. The rigorous curriculum and top-notch faculty at Oxford make it a valuable investment for students interested in pursuing a career in physics.

Oxford Physics has a well-established reputation for excellence in teaching and research. The department is known for its state-of-the-art facilities, world-renowned faculty, and a highly competitive and challenging academic environment. Additionally, students at Oxford have the opportunity to collaborate with other top institutions and participate in cutting-edge research projects.

A degree in Oxford Physics provides students with a solid foundation in the principles and theories of physics, as well as practical skills in problem-solving, critical thinking, and data analysis. These skills are essential for success in a variety of industries, including academia, research, engineering, and data science.

Oxford Physics graduates have a high employability rate, with many securing positions in top research institutions, tech companies, and government agencies. The skills and knowledge gained through the program make graduates highly sought after in various fields, and the reputation of Oxford University adds to their marketability.

Oxford Physics students have access to a range of research opportunities, both within the department and through collaborations with other institutions. The university also has a robust internship program, allowing students to gain hands-on experience in various industries related to physics. Additionally, students can apply for funding to support their research projects and attend conferences and workshops to present their findings.

Deciding what subject to study at university is a pretty important choice when you are at school, and it was one that I had some trouble with. When I was in Year 12, I was set on studying chemistry but, near the end of the year, I became more inclined towards physics.

The general way that my tutorials work is that I will submit a problem sheet and a couple days later I will have a tutorial, usually in a pair with someone else. In a tutorial we will discuss the problem sheet and clear up any misconceptions or misunderstandings of the material covered in lectures. For example, in a quantum mechanics tutorial, we will usually focus on the harder questions from the problem set and try to explain what is really happening based on the maths and then try to figure out where and why we went wrong on some questions, which takes up the allocated hour or so pretty quickly and we might not have time to cover everything we would like, but then we can always contact our tutors outside of tutorials which is really useful.

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