Previous Events

Wednesday, December 13, 2023 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:   Wednesday 13 December at 14.00 Where:  Robert Hooke/Teams Online Speaker:  Dr Kevin Croker - University of Hawai`i at Manoa Hosted by: Stephen Serjeant Abstract: Over the past ten years, observational evidence has continued to mount that astrophysical black hole...

Thursday, November 30, 2023 - 14:00 to 15:00

When: Thursday 30 November at 14.00 Where:  Robert Hooke/Teams Online Speaker:  Jonathan Pritchard – Strathclyde University Hosted by: Silvia Bergamini Abstract: Quantum computation offers a revolutionary approach to how information is processed, offering new applicati...

Thursday, November 23, 2023 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 23 November at 14.00 Where:  Robert Hooke/Teams Online Speaker:  Alex Anderson (Oxford Hosted by: Hugh Dickinson Abstract: Current and upcoming interferometers can now sample wide swathes of the radio sky with unprecedented sensitivity and cadence. As a resul...

Thursday, November 9, 2023 - 14:00 to 15:00

When: Thursday 9 November at 14.00 Where:  Robert Hooke/Teams Online Speaker:  Ryan Barnett - Imperial Hosted by: Andrew James Abstract: Quantum simulation, sometimes referred to as analog quantum computation, has emerged as a central drive in physics. Cold atoms have provided a ...

Thursday, October 5, 2023 - 13:00 to 14:00

Robert Hooke Seminar Room

When:   Thursday 5 October at 14.00 Where:  Robert Hooke/Teams Online Speaker:  Anjali Piette – Carnegie Institute for Science Hosted by: Jo Barstow Abstract: With no Solar System analogue, exoplanets larger than Earth but smaller than Neptune remain mysterio...

Thursday, June 22, 2023 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 22 June at 14.00 Where:  Robert Hooke/Teams Online Speaker:  Dr Ben Fernando – University of Oxford Hosted by: Lee White Abstract: By the time of its untimely demise in December of last year, NASA’s InSight mission detected over a thousand quakes ...

Thursday, June 15, 2023 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:   Thursday 15 June at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams – Robert Hooke/Online Speaker:  Shaun T Mutter (LHCS) Hosted by: Andrew James Abstract: Amyloid-β peptides are a major constituent of the senile plaques observed in the brains of patients with Al...

Thursday, June 8, 2023 - 14:00 to 15:00

 When:  Thursday 8 June at 14.00 Where:  Robert Hooke/Teams Online Speaker:  Nicole Thomas – University of Durham Hosted by: Hugh Dickinson Abstract: Radio galaxies are a population of active galactic nuclei (AGN) identified by the presence of relativistic je...

Thursday, May 25, 2023 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 25 May at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams – Robert Hooke/Online Speaker:  Lee White (SPS) Hosted by: Alexander Barrett Abstract: Constraining the timing, duration, and intensity of planetary bombardment is critical to understanding the origins and ev...

Thursday, May 18, 2023 - 14:00 to 15:00

Spaced Testing: Towards More Effective Learning When:  Thursday 18 May at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams – Robert Hooke/Online Speaker:  Prof Alice Voice – University of Leeds Hosted by: Sally Jordan Abstract: Students have a habit of cramming for exams, and if t...

Thursday, April 20, 2023 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 15 December at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams – Robert Hooke/Online Speaker:  James N Bull (University of East Anglia) Hosted by: Andrew James Abstract: Action spectroscopy, usually performed in the gas phase, encompasses a range of spectroscopic te...

Monday, April 3, 2023 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Monday 3 April at 14.00 Where:  CMR01 and Microsoft Teams -Online Speaker:  Salvatore Buoninfante – University of Naples Federico II Hosted by: Alexander Barrett Abstract: This study blends a geological and a geophysical approach to better understand the li...

Thursday, March 23, 2023 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 23 March at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams -Online Speaker:  Giulia Magnarini (Natural History Museum London) Hosted by: Alexander Barrett Abstract: Taurus-Littrow Valley, site of the Apollo 17 mission in 1972, hosts record of recent geomorphological land...

Friday, March 10, 2023 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 24th November at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams – Robert Hooke/Online Speaker:  Frances Butcher (University of Sheffield) Hosted by: Alexander Barrett Abstract: Buried ice deposits in the mid latitudes of Mars are prime targets for future missions,&...

Thursday, March 9, 2023 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 9 March at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams -Online Speaker:  Christina Schoettler – Imperial College London Hosted by: Hugh Dickinson Abstract: Most stars form in grouped or clustered environments with other stars. These star-forming regions can surv...

Thursday, January 26, 2023 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 26 January at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams – Robert Hooke/Online Speaker:  Jose Cappelletto (Southampton University) Hosted by: Alexander Barrett Abstract: In this seminar we will describe and discuss how to bridge the gaps in data resolution and ...

Thursday, December 8, 2022 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 8 December at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams – Robert Hooke/Online Speaker:  Lonneke Roelofs (Utrecht University) Hosted by: Alexander Barrett/Manish Patel Abstract: Gullies on Mars come in different shapes and sizes; from classical gully systems on...

Thursday, December 1, 2022 - 14:00 to 15:00

When: Thursday 1 December at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams – Robert Hooke/Online Speaker:  Nora Eisner – Flatiron Institute Centre for Computational Astrophysics Hosted by: Hugh Dickinson Abstract: Since the first unambiguous discovery of an exoplanet in 199...

Tuesday, November 15, 2022 - 12:00 to 13:00

When:  Tuesday 15 November at 12pm Where:  Microsoft Teams – Robert Hooke/Online Speaker:  Dr Megha Bhatti - Planetary Sciences Division at PRL Hosted by: Alexander Barrett/Mahesh Anand Abstract: The mapping of refractory elements at local and global scales is an ...

Thursday, November 3, 2022 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 3rd November at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams – Robert Hooke/Online Speaker:  Lalitha Sairam (Birmingham) Hosted by: Hugh Dickinson Abstract: Contemplating the existence of worlds outside our solar system has always intrigued human interest. Since ...

Thursday, October 20, 2022 - 16:00 to 17:00

When:  Thursday 20th October at 16.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Dr Emily Cardarelli (JPL) Hosted by: Alexander Barrett Abstract: The Perseverance rover successfully landed in Jezero crater, Mars on February 18, 2021, at the Octavia E. Butler landing sit...

Thursday, October 13, 2022 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 13th October at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Timothy Saunders (University of Warwick) Hosted by: Andrew James Abstract: On a curved surface, epithelial cells can adapt to geometric constraints by tilting and by exchanging their neighb...

Thursday, September 29, 2022 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 29th September at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams – Online/Robert Hooke Seminar Room Speaker:  Joshe Wilde (OU) Hosted by: Hugh Dickinson Abstract: In the near future, the Euclid space telescope will discover 10,000s of new gravitational lenses. We w...

Thursday, September 15, 2022 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 15th September at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Ivan Sudakow (OU) Hosted by: Andrew James Abstract: When snow on the surface of Arctic sea ice begins to melt in late spring, small pools of water form. As the melt season progresses, the...

Thursday, August 4, 2022 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 4th August at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams – Online/Hybrid Speaker:  Dr Csilla Orgel (ESA) Hosted by: Alexander Barrett Abstract: The South Pole of the Moon and its potential for cold-trapped volatiles to persist became the focus for future landed...

Thursday, July 14, 2022 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 14 July at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Richard Greenwood (PSS – OU) Hosted by: Alexander Barrett Abstract: Between June 2018 and November 2019, the JAXA Hayabusa2 spacecraft made detailed observations and measurements of the C-...

Thursday, June 30, 2022 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 30th June at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Dr. Martin Suttle (OU) Hosted by: Alexander Barrett Abstract: On February 28th 2021 at 9:54 pm a bright fireball blazed across the skies above the UK, moving west to east. Caught by 16 dedicat...

Thursday, June 23, 2022 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 23rd June at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Dr. Elsen Tjhung (Applied Mathematics OU) Hosted by: Andrew James Abstract: Not long ago, it was found that swimming bacteria are able perform useful macroscopic work. If we look at the t...

Thursday, June 16, 2022 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 16th June at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker: Shyama Narendranath (Indian Space Research Organisation ISRO)  Hosted by: Chiaki Crews   Abstract: Chandrayaan-2 Large Area Soft X-ray Spectrometer (CLASS) is an X-ray fluorescence instru...

Thursday, June 9, 2022 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 9th June at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Andrés Gúrpide Lasheras (University of Southampton) Hosted by: Hugh Dickinson Abstract: What happens when a compact object is fed at mass-transfer rates exceeding the classical Ed...

Thursday, May 19, 2022 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 19th May at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Nick Chancellor (Durham) Hosted by: Andrew James Abstract: I will first give a brief review of solving hard optimisation problems through quantum computing in particular in a continuous-time as...

Thursday, May 5, 2022 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 5th May at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Micah Bowles (Manchester University) Hosted by: Hugh Dickinson Abstract: Exa-scale astronomy is coming and automating as much astronomical data processing as possible will be essential in extrac...

Thursday, April 28, 2022 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 28th April at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Andrew Prentice (Monash University) Hosted by: Alexander Barrett   Abstract: The huge bounty of new data about the structure of our Solar system that has been gathered by NASA and ESA in...

Tuesday, April 12, 2022 - 19:30 to 20:30

'Atom gyroscopes - exploiting quantumness of cold atoms for inertial sensing' When: Tuesday 12 April, from 7.30pm Where: Online Speaker: Katarzyna Krzyzanowska  Hosted by: Ben Dryer/Alice Dunford Quantum Technologies is one of the fastest-growing research sector worldwide, because...

Thursday, March 24, 2022 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 24th March at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  James Holmes (OU) Hosted by: Alexander Barrett Abstract: The wealth of observations now available from multiple spacecraft in orbit around Mars and rovers/landers on the surface provides info...

Thursday, March 17, 2022 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 17th March at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Jim Hague (OU) Hosted by: Andrew James Abstract: I will discuss my ongoing work on modelling embolic strokes using methods of statistical physics, particularly Monte Carlo techniques. Emboli ...

Thursday, March 10, 2022 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 10th March at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Mike Smith (Hertfordshire) Hosted by: Hugh Dickinson Abstract: We show that a Denoising Diffusion Probabilistic Model (DDPM), a class of score-based generative model, can be used to produce r...

Thursday, March 3, 2022 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 3rd March at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Dr. Ondřej Krýza (Institute of Geophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences) Hosted by: Alexander Barrett Abstract: The behavior and the rheology of mud during the emplacement of terrest...

Thursday, February 24, 2022 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 24th February at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Juan Alday (OU) Hosted by: Chiaki Crews Abstract: Isotopic ratios in different atmospheric species provide useful information about the past and present climate on Mars. Overall enrichment...

Thursday, February 10, 2022 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 10th February at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Peter Fawdon (OU)   Hosted by: Alexander Barrett/Mark Fox-Powell Abstract: This talk will be about my work over the last 7 years at the Open University, working to constrain the geolo...

Thursday, February 3, 2022 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 3rd February at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Sinead Farrington (CERN/Edinburgh) Hosted by: Andrew James Abstract: The ATLAS and CMS experiments at the LHC each recently reached an unprecedented milestone for a scientific collaboration...

Thursday, January 20, 2022 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 20 January at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Mike Warmsley – University of Manchester Hosted by: Hugh Dickinson Abstract: Galaxy Zoo recruits members of the public to classify galaxies, allowing morphology measurements of hundreds...

Thursday, December 9, 2021 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 9 December at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Jon Mason (OU) Hosted by: Chiaki Crews Abstract: The Nadir and Occultation for Mars Discovery (NOMAD) spectrometer suite onboard the Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) has been conducting science o...

Thursday, November 25, 2021 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 25 November at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams – Online Speaker:  Candice Bedford - NASA Johnson Space Center and Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, Texas Hosted by: Alexander Barrett Abstract: Sediments carry geochemical fingerprints of their...

Monday, November 22, 2021 - 19:00 to 20:30

Monday 22nd November, 7 to 8:30 pm (UK time) The School of Physical Sciences is planning a series of online events showcasing diversity in physics and related subjects. We are inviting all students interested in these disciplines to our 2nd online evening event where we will hear about the work and...

Thursday, November 4, 2021 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 4 November at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Heidi Thiemann (Truro and Penwith College) Hosted by: Hugh Dickinson   Abstract: SuperWASP, the world's leading ground-based survey for transiting exoplanets, used wide-field roboti...

Thursday, October 28, 2021 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 28 October at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Julia Semprich (OU) Hosted by: Alexander Barrett Abstract: Rock alteration processes on Venus are still poorly understood due to the limited geochemical data on surface rocks and uncertaintie...

Friday, October 8, 2021 - 14:00 to 15:00

Fri, 8 October 2021, 14:00 – 15:00 BST Have you ever wondered if there is a planet just like Earth elsewhere in the Universe? Has that planet had life just like us? Sign-up on Eventbrite here. About this event Have you ever wondered if there is a planet just like Earth elsewhere i...

Thursday, October 7, 2021 - 14:00 to 15:00

Thu, 7 October 2021, 14:00 – 15:00 BST Join us for this fascinating look at icy moons in this Ask the Experts event, part of our World Space Week series. Sign-up on Eventbrite here. About this event Icy Moons, such as Enceladus and Europa, are some of the coolest places in the solar sy...

Wednesday, October 6, 2021 - 12:00 to 13:00

Wed, 6 October 2021, 12:00 – 13:00 BST As part of our World Space Week series. We’ll be exploring whether there are other planets beyond our Solar System that are just like Earth? Sign-up on Eventbrite here. About this event Join us for this Ask the Experts: Building Alien Worlds...

Tuesday, October 5, 2021 - 12:00 to 13:00

Online

Tue, 5 October 2021, 12:00 – 13:00 BST A chance to ask our expert panel about their research into observing the night sky and using online telescopes. Sign-up on Eventbrite here. About this event Join us as we journey to the stars with the scientists involved with The Open University t...

Thursday, September 30, 2021 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 30 September at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Brooke Simmons (Lancaster University) Hosted by: Hugh Dickinson Abstract: Galaxy growth and evolution may be broadly categorised as either driven by galaxy-galaxy collisions/mergers, or mer...

Thursday, September 23, 2021 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 23 September at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Jean-David Bodénan (Zurich) Hosted by: Alexander Barrett Abstract: Understanding the behaviour of dust particles in the early Solar System is essential to understand how it evolved f...

Thursday, September 9, 2021 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 9 September at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Jasleen Matharu - Texas A&M University Hosted by: Hugh Dickinson Abstract: Space-based slitless spectroscopy capabilities on-board the Hubble Space Telescope have made it possible f...

Thursday, July 1, 2021 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 1st July at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Mohit Melwani Daswani (Jet Propulsion Laboratory – California Institute of Technology) Hosted by: Alexandra Barrett   Abstract: Europa likely contains an iron-rich metal core. For i...

Thursday, June 17, 2021 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 17th June at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Jon Mason (OU) Hosted by: Hannah Sergeant Abstract: The Nadir and Occultation for Mars Discovery (NOMAD) spectrometer suite onboard the Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) has been conducting science oper...

Thursday, June 10, 2021 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 10th June at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Diederik Kruijssen (Heidelberg University) Hosted by: Hugh Dickinson   Abstract: The clustered nature of star formation leaves a long-term imprint on galaxies, stars, and planets. At you...

Tuesday, June 8, 2021 - 19:30 to 21:00

When: Tuesday 8th June 2021, from 7.30pm Where: Online Stadium - Berrill Lecture Theatre, The Open University, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA Speaker: Dr. Adam Bennett - Cranfield University Hosted by: Alice Dunford Plasma, discharged under vacuum conditions, underpins the development of...

Thursday, May 27, 2021 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 27th May at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Elena Favaro (The OU) Hosted by: Alexander Barrett Abstract: The history of Oxia Planum, and of Mars more generally, is encoded in the myriad of aeolian (wind-blown) features we see on the surf...

Thursday, May 20, 2021 - 14:30 to 15:30

When:  Thursday 20th May at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Prof Pascal Chabert (CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique, Paris) Hosted by: Andrew James Abstract: Until very recently, commercial satellites were fairly large platforms equipped with chemical engines fo...

Thursday, May 13, 2021 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 15th May at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Geraint Morgan (OU) Hosted by: Hannah Sargeant   Abstract: Dr Geraint (Taff) Morgan FRSC FRSA FRAS is highly active in analytical chemistry and the space technology translation agenda at ...

Tuesday, May 11, 2021 - 19:30 to 21:00

When: Tuesday 11 May 2021, from 7.30pm Where: Online Stadium - Berrill Lecture Theatre, The Open University, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA Speaker: Dr. Naomi Murdoch, ISAE-SUPAERO, University of Toulouse Hosted by: Ben Dryer The InSight mission landed on Mars in November 2018 and placed SEIS, a seismo...

Thursday, May 6, 2021 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 6th May at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Paula Chadwick (Durham University) Hosted by: Hugh Dickenson   Abstract: The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) will be the major global observatory for very high-energy (VHE) gamma-ray astro...

Thursday, April 29, 2021 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 29th April at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Affilia Wibisono - (Mullard Space Science Laboratory) Hosted by: Alexander Barrett Abstract: The shimmering, dancing curtains of light from our planet’s aurorae have mesmerised people f...

Thursday, April 15, 2021 - 13:00 to 14:00

When:  Thursday 15th April at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Charley Feldman – University of Leicester Hosted by: Hannah Sargeant Abstract: Lobster eye X-ray telescopes using Micro Pore Optics (MPOs) are an incredibly light weight and versatile t...

Thursday, March 18, 2021 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 18th March at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams – Online Speaker:  Dr Andrew Ho – Royal Holloway University of London Hosted by: Andrew James   Abstract: A new state of quantum matter with intertwined superfluid and density wave order in a sys...

Thursday, March 11, 2021 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 11th March at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Matt Middleton - Southampton University Hosted by: Hugh Dickinson Abstract: Accretion onto black holes is widespread and – in one form or another – distributes mechanical and radi...

Thursday, March 4, 2021 - 19:00 to 21:00

The School of Physical Sciences is planning a series of online events showcasing diversity in physics and related subjects. We are inviting all students interested in these disciplines to our first online evening event where we will hear about the work and experiences of two women physicists through...

Thursday, March 4, 2021 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 4th March at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  David Long - UCL Hosted by: Hannah Sargeant   Abstract: The recently launched Solar Orbiter mission is designed to study the Sun and inner heliosphere from vantage points close to the Su...

Thursday, February 11, 2021 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 11th February at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Alex Barrett - OU Hosted by: Jack Wright Abstract: We are living in a golden age of robotic space exploration, where we have more high-resolution images of planetary surfaces than ever bef...

Thursday, February 11, 2021 - 10:00 to 11:00

We are running a special 'Mars Ask the Expert' session on Thursday 11th February at 10-11am. NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission is due to land on the 18th of February so we have got four of our Mars experts joining us to answer questions about Mars, why research of t...

Tuesday, February 9, 2021 - 19:30 to 21:00

Institute of Physics Open Lecture hosted by The Open University “X-rays, waves and particles – seeing from a distance ... in the OpenSTEM Labs” Prof. Nicholas Braithwaite, The Open University The OpenSTEM Labs have been developed for doing many of the things that have previously...

Thursday, February 4, 2021 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 4th February at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Andrew Cassidy, Center for Interstellar Catalysis, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, Denmark Hosted by: Andrew James Abstract: The condensation of dipolar, molecular s...

Thursday, January 21, 2021 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 21st January at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Rob Crain - Liverpool John Moores University Hosted by: Hugh Dickinson Abstract: Galaxy formation models posit that the growth of massive galaxies is regulated, and even quenched, by energy...

Thursday, January 14, 2021 - 14:00 to 15:00

Abstract Carbonaceous asteroids (C-type) were affected by aqueous alteration processes that have strongly modified their primary mineralogy in favour of a wide diversity of newly formed phases. Despite the numerous studies carried out on hydrated chondrites (CM chondrites), the physicochemical con...

Tuesday, January 12, 2021 - 19:30 to 21:00

online only

Institute of Physics Open Lecture hosted by The Open University “Particle Physics Brick by Brick” Dr. Ben Still, University of London Ben uses LEGO® blocks to create a uniquely visual and clear depiction of the way that our universe is put together and give perfect introduction to...

Thursday, December 17, 2020 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 17th December at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Charlotte Marriner - OU Hosted by: Hannah Sargeant   Abstract: The Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System (CaSSIS) is the imaging system aboard the joint European-Russian ExoMars T...

Thursday, December 10, 2020 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 10th December at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Caitriona Jackman - The School of Cosmic Physics - Astronomy & Astrophysics at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies Hosted by: Beatriz Mingo/John Bray   Abstract: In this ta...

Wednesday, December 9, 2020 - 18:00 to 19:00

Online

Dr Andy Spry "Mars, and Other Places we Care About; Planetary Protection in the Commercial Spaceflight Era" by Dr Andy Spry Dr Andy Spry worked with Colin Pilinger on the Beagle 2 Mars spacecraft. He was responsible for the lander being built to meet all the rules for ensuring ...

Tuesday, December 8, 2020 - 19:00 to 21:00

Online only

Dr. Jessica Barnes, University of Arizona Lunar samples are a touchstone to understanding how our nearest neighbor formed and evolved. Advancements in laboratory instrumentation and techniques are providing new and more precise data on lunar materials that are challenging the Apollo-era paradigm of...

Monday, December 7, 2020 - 16:30 to 18:45

Online

***Children/Family event*** LINK to sign-up for online event Monday 7 December marks the 48th anniversary of the Apollo 17 launch and to commemorate this Luna anniversary we’re inviting you to come and join our Moon experts to hear about the fascinating celestial body that is our Moon. The e...

Thursday, December 3, 2020 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 3rd December at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Jon Mason - OU Hosted by: Hannah Sargeant Abstract: The Nadir and Occultation for Mars Discovery (NOMAD) spectrometer suite onboard the Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) has been conducting science o...

Thursday, November 26, 2020 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 26th November at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Kate Nixon – LHCS - OU Hosted by: Jimena Gorfinkiel/Andrew James Abstract: Electrons control the properties of matter. Measuring the motion of electrons (energy and momentum) withi...

Thursday, November 19, 2020 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 19th November at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Dr Clara Sousa-Silva from MIT's Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences and the Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research Hosted by Helen Fraser/Jo Barsto...

Thursday, November 12, 2020 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 12th November at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Andrew Stevens – University of Edinburgh   Hosted by: Jack Wright/Manish Patel Abstract: Astrobiologists have been ‘following the water’ since the birth of the fie...

Tuesday, November 10, 2020 - 20:00 to 21:15

Online only

Institute of Physics open lecture hosted by the OU “The Dawn of Gravitational Wave Astronomy” Dr Chris North, Cardiff University In 2015 the twin LIGO detectors picked up the first definitive signature of gravitational waves - ripples in the fabric of space predicted a centu...

Thursday, October 22, 2020 - 14:00 to 15:00

When:  Thursday 22nd October at 14.00 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Dr Mark Fox-Powell – The Open University Hosted by:  Jack Wright   Abstract: The large cryovolcanic plumes emanating from Saturn’s ice-covered moon Enceladus represen...

Monday, October 19, 2020 - 12:30 to 13:30

Following the recent exciting discovery of Phosphine on Venus, we bring together three experts from The Open University.   About this Event Following the recent exciting discovery of Phosphine on Venus, we bring together three experts from The Open University to share their thoug...

Tuesday, October 13, 2020 - 19:30 to 21:00

    Sir Peter Knight, Imperial College, London   “What’s Quantum Technology?”     The UK National Quantum Technology Programme has induced a step change in the UK's capabilities for pushing forward a new sector in future information technologies...

Thursday, October 1, 2020 - 14:30 to 15:30

When:  Thursday 1st October at 14.30 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Prof Brad Gibson – University of Hull Hosted by:  Beatriz Mingo/John Bray   Abstract: Sometimes relegated to an afterthought to teaching and research, the dissemination an...

Wednesday, September 30, 2020 - 12:00 to 13:00

A welcome return to our 'Ask the Experts' session, starting back "Things that go bump in the night sky"   Book here on the Eventbrite link to watch.   About this Event As we bring back our 'Ask the Expert' session, we start with a bang! Titled &qu...

Friday, September 25, 2020 - 12:00 to 13:00

PhD student Zoe Morland is doing a talk Titled: “Could Phobos host martian biomarkers? An impact modelling approach” in the UKPF seminar series about her PhD looking at martian biomarkers transferring from Mars to Phobos, and recent modelling results she has. Virtual meeting details will...

Tuesday, May 12, 2020 - 19:30 to 21:00

Berrill Lecture Theatre followed by Berrill Cafe for refreshments

Dr. Ben Still, University of London   "Particle Physics Brick by Brick"    Ben uses LEGO® blocks to create a uniquely visual and clear depiction of the way that our universe is put together and give perfect introduction to the enigmatic and fascinating world of quant...

Thursday, April 23, 2020 - 14:30 to 15:30

The formation and modification of sedimentary basins on Mars When:  Thursday 23rd APRIL at 14.30 Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online Speaker:  Joel Davis – Londons Natural History Museum Hosted by:  Jack Wright & Matt Balme Abstract: Numerous erosional v...

Tuesday, April 21, 2020 - 19:30 to 21:00

Berrill Lecture Theatre followed by Berrill Cafe

Dr Chris North, Cardiff University "The Dawn of Gravitational Wave Astronomy" In 2015 the twin LIGO detectors picked up the first definitive signature of gravitational waves - ripples in the fabric of space predicted a century previously by Albert Einstein. In the subsequent ye...

Thursday, March 19, 2020 - 14:30 to 15:30

When:  Thursday 19th March at 14.30 (coffee available from 14.00) Where:  Robert Hooke Seminar Room Speaker:  Dr Andrew Ho (Dept Physics, Royal Holloway, University of London) Hosted by:  Andrew James   Abstract: A new state of quantum matter with intertwined...

Tuesday, March 10, 2020 - 19:30 to 21:00

Berrill Lecture Theatre followed by cafe for refreshments

Dr Floor van Leeuwen, University of Cambridge "Details of the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram as revealed by the 2nd Gaia data release" I will briefly review the Gaia satellite mission and how the data from this mission allow us to establish, with much greater accuracy than ever before, crit...

Thursday, March 5, 2020 - 14:30 to 15:30

When:  Thursday 5th March at 14.30 (coffee available from 14.00) Where:  Robert Hooke Seminar Room Speaker:  Rhaana Starling – University of Leicester Hosted by:  Beatriz Mingo & John Bray Abstract: Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are transient astrophysical even...

Monday, February 24, 2020 - 13:00 to 15:00

Robert Hooke Seminar Room

You may not think that ‘Impact’ is relevant to you, but if you are a researcher at any level, then it is something you should, and will, need to think about in the future. We encourage all researchers (postgraduate level upwards) and associated staff to attend this workshop, which will ...

Thursday, February 20, 2020 - 14:30 to 15:30

When:  Thursday 20th February at 14.30 (coffee available from 14.00) Where:  Robert Hooke Seminar Room Speaker:  Veronica Bray Hosted by:  Jack Wright/Matt Balme Abstract: To Follow shortly  

Tuesday, February 11, 2020 - 19:30 to 21:00

Berrill Lecture Theatre, Walton Hall, MK7 6AA

Dr Claire Burke, Astro-ecologist “Can astrophysics help save our planet?” Society is currently facing the massive global challenges of climate change, environmental pollution and biodiversity collapse, and the need to address these challenges has never been more urgent. Through interd...

Thursday, February 6, 2020 - 14:30 to 15:30

When:  Thursday 6th February at 14.30 (coffee available from 14.00) Where:  Robert Hooke Seminar Room Speaker:  Andrew Green (UCL) Hosted by:  Andrew James   Abstract: Tensor networks allow one to concentrate classical computational resources in the appropria...

Thursday, January 30, 2020 - 14:30 to 15:30

When:  Thursday 30th January at 14.30 (coffee available from 14.00) Where:  Robert Hooke Seminar Room Speaker:   Nina Hatch – University of Nottingham Hosted by:  Beatriz Mingo, John Bray Abstract: Distant galaxy clusters are powerful laboratories for o...

Thursday, January 30, 2020 - 12:00 to 13:00

Berrill Lecture Theatre

"The first thing we Tories will do on regaining power is stop that blithering nonsense called the Open University”. Such was the view of the then Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, Iain Macleod. It was typical of the hostility and sheer scepticism that greeted the proposal for the new st...

Thursday, January 23, 2020 - 14:30 to 15:30

When:  Thursday 23rd January at 14.30 (coffee available from 14.00) Where:  Robert Hooke Seminar Room Speaker:   Mark Jones, Judith Croston, Sarah Chyriwsky- OU   Hosted by:  Beatriz Mingo, Stephen Serjeant, Judith Croston   Abstract: Collaborativ...

Thursday, January 16, 2020 - 14:30 to 15:30

When:  Thursday 16th January at 14.30 (coffee available from 14.00) Where:  Robert Hooke Seminar Room Speaker:  Ian Heywood (Oxford) Hosted by:  Beatriz Mingo, Stephen Serjeant, Judith Croston   Abstract: MeerKAT is a new South African radio telescope situat...

Thursday, January 9, 2020 - 14:30 to 15:30

When:  Thursday 9th January at 14.30 (coffee available from 14.00) Where:  Robert Hooke Seminar Room Speaker:  Dr Joe Spring Hosted by:  Andrew James   Abstract: Recent developments in technology for quantum-based repeaters have extended the range available ...

Thursday, December 12, 2019 - 14:30 to 15:30

When:  Thursday 12th December at 14.30 (coffee available from 14.00) Where:  Gass Building, Seminar Room Z012 Speaker:  Silvia Toonen Hosted by:  Beatriz Mingo/John Bray   Abstract: Stars are the fundamental building blocks of galaxies and stellar clusters. ...

Tuesday, December 10, 2019 - 19:30 to 21:00

Berrill Lecture Theatre, Walton Hall

The amazing variety of all matter, natural or artificial, is born out of the fundamental bricks that are few dozens of elements. Crystallography is the experimental study of those solid materials in which atoms arrange themselves in ordered patterns, and of how all the properties we can see and touc...

Friday, December 6, 2019 - 16:30 to 21:00

Berrill Cafe and Lecture Theatre

We are delighted to annouce that Moon Night is back for its 3rd year! The 2019 event is set to be even bigger and better than previous years, with new activities added (see below for more details). For tickets, please follow this link to Eventbrite.   About Moon Night 2019 Join us for a cel...

Thursday, November 14, 2019 - 18:00 to 20:00

Berrill Lecture Theatre

Discover what Professor David Rothery has found about the history of the planet Mercury and what Professor Carole Haswell has to say about exoplanets and how they serve to put planet Earth in context. For tickets and more informaiton please follow the link to Eventbrite. As The Open University cele...

Thursday, November 14, 2019 - 14:30 to 15:30

Robert Hooke Seminar Room

When:  Thursday 14th November at 14.30 (coffee available from 14.00) Where:  Robert Hooke Seminar Room Speaker:  Dr Ashley King Hosted by:  Jack Wright Abstract: The nature and origin of volatiles in the terrestrial planets is one of the key open questions in plan...

Tuesday, November 12, 2019 - 19:30 to 21:00

Berrill Lecture Theatre, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes

Since the Nobel prize winning first detection of gravitational waves emitted by merging black holes in 2015, the list of confirmed gravitational wave events from compact binary mergers has been growing steadily. A complementing rapid-response campaign by telescope facilities around the globe is sear...

Friday, November 8, 2019 - 11:00 to 11:00

Robert Hooke Seminar Room

When:  Friday 8th November at 11.00 (coffee available from 11.00) Where:  Robert Hooke Seminar Room Speaker:  Dr Kevin Pimbblet, University of Hull Hosted by:  Beatriz Mingo / John Bray Abstract: Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) are found in a wide range of environment...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019 - 18:00 to 20:00

Berrill Lecture Theatre

Succeeding in STEM: three women profs and their unconventional careers Come and hear a lively panel discussion featuring three women from the Open University’s STEM Faculty who have recently been promoted to professor. With Professor Josie Fraser in the chair, our panellists will talk about t...

Thursday, October 24, 2019 - 14:30 to 14:30

Robert Hooke Seminar Room

Transition from individual microscopic dust grains to kilometre-sized planetesimals is one of the most intriguing problem in the picture of planet formation. The goal is to simulate experimentally the complete first growth step of dust in young planetary systems, from initially (sub-) micrometer-siz...

Wednesday, October 23, 2019 - 17:30 to 19:30

Berrill Theatre, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes

For free tickets, please sign-up online on Eventbrite, including for Online Only attendance.   An Accidental Discovery About the time the OU was starting, and long before she became the OU’s first female Professor of Physics, Jocelyn Bell Burnell was a graduate student working in radio...

Thursday, October 10, 2019 - 18:00 to 20:00

Berrill Theatre, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes

Sign-up for tickets here. A talk by Professor Stephen Lewis Venus, Earth and Mars all have active and changing atmospheres, important not least in determining whether each planet is suitable for life. Earth today is a vibrant blue planet, teeming with life, while Venus is hot enough to melt lead a...

Tuesday, October 8, 2019 - 19:30 to 19:30

Berrill Theatre, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes

We live in exciting times: we have recently learned that our Galaxy contains more than one planet for each human being on planet Earth! I will show how we are able to say this, despite the fact that we have only directly imaged a handful of exoplanets. I will discuss some recent highlights and previ...

Thursday, September 12, 2019 - 18:00 to 20:00

Berrill Theatre, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes

Sign-up for tickets here. A talk by Professor Stephen Serjeant Did you know people are better at classifying tasks then computers? Can crowdsourcing help us to classify data of the universe? Astronomy and particle physics have begun a new data-rich era of discovery, from finding warps in space and...

Thursday, September 5, 2019 - 18:00 to 20:00

Berrill Theatre, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes

Sign-up for tickets here. A talk by Professor Monica Grady 1969 was the year when Neil Armstrong took his small step on the Moon. But the Moon was not the only planetary body that started to give up its secrets in 1969. Two spacecraft flew closer to Mars than ever before, picturing its cratered su...

Thursday, July 4, 2019 - 14:30 to 15:30

Robert Hooke Seminar Room

School of Physical Sciences Seminar Thursday 4th July at 2.30pm Robert Hooke Seminar Room Coffee available from 2.00pm Dr Ross Galloway, University of Edinburgh "Watching the watchers: how do students regard lecture capture?" In common with the increasing trend in universities worldw...

Tuesday, July 2, 2019 - 19:00 to 21:00

Berrill Theatre, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes

Hosting the awards ceremony for the School Physicist of the Year 2019 to recognise outstanding efforts and achievements in physics. These awards are open to students in Year 10; in addition, some regions may offer awards to students in Years 6 or 12. The SPOTY events celebrate and reward the w...

Monday, July 1, 2019 - 11:00 to Sunday, July 7, 2019 - 16:00

The Royal Society, 6 - 9 Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5AG

The "Living on the Moon!" exhibit at the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition 2019 is an interactive experience highlighting the progress of lunar science since the Apollo 11 Moon landings 50 years ago. Our exhibit illustrates the journey from Moon landing, to Lunar sample sci...

Thursday, June 27, 2019 - 14:30 to 15:30

Robert Hooke Seminar Room

School of Physical Sciences Seminar   Thursday 27th June at 2.30pm Robert Hooke Seminar Room Coffee available from 2.00pm Dr Joe Bhaseen, King's College London "Holographic and Hydrodynamic Approaches to Quantum Transport"   We discuss advances in understanding non-eq...

Wednesday, June 26, 2019 - 14:15 to Friday, July 5, 2019 - 08:00

When: Thursday 4th July, 2.30 p.m. Where: Robert Hooke Seminar Room Speaker: Dr Ross Galloway Hosted by: Sally Jordan Abstract In common with the increasing trend in universities worldwide, the University of Edinburgh has recently rolled out a large scale, institutional-level lecture capture sy...

Monday, June 24, 2019 - 14:30 to 15:30

Robert Hooke Seminar Room

School of Physical Sciences Seminar Monday 24th June at 2.30pm Robert Hooke Seminar Room Coffee available from 2.00pm Thomas McNally (Imperial College, London) How do extremophile bdelloid rotifers survive on limited nutrients?     Bdelloid rotifers are microscopic animals able to w...

Thursday, June 20, 2019 - 14:30 to 16:00

Robert Hooke Seminar Room

When: Thursday 20th June 2019 Where: Robert Hooke Seminar Room Speaker: Professor Craig Underwood Hosted by: Konstantin StefanovAndrew Holland Abstract Prof. Craig Underwood is Deputy Director of the Surrey Space Centre at the University of Surrey. He has over 33 years’ experience of smal...

Thursday, June 13, 2019 - 14:30 to 15:30

Robert Hooke Seminar Room

School of Physical Sciences Seminar Thursday 13th June at 2.30pm Robert Hooke Seminar Room Coffee available from 2.00pm Dr Amelia Fraser-McKelvie (University of Nottingham)   Most galaxies consist of a dispersion-dominated bulge region and a regularly rotating disk. These components have ...

Tuesday, June 11, 2019 - 19:30 to 21:30

Berrill Lecture Theatre, The Open University, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA

When: Tuesday 11 June 2019, from 7.30pm and followed by light refreshments Where: Berrill Lecture Theatre, The Open University, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA Speaker: Dr Alan Costley, Tokamak Energy Hosted by: Raymond Mackintosh The need for carbon-free sources of energy is well established and fusi...

Tuesday, June 11, 2019 - 11:00 to 12:00

Robert Hooke Seminar Room

School of Physical Sciences Seminar Tuesday 11th June at 11.00 a.m. Robert Hooke Seminar Room Coffee available from 10.30 a.m. Dr Ashley Spindler, (University of Hertfordshire) As we enter the age of petabyte data, new and innovative data analysis techniques are required. Machine Learning comes...

Thursday, May 23, 2019 - 15:30 to 17:30

Robert Hooke Seminar Room

When:  Thursday, 23rd May 2019 - please note later start time of 15:30 hrs Where:  Robert Hooke Seminar Room Speaker: Dr Simon Hodgkin (IOA, Cambridge) Hosted by:  Andrew Norton/Beatriz Mingo Abstract Gaia is an ESA cornerstone mission, delivering precision pho...

Tuesday, May 14, 2019 - 19:30 to 21:30

Berrill Lecture Theatre, The Open University, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA

When: Tuesday 14 May 2019, from 7.30pm and followed by light refreshments

Sunday, April 28, 2019 - 10:15 to 11:15

When:  Thursday, 28th March 2019 Where:  Robert Hooke Seminar Room Speaker: Dr Sarah Casewell, University of Leicester  Hosted by:  Beatriz Mingo Abstract: Brown dwarfs are often described as failed stars, however the flip side of this description is that they can...

Thursday, April 25, 2019 - 14:30 to 15:30

Robert Hooke Seminar Room

When:  Thursday, 25th April 2019 at 2.30 p.m. Where:  Robert Hooke Seminar Room Speaker: Assistant Professor Rob Garrod Hosted by:  Beatriz Mingo Abstract Interstellar space is replete with molecules, ranging from the very simple (e.g. molecular hydrogen), to mo...

Tuesday, April 9, 2019 - 19:30 to 20:30

Berrill Lecture Theatre, The Open University, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA

When: Tuesday 9 April 2019, at 7.30pm and followed by light refreshments Where: Berrill Lecture Theatre, The Open University, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA Speaker: Dr Anita Dawes, The Open University Hosted by: Ray Mackintosh  Until less than a century ago astronomers believed the space betwee...

Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 19:30 to 20:30

Berrill Lecture Theatre, The Open University, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA

When: Tuesday 19 March 2019, at 7.30pm and followed by light refreshments Where: Berrill Lecture Theatre, The Open University, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA Speaker: Dr Tamara Sheret, Swamphen Enterprises Hosted by: Raymond Mackintosh In 2012 Harvard Business Review described data science as being t...

Thursday, February 28, 2019 - 11:30 to 12:30

Robert Hooke Seminar Room

When:  Thursday, 28th February 2019 Where:  Robert Hooke Seminar Room Speaker: Professor Robert Speller Hosted by:  Chiaki Crews/Konstantin Stefanov  Abstract Spanning a career of more than 45 years this talk will look at some of the detector systems and their...

Thursday, February 14, 2019 - 10:15 to 11:15

Robert Hooke Seminar Room

When:  Thursday, 14th February 2019 Where:  Robert Hooke Seminar Room Speaker: Dr Myrto Symeonidis  Hosted by:  Beatriz Mingo Abstract AFar-infrared radiation is thought to originate from dust heated by stars. And rightly so. After all this is exactly what has ...

Tuesday, February 12, 2019 - 17:30 to 20:30

When: Tuesday 12 February 2019, at 7.30pm and followed by light refreshments Where: Berrill Lecture Theatre, The Open University, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA Speaker: Prof. Paul Hardaker, Institute of Physics Hosted by: Raymond Mackintosh Thunderstorms are ever-present across the globe and for cen...

Thursday, January 24, 2019 - 10:15 to 11:15

When:  Thursday, 24th January 2019 Where:  Robert Hooke Seminar Room Speaker: Professor Peter Main, King’s College London  Hosted by:  Jimena Gorfinkiel   Abstract: In general, subjects and disciplines are usually described by the content under stud...

Thursday, January 17, 2019 - 10:15 to 11:15

Robert Hooke Seminar Room

When:  Thursday, 17th January 2019 Where:  Robert Hooke Seminar Room Speaker: Mark Taylor, University of Bristol Hosted by:  Beatriz Mingo   Abstract: TOPCAT (http://www.starlink.ac.uk/topcat/) is an interactive desktop application for working with astronomical t...

Thursday, January 10, 2019 - 10:15 to 11:15

Robert Hooke Seminar Room

When:  Thursday, 10th January 2019 Where:  Robert Hooke Seminar Room Speaker: Diane Butler, Mark Jones, Laura Alexander  Hosted by:  Jimena Gorfinkiel   Abstract: eSTEeM is the STEM Faculty’s centre for STEM pedagogy.  Established in 2010, it a...