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News from SUPA |
SUPA’s Phase Four begins - Important changes |
SUPA has undergone many changes in the past year, but in essential ways we remain the same. The SUPA Graduate School is moving forward with new Zoom Room classrooms coming in January, and the Annual Gathering has been scheduled for 22 May 2024. Mark your calendar! We are planning parallel theme sessions and encourage students and early career researchers to present their work, see below.
SUPA no longer receives funding from the SFC, but we continue to be supported by the partner universities. We have made changes to adjust to this reduced funding. In our current situation, anyone who wants to be reimbursed for travelling to a SUPA course or event must apply for funds in advance. Only travel that has been approved will be reimbursed. |
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A message from your new SUPA Operations Manager: Dr Linda Hadfield |
After leading SUPA for many years, Prof Alan Miller retired in the spring. SUPA’s structure has changed, and I have taken on the new role of Operations Manager. Until now SUPA has been managed by a senior academic, my background is somewhat different! I completed my PhD in Atmospheric and Physical Chemistry at the NOAA Aeronomy Lab and did post-doctoral work in science education in Carl Wieman’s group, in Boulder, Colorado, USA. I then relocated to Scotland and taught Research Communication in Action at the University of Edinburgh. Before graduate school, I taught secondary school science as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Malawi, Central Africa.
I am very keen to hear about any suggestions you have for SUPA. Please feel free to send me an email with your thoughts or arrange a time to meet.
Linda |
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This year’s Welcome to SUPA for new PhD students was held online on 24 October, bringing everyone together to hear from the SUPA team and explore careers and making the most out of opportunities with a keynote from Dr Caroline Müllenbroich (University of Glasgow). The following weeks are seeing a series of online Theme meetings, with students coming together with other students in their theme to meet one another and hear from students in later years in their theme about what to expect, the courses available and to get to know one another. |
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Have a quick question, want to check something? Pop on to Zoom for our new SUPA Office Hour and get an immediate answer rather than a back and forth lengthy email conversation! No need to register, just hit the link and say hello!
Every Thursday during teaching term, 2-3pm. |
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The Annual Gathering 2024 will be held on 22 May at the Advanced Research Centre (ARC) at University of Glasgow. New for 2024 we will have theme-based parallel sessions, giving more people than ever before the chance to present their research. We are looking for all members of SUPA to submit abstracts outlining what they would like to present, either in a presentation or on a poster. Workshops will be run in Semester 2 on giving good presentations and how to create an eye catching and effective poster, which will be open to all not just those presenting. The call for abstracts is now open!
The portal will close on Feb 14th, but we recommend submitting as soon as possible, as we will assess applications as we get them and may close some themes early if they are oversubscribed. |
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Careers Online at Lunchtime
This series of webinars introduces you to a variety of people who after graduating with a PhD in physics went on to successful careers in a wide variety of employment sectors using the skills developed during their doctorate.
The lineup for the 23/24 academic year is nearly ready to be announced, enrol on the MySUPA course to be kept up to date.
Signing up to the MySUPA course will also give you access to the videos from previous sessions, including: Lorenzo Zanisi, Data Scientist, UK Atomic Energy Agency Orla Kelly, Knowledge Exchange & Innovation Collaboration Manager, Universities Scotland/UWS Claire Thring, Senior Application Specialist, Novosound Kenneth Freeman, Consultant, Awerian Ltd
This course is also open to all, so please share with anyone you think may find it useful. Anyone who has an issue with registering should email admin@supa.ac.uk for help. |
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We were saddened to hear of the passing of two of our own over the summer. Heriot-Watt Emeritus Professor Des Smith and Strathclyde’s Prof Adrian Cross.
Prof Smith specialised in optics and photonics, and founded Edinburgh Instruments Ltd, Heriot-Watt’s first spin-out.
Prof Cross specialised most recently in terahertz radiation sources and pseudospark physics and had been at Strathclyde since 1989 when he started his undergraduate degree.
Our thoughts are with their family, friends and colleagues. |
News from our Partner Universities |
SUPA researchers at Orkney Science Festival |
| A group of researchers from Heriot-Watt’s “u-Care” project have shared their science at this year’s Orkney Science Festival, including enabling festival goers to perform bronchoscopy and find the target areas in the lung, play laser golf, make colour changing keyrings and more. Read their report on the experience.
Additionally, Anne-Marie Weijmans (St Andrews) visited Stenness Primary School with the UHI Stem Coordinator, to look at the positions of stars with a Sloan Plate. |
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| The crystal structure of the exotic solid molecular nitrogen phase ζ-N2 has finally been solved in a project led by Edinburgh researchers, shedding light onto nitrogen’s unique progressive molecular-to-polymeric transformation. |
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| Ten ‘Place Based Impact Accelerator Account’ projects have been funded by EPSRC.
“Photonic Technologies in Scotland’s Central Belt” is led by Glasgow and Strathclyde and partners with St Andrews and Heriot-Watt.
“Accelerating Impact of Community healthCarE in Tayside (AICCET)” is led by Heriot-Watt and Dundee, partnering with St Andrews, Glasgow and Edinburgh Napier, as well as the NHS and civic bodies. |
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| Glasgow is among six UK universities and a further six European counties to have signed the deed committing to the construction of the EST at the world-renowned El Roque de los Muchachos Observatory at La Palma in the Canary Islands. |
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| Trials with Ninewells Hospital in Dundee by St Andrews researchers have allayed the safety fears of using Far UVC light for disinfecting spaces such as hospitals, travel hubs and offices. |
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| A joint research project between NASA and Durham and Glasgow universities has suggested that Saturn’s rings could have evolved from the debris of two progenitor icy moons that collided and shattered, only a few hundred million years ago. |
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| A collaboration between Heriot-Watt and Imperial College London is aiming to develop new techniques for the precision removal of brain cancer cells using a laser combined with precision analysis of molecules. |
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| One challenge of autonomous vehicles in a marine environment is avoiding large aquatic and semi-aquatic mammals such as whales. A team at St Andrews have used sub-THz radar with sea lions to enable autonomous vehicles to recognise their radar signature and subsequently make correct manoeuvring decisions. |
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| The new ARCs supported by the Scottish Funding Council have now been named, and include a Glasgow-led Quantum Technologies ARC. Funded for four years the investment aims to create multi-disciplinary, cross-sector teams to strengthen and accelerate bids for major research grants. |
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| A team from UWS have identified and demonstrated the uses of electrically conductive foam, namely adding three dimensional graphene foam to triboelectric nanogenerators. Floor sensors could generate power from a human step, or detect when someone enters or leaves a room, the next “step” in smart buildings. |
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| Aberdeen undergraduate Physics and Philosophy student, Anastatia Mayers, became the youngest person ever in space when she travelled into space with Virgin Galactic in August. |
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| Applications are open for the Scottish Knowledge Exchange awards 2024. With 7 categories for individuals, teams and projects, apply now and shine a light on your (or others) performance. Deadline, 5pm, Wednesday 6 December 2023. |
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| The Conference for Undergraduate Women and Non-Binary Physicists 2024 will take place at Limerick University in March 2024, registration will open soon. |
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Congratulations to… |
Dr Vinod Belwanshi, Glasgow |
| who has been awarded the Ramanujan Fellowship by the Department of Science & Technology of the Government of India. |
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| for winning the Create Change runner-up prize at the 2023 Converge Challenge for his socially-focussed start-up helping students experience labs through virtual simulations. |
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Dr Akhil Kallepalli, Glasgow |
| for being named in the 2024 list of Photonics100, a list of the industry’s most innovative people published annually by ElectroOptics. |
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Dr Andreia Foseca da Silva, Edinburgh |
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Prof Andrew Moore, Heriot-Watt |
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Dr Adam Carnall, Edinburgh |
| who has received a European Research Council starting grant for research into the origins of the most massive galaxies in the universe. |
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Prof Sheila Rowan, Glasgow |
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Double Award renewal for Glasgow Congratulations to Glasgow’s School of Physics & Astronomy, for having both its Juno Champion and Athena SWAN Silver status renewed in recognition of the work undertaken and continuing efforts in addressing gender equality and fostering a more inclusive working environment. |
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Institute of Physics Awards Congratulations to all winners of the 2023 Institute of Physics Awards, particularly our very own Prof Alan Miller, recently retired CEO of SUPA, who is now an Honorary Fellow of the IOP, for his outstanding research and support of early career researchers.
Also from Scotland, Chris Rossi won a Teacher of Physics Award for his work at St Joseph’s College, Dumfries. |
Funding and Funder News |
New Deal for Postgraduate Researchers
Following the consultation earlier this year, UKRI have published a response to the feedback, including: plans to review the stipend level and terms of grants particularly with respect to students with disabilities and caring responsibilities explore innovative doctoral models to improve diversity promoting and strengthening wider professional development as a core part of doctoral support bringing support for doctoral students in line with the broader UKRI work on Collective Talent Funding
The full response can be read on the UKRI website. |
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| All of UKRI’s funding in one place, search by Council and funding type. Examples: Future Leader Fellowships, Ernest Rutherford Fellowships, travel grants, and technology readiness. |
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| A number of grants and Fellowships are either currently or shortly will be available from the Royal Society. |
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| Funding schools and colleges up to £3,000 to run investigative STEM projects in partnership with STEM professionals in academia or industry.
Open all year with multiple submission deadlines at the ends of April, June and November. |
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| The SFC funds a number of programmes administered by Interface, to connect business and Scotland’s universities in innovative collaborations. Applications must be made by the SME partner, if you don’t have an SME partner Interface can help.
Rolling scheme, no deadlines. Standard Innovation Vouchers, <£5,000 for first-time partnerships Student Placement Innovation Voucher, <£5,000 Advanced Innovation Vouchers, <£20,000 of match funding
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Public Engagement & Outreach |
| Volunteers wanted for event management for the 2024 Pint of Science festival in Glasgow from 13-15 May. Particularly looking for people interested in supporting the following topics: Anyone interested to find out more should email pos.glasgow@gmail.com |
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Cabaret of Dangerous Ideas 2024 |
| Want to share your work with audiences at the world’s largest arts festival? Fancy starring in your very own Fringe show accompanied by a local stand-up professional? Expressions of interest for those wanting to be part of CODI2024 are now welcome.
Deadline: 4 December 2023 |
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And finally…back in Horizon! |
The UK government has announced that the UK will be rejoining the €95bn Horizon Europe research framework, which (to summarise a lengthy story) we had left when Britain left the European Union. This means that UK-based researchers will be able to apply for grants from the Horizon scheme. The UK will also associate to Copernicus, the Earth Observation program. The European Council are still required to confirm the deal, and if successful (as expected) UK participation will begin on 1 January 2024. |
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