Physics Department News
Most extreme white dwarf binary system found with orbit of just 5 minutes
Professor Tom Marsh and Dr Danny Steeghs have discovered two stars circling each other at record speed. The mini-suns - each just eight times the diameter of the Earth in the constellation of Cancer – orbit once every 5.4 minutes. Please see the link to the press release below for more information
Academic Promotions
Chris Jefferies - Young Technologist of the Year 2009
Congratulations to Chris Jefferies, one of our first year undergraduates, who won the title of Young Technologist of the Year 2009 as part of last year’s UK National Science Competition. He also won a trip to NASA, and a significant monetary prize. As one of the 6 finalists, Chris also got a chance to visit the Diamond Light Research Centre. Chris has been invited to judge the first round of the UK Big Bang Fair in Manchester next month and has just attended a parliamentary reception. For more information see the news coverage link at
Dr Jim Hague Visitor to the Department
Dr Jim Hague will be visiting the Physics department next week (15-19th February) on study leave, and will be located in room PS1.30 in Physical Sciences. Dr Hague completed his PhD here at Warwick in 2001 and is now a Lecturer in the Physics and Astronomy department at The Open University with interdisciplinary research interests in theoretical physics.
His main research activity is many body physics (both quantum and classical). He has worked on electron-phonon interactions and strong electronic interactions to investigate phenomena such as superconductors and Mott insulators. Recently, he has applied statistical physics techniques to problems in medicine and society, with the aim of gaining insight into embolic stroke, voter patterns, transport and path formation. He is also interested in the application of information theory techniques to advanced data analysis.