It has been a turbulent year. At the start and through to the middle of the year: preparing for the government inspection of our research over the last six years (Research Excellence Framework, REF), with some new appointments arriving, and many national and international prizes recognising School academic staff. With many congratulations to:
- Professor Yvonne Elsworth FRS for receiving the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society
- Professo Amaury Triaud on achieving the Fowler Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society, and named Blavatnik Awards Finalist
- Dr Chris Eyles, the Group Achievement Award as member of STEREO project from the Royal Astronomical Society
- Professor Leigh Canham receives the Spiers Memorial Award, Royal Society of Chemistry
- Dr Davide Gerosa for achieving the Research Prize of the Italian Culture Ministry, the Lincei National Academy (the Italian counterpart to the Royal Society), and the Young Scientist Prize from the International Society on General Relativity and Gravitation
- Dr Philip Ilten has been awarded the Guido Altarelli Award by the International Workshop on Deep-Inelastic Scattering (DIS) and Related Subjects
- And Dr Tzany Kokalova Wheldon for being named in the 2020 Timewise Power 50 Awards
And then there was the pandemic. This has disrupted teaching, examinations and, especially experimental, research, consuming time and producing anxiety. We have survived and are well on the way to constructing a vibrant new academic year, albeit of a slightly abnormal nature. The pandemic has also produced some opportunities: new collaborations with the Medical School have sprung up which will outlast the current period.
Finally, I’d like to say a big thank you those of you who have kindly volunteered with the School over the academic year. This includes mentors, providing careers advice and professional expertise, writing articles on your careers or University memories, and featuring at Open Days. Thank you, you've made a real impact here. If you'd like to get involved too, please get in touch with our Alumni Relations Manager, Grace Surman on eps-community@contacts.bham.ac.uk.
With best wishes,
Professor Mike Gunn
Head of School, Physics and Astronomy