Physical Sciences
Pushing the boundaries – interrogating magnetism at material interfaces
In order to keep improving electronic devices, whether it be computers or sensors, researchers must understand what is going on, on an atomic level. Understanding the behaviour of ions within materials is difficult enough, but when you put two materials together it gets much more complicated. Dr Mikel Holcomb, Associate Professor from West Virginia University, has dedicated her work to finding […]
Understanding how ‘grain boundaries’ cause the structural integrity of materials fail
After receiving a Young Investigator Program award from the US Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Dr Srikanth Patala and his research team at North Carolina State University have studied the impact of ‘grain boundaries’ on the structural integrity of many materials used in critical applications. This includes materials commonly found in jet engine turbine blades, nuclear power stations and internal […]
Crystal clear: how topography affects crystal formation
Dr Hugo Christenson is a Reader in the Molecular and Nanoscale Physics Group at the University of Leeds. His present research interests lie in crystallisation – an important process across multiple areas of science. Specifically, Dr Christenson’s work provides in-depth insight into why crystals first form in topographical defects, like cracks and crevices. Have you ever sat on a park […]
From ears to engineering
Sometimes the solutions to engineering questions have already been answered – by animals! Rather than ‘reinvent the wheel,’ therefore, Professor James Windmill and his lab team at the University of Strathclyde choose to learn from some of the remarkable feats of engineering found in the natural world. In particular, his research focuses on using ideas from insect hearing to develop […]