THE ABC OF THE UNIVERSE - USING PHYSICS TO UNLOCK THE HIDDEN TREASURES OF NATURE.

Dr. Liz Conlon

Physics is embedded and woven deeply into the fabric of everyday experiences of the modern world – throughout each day we use products or technology that stem from physics, from boiling a kettle, using a touchscreen, taking a flight to getting an x-ray in hospital.

Physicists have the astonishing privilege to peer deeply into nature and, from the complexity therein, derive a simplicity that humans can utilise to make their lives better and easier. Physics research leads to advances across medicine, biology, chemistry, materials science, computer science, transport, communications and environmental science.

You are invited on a physics adventure to see how, with just three particles and four forces, we can build a model of the universe and set about interacting with these building blocks to deliver mind-blowing advances in understanding and technology.

In an era of fake news, physics is a beacon of accuracy that provides us with the ability and confidence to solve problems we don’t even know we have yet. You will see how exploring physics trains you to think carefully and rationally and improves your well-being by giving you a deep connection with and understanding of reality.

The lecture is designed to be of interest to physics students in years 11-13, and will be held at Queen’s University on Wednesday 5th February at 1pm-2pm in Lecture Room 0G.007, Peter Froggatt Centre, Central Campus.

If you would like to book attendance at this lecture for your class, please email mp.outreach@qub.ac.uk or call (+44) 028 9097 3533.

The speaker, Dr. Liz Conlon, holds an honours degree in Physics and a PhD in Astrophysics from Queen’s University Belfast. She spent years researching the Sun and hot, blue stars and specialised in a rare group of pre-planetary nebula stars. 

She is passionate about sharing physics with everyone and in 1996 developed a Schools’ Internet Centre at the Armagh Planetarium allowing school pupils to carry out research on real observational data from large international telescopes. 

In 2014 Liz helped to set up the NI Science Festival, which has become one of the largest science festivals in Europe. She has supported physics throughout Ireland as Education and Outreach Advisor to the Institute of Physics in Ireland and is now a freelance physics communicator.