News

Thomas Cheney and others will be attending the Secure World Foundation’s Summit for Space Sustainability being hosted at the Science Museum in London 22-3 June. This is the fourth Summit for Space Sustainability but the first to be held in the UK. It will be co-hosted by the UK Space agency and “is a high-level, multi-day event focused on developing solutions for space sustainability.” It has the theme “Global Priorities for Space Sustainability,” and “is a unique gathering of global stakeholders from government, industry, and civil society.

Last night Simona Nicoara and I  presented our space technology translation work at the Science Museum Lates: Space.

Our show-and-tell event was called “Sniffing the Solar System”  and was held in Information Age section of the museum.

We explored the OU’s role in developing instrumentation for space missions such as Rosetta and Beagle2 and how the lessons learnt and the multi-disciplinary skills are being used to solve challenges here on Earth.

******Applications now closed*******

These PhDs are being offered in the School of Physical Sciences:

PS3 - Aerosol formation and the entrainment of organic biosignatures within cryovolcanic plumes at Enceladus and other icy ocean worlds

It’s called technology transfer, when innovations in one field are used with a different goal than the original purposes – often in a different industry.

Impacts can have a devastating effect on solid bodies like Earth and Mars, forming huge craters and, in the case of Earth, destroying life. However, impacts have played key role in the formation of terrestrial bodies (Chambers, 2004; Montmerle et al., 2006), the evolution of planetary atmospheres (Benlow and Meadows, 1977; Owen et al., 1992) and may have even had part to play in the development of life on Earth (Osinski et al., 2020). In the case of Mars, impacts may have also created environments capable of supporting potential microbial life (Farmer, 2000).

We are thrilled to announce that our Microbiology Technician Apprentice Grace has passed her apprenticeship with a distinction.

Grace’s apprenticeship involved working in the labs doing regular tasks such as calibrating the pH meters, keeping the autoclaves and water baths clean etc.

Whilst COVID was happening she checked we had the chemicals people needed so they didn’t have to come onsite, and she instigated a process whereby she (helped by the wider team) ensured that everyone had a clean lab coat every week on their peg.

We are incredibly excited to share the announcement that Dr Vic Pearson, one of our Associate Directors, has been awarded a National Teaching Fellowship in the 2021 National Teaching Fellowship Scheme (NTFS).

How can understanding the secrets of the universe help make submarines safer, ensure Scotch Whisky's provenance and 'sniff out' new fragrances? Dr Geraint Morgan explains all.