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Fri 30 May 11:30: Title to be confirmed

Upcoming talks - Thu, 20/03/2025 - 09:05
Title to be confirmed

Abstract not available

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Receptionist

Department of Physics Jobs - Tue, 18/03/2025 - 00:00

The Cavendish Laboratory (Department of Physics) has an exciting opportunity for a new Receptionist to join our passionate and dedicated community. Working as part of the Departments' Soft Facilities team, the role-holder will provide a welcoming, friendly and efficient reception service to all users of the Department.

We have recently moved into our new state-of-the-art, Ray Dolby Centre which will be the centrepiece of the new Cavendish Laboratory. This is an exciting and challenging time for the Department, and we would like to find a highly motivated individual with a positive attitude towards change and development to join us. The Department is home to over 2000 staff, students and visitors across a large range of disciplines and categories, where exemplary delivery of world-leading, innovative research programmes and teaching takes place and where the provision of an outstanding soft facilities service will be vital to delivering the vision for the new Estate.

Working alongside a number of facilities operatives, the successful candidate will be a positive, friendly and organised individual with a commitment to service delivery. You will be able to deal with all enquires in a professional manner, ensuring accuracy of information both in written and spoken communication form. You will be required to operate a number of systems and develop processes to book resource allocations, update or maintain data, and ensure building security and timely emergency or first aid response.

We are looking for someone who:

Has previous experience from a front facing customer focused role, preferably in an educational setting;

Is able to communicate effectively and interact positively with staff, students and visitors, with a confident approach and positive attitude;

Can manage their time to get tasks done and use their initiative to prioritise when necessary.

Some of our many benefits include:

Competitive rates of pay with automatic service related pay progression and annual cost of living increases;

Generous annual leave provision;

Family & Work-life balance policies including hybrid working and generous carer's leave (maternity, paternity, shared parental leave, adoption leave), amongst others;

An auto-enrolment pension scheme, with a generous employer contribution;

Exclusive employee discounts via our CamBens scheme.

The Department actively encourages and supports personal development and our staff have access to a wide range of courses and training via our Personal and Professional Development (PPD) service.

This full-time post is available now. Additional information regarding the role may be found within the Further Particulars via the link below.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Ren Isaksen at ri316@cam.ac.uk

Please quote reference KA45411 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

Tue 13 May 11:15: Title TBC

Upcoming talks - Wed, 12/03/2025 - 14:31
Title TBC

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Tue 17 Jun 11:15: Title TBC

Upcoming talks - Tue, 11/03/2025 - 16:13
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Tue 18 Mar 13:00: An Early Heavy Bombardment of the Inner Solar System

None - Tue, 11/03/2025 - 14:03
An Early Heavy Bombardment of the Inner Solar System

The orbital architecture of planets in the Solar System is thought to have been set shortly after its birth. However, ancient asteroid families are highly dispersed, suggesting that perhaps the Solar System remained chaotic until later in its history. Testing this possibility requires precise dating of the collisions that should have generated such families, but planetary surfaces record little to no information from this time. The meteorite record of asteroid collisions represents a separate and more complete archive of Solar System evolution. In this project, we leveraged recent methodological advances to build an extensive record of in-situ meteorite apatite U-Pb ages, sensitive to collisions that induce parent body break-up events. Most asteroid collisions in our record occurred 4480 +/- 20 million years ago. Only highly dispersed asteroid families are potentially co-eval with our U-Pb ages, demonstrating that strong perturbations modifying the orbital eccentricities and inclinations of asteroids were still operating at 4480 Ma. This is unexpected in scenarios where the planets completed their growth and acquired their current orbits in a few Myr within the dispersal of the protoplanetary disk. Our work provides unique evidence that the asteroid belt was still in a state of dynamical chaos 80 Myr after its formation.

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Mon 02 Jun 13:00: Title to be confirmed

Upcoming talks - Mon, 10/03/2025 - 14:30
Title to be confirmed

Abstract not available

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Tue 06 May 13:00: Title to be confirmed

Upcoming talks - Mon, 10/03/2025 - 14:30
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Tue 10 Jun 11:15: Title TBC

Upcoming talks - Mon, 10/03/2025 - 10:24
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Research Associate (Fixed Term)

Department of Physics Jobs - Fri, 07/03/2025 - 00:00

The High Energy Physics group at the University of Cambridge seeks to appoint an outstanding researcher to join its effort on the LHCb experiment. One full-time-equivalent position is envisaged to work on physics analysis of charmless B decays as part of the ERC-funded KstarKstar project, led by Dr Matt Kenzie.

The successful candidate will hold (or be close to obtaining) a PhD in Particles Physics (or a closely related area) with a proven track record in scientific investigation from the conception stage through to publication, with clearly defined individual contributions as demonstrated by publications in major journals. They will have a strong background in data analysis techniques and algorithms in experimental particle physics and experience in computing and advanced programming in C++ or Python. They will also show evidence of ability to identify new research opportunities or develop new techniques. Preference will be given to candidates with experience in leadership (or evidence of future leadership potential), experience in taking initiative and/or developing own ideas independently, and experience of working in an international collaborative environment.

Candidates will also have demonstrated the ability to write reports, present results and contribute to academic papers, as well as to work efficiently as part of a team. The role holder will be located at the Department of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, UK, with the possibility of both long-term-attachment and shorter travel to CERN where appropriate.

Appointment at research associate level is dependent on having a PhD including those who have submitted but not yet defended their thesis (in which case appointment will initially be made at research assistant and amended to research associate when the PhD is awarded).

Ensure that you upload your Curriculum Vitae (CV) and a covering letter in the upload section of the online application. If you upload any additional documents which have not been requested, we will not be able to consider these as part of your application. Please submit your application by midnight on the closing date.

Please submit the names of two referees who would be willing to write letters of reference to support your application. Referees will be contacted at the long listing stage, so please ensure you select the option to indicate that "Referees can be contacted at any point in the process".

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 2 years in the first instance.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Dr Matt Kenzie at mk652@cam.ac.uk.

Please quote reference KA45327 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

Tue 11 Mar 13:00: Greedy icy planets, or How Uranus and Neptune enrich their atmospheres in carbon by core accretion in the debris disc phase

None - Thu, 06/03/2025 - 09:59
Greedy icy planets, or How Uranus and Neptune enrich their atmospheres in carbon by core accretion in the debris disc phase

Observations of gas in exo-Kuiper belts (mostly CO) suggest it may be common in young planetary systems, potentially reshaping our understanding of the Solar System’s youth. Uranus and Neptune’s high atmospheric C/H ratios (60–80× protosolar) could trace late accretion of carbon-rich gas from a primordial Kuiper belt. We model gas release and viscous evolution in a Solar System-analog belt, quantifying gas capture by the ice giants. Using a disk model with varied initial masses (up to 50 M⊕), viscosities, and accretion efficiencies, we simulate CO release and planetary enrichment. Results show a massive belt (∼50 M⊕, similar to that considered in e.g. the Nice model) can supply sufficient CO via late accretion to explain observed C/H values. While solid accretion during formation contributes to carbon enrichment, we find that an additional late accretion may be needed to explain the very high super solar values, which aligns with gas capture from a young, gaseous Kuiper belt. This mechanism may be universal, influencing metallicity in exoplanetary giants, with observational implications for sub-Jupiter exoplanets. Our findings support a once-gas-rich Kuiper belt as a key driver of ice giant atmospheric evolution.

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Tue 20 May 13:00: Title to be confirmed

Upcoming talks - Tue, 04/03/2025 - 16:26
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Fri 23 May 11:30: Title to be confirmed

Upcoming talks - Fri, 28/02/2025 - 11:05
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Mon 19 May 15:00: Title to be confirmed

Upcoming talks - Tue, 25/02/2025 - 15:02
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Tue 04 Mar 13:00: Devolatilization during rocky planet formation: Observations, theories, and implications

None - Mon, 24/02/2025 - 09:12
Devolatilization during rocky planet formation: Observations, theories, and implications

Devolatilization — depletion of volatile elements (e.g., C, O, S, Na and K) in rocky planets relative to their host stars — is a common feature that has been observed in both the Solar System and exoplanet systems. Various mechanisms have been proposed to explain this common feature, ranging from incomplete condensation of dust materials from an ultra-hot nebula with a host stellar composition, partial evaporation of planetesimals by collisional kinetic energy and/or short-lived radiogenic heating, and vaporization of rock-forming volatiles by giant impacts. While summarizing historical data and understandings of this potentially universal phenomenon of devolatilization in rocky planet formation, I will also present in this talk a novel model based on state-of-the-art pebble accretion theory, constrained by volatile depletion of Earth and Mars, that lend support to a hybrid formation scenario where the inner solar system rocky planets grow by a combination of rapid pebble accretion and a prolonged period of planetesimal accretion and giant impacts.

Extending this model to exoplanet systems, aided by disc observations with JWST and ALMA and high-precision bulk-density observations with current and near-future facilities (e.g., CARMENES , SPECULOOS, HARPS3 , and PLATO ), will help make quantitative predictions of volatile budget and bulk composition of rocky exoplanets. The outcome will provide an important testbed for evaluating rocky exoplanetary habitability, together with unprecedented atmospheric observations with JWST and upcoming ELT . It will further provide guidance on target selections for next-generation space missions dedicated to searching for habitable worlds and exo-life signals (e.g., HWO and LIFE ).

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Tue 25 Feb 13:00: Early results from observing aligned vs misaligned hot Jupiters with JWST as a testbed for planet formation and migration models

None - Thu, 20/02/2025 - 05:57
Early results from observing aligned vs misaligned hot Jupiters with JWST as a testbed for planet formation and migration models

In this talk, I will present observations and first results of six hot Jupiters with JWST NIR Spec/G395H, which are part of two JWST programmes set out to test planet formation and migration predictions. With these programmes we will measure the atmospheric metallicities and carbon-to-oxygen (C/O) ratios of a sample of misaligned and aligned hot Jupiters. All hot Jupiters must have undergone migration as they are too close to their host star to have formed in their current orbit. We further selected our sample such that the exoplanet host stars do not allow tidal orbital realignment, which means that our sample of misaligned planets have undergone high-eccentricity migration (after the disk dissipated) while our aligned targets migrated within the disk. These two different migration mechanism are predicted to result in different atmospheric composition. Hence these hot Jupiters allow us to test model predictions and shed light on the question whether we can infer migration scenarios from atmospheric measurements. Here I will present our transmission spectra of our aligned and misaligned hot Jupiters, show preliminary results and discuss current limitations when it comes to comparing C/O ratio and metallicity with predictions from planet formation and migration models.

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Events Coordinator

Department of Physics Jobs - Thu, 20/02/2025 - 00:00

The Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, is starting to occupy its newest facility, the Ray Dolby Centre (www.phy.cam.ac.uk/rdc). With this exciting move, we are launching a room hire service across our estate, designed to appeal to university partners, as well as commercial and industry clients.

We are seeking an Events Coordinator, who in conjunction with our new Events Manager, will help play a central role in this initiative. In this support role, you will be responsible for the coordination and administration of a new events service to enhance the department's engagement with students, staff, alumni, and external stakeholders. Your role will involve planning, organising and execution of a diverse range of events, from large-scale symposia and conferences to meetings arranged by internal colleagues and external clients.

Essential to the role is the delivery of an exceptional meeting and events experience at the Ray Dolby Centre and other Physics' locations. The successful candidate will work closely with both colleagues and contractors involved in operational delivery, communicating effectively to ensure organisers expectations are met and relationships built and maintained. Ensuring that all event details are gathered and shared using the relevant tools, systems and databases, to deliver events which run smoothly and are effectively managed and supported. In liaison with the Events Manager you will collaborate with the wider Communication and Facilities teams to ensure the highest standards of service and hospitality are delivered for both internal and external events. Building and nurturing relationships with new and existing clients, you will communicate confidently and effectively with a wide variety of stakeholders.

To excel in this role, you will need excellent general administrative and organisational skills with the ability to prioritise your own workload and to meet agreed deadlines. The roleholder will also be a strong communicator, with exceptional attention to detail and a talent for bringing events to life from the first client interaction through to the handover to our front-of-house team. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a busy, supportive office environment.

Once an offer of employment has been accepted, the successful candidate will be required to undergo a health assessment.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

For an informal conversation about the role, please contact Vanessa Bismuth, Departmental Communications Manager (vb425@cam.ac.uk)

Please quote reference KA45083 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

Fri 13 Jun 11:30: Title to be confirmed

Upcoming talks - Wed, 19/02/2025 - 10:08
Title to be confirmed

Abstract not available

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Fri 16 May 11:30: Title to be confirmed

Upcoming talks - Sun, 16/02/2025 - 10:49
Title to be confirmed

Abstract not available

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Tue 25 Feb 11:15: Exoplanet Detection with SPIRIT: Infrared CMOS Photometry and the Discovery of the Hot Neptune TOI-2407b

Upcoming talks - Fri, 14/02/2025 - 10:06
Exoplanet Detection with SPIRIT: Infrared CMOS Photometry and the Discovery of the Hot Neptune TOI-2407b

The SPECULOOS project is dedicated to the discovery of transiting exoplanets around ultracool dwarfs using high-precision ground-based observations. To enhance sensitivity to these cool stars, we have implemented SPIRIT , a new infrared detector utilizing CMOS technology instead of traditional CCDs. In this talk, I will present my work on developing the data pipeline for SPIRIT and optimizing its performance for detecting exoplanet transits. I will also highlight the discovery of TOI -2407b, a Neptune-like planet observed with this system.

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Mon 24 Feb 13:00: Total derivatives in cosmological perturbations: implications for decoherence and Bell violation

Upcoming talks - Fri, 14/02/2025 - 08:26
Total derivatives in cosmological perturbations: implications for decoherence and Bell violation

We examine the role of total time derivatives (boundary terms) in the action of cosmological perturbations and their impact on momentum-space entanglement, including the processes of decoherence and two-mode squeezing. We also discuss the necessity of considering such terms from several perspectives: the well-defined variational principle in gravity, the integration-by-parts procedure in cosmological perturbations and the WKB limit of the Wheeler-DeWitt equation. Finally, we explore their relevance in a proposed cosmological Bell test utilizing momentum-space entanglement, suggesting a possible window for Bell violation in minimal single-field inflation.

References: 2405.07141, 2305.08071 and 2207.04435

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