physics | Study Physics in Lincoln

Last week the School of Mathematics and Physics hosted a work experience student, Konrad, from Grantham College.

The aim of the week was to give a taste of what it will be like to study Physics at the University of Lincoln (he is starting his degree with us later in 2022), and for Konrad to gain some experience related to working in a university. This involved testing laboratory equipment, assisting our technical staff to support the delivery of undergraduate laboratory classes, and helping lecturers plan and develop activities for open days.

*This is an electron microscope image, taken by Konrad, of one edge of the letter ‘N’ on a one pence coin. We weren’t sure what the white lump about 20 microns wide was!*

Konrad enjoyed attending lectures in Physics, even though the level was beyond what he is used to at college:

“There are so many exciting and interesting things to do throughout the entirety of the course, and while the maths is definitely difficult, each and every aspect is being taught incredibly well.”

We were very happy to have Konrad spend the week with us, and we look forward to seeing him again in a few months time!

“This week has far exceeded my expectations. I strongly recommend not only the university itself, but also work experience for anyone who is going to be starting a course here. I very much look forward to coming back to start my studies in September!”

If you are interested in visiting us, please see our list of scheduled open days, or contact Dr Matt Booth at mbooth@lincoln.ac.uk. We also are happy to host larger groups for masterclasses or campus tours.

For a chance to win the first prize (£100 Amazon voucher), or one of our prizes for runners-up, submit your typed or neatly written solutions of the following problems to physics@lincoln.ac.uk or by post to Physics Challenge, School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, LN6 7TS. Please include your full name, postal address and email, as well as the name and address of your school. The closing date is 10 December, 2018. The competition is open to all young pre-university people in UK aged 15–18 years. It is not open to current university students. See full Terms and Conditions. The prize-giving ceremony will be held in Lincoln on 6 February 2019 before a Public Lecture. It is possible to win a prize even if you have not completed all of the questions, so you are encouraged to submit solutions if you do only some of the problems. Full solutions are required – no just answers – with complete proofs of any assertions you may take.

The problems can also be downloaded from Physics Challenge 2018