28 September 2009

'Day of physics' to give taste of university life

Photo opp: 1-2pm, Tuesday, September 29th at Dalhousie Building, Old Hawkhill. Dozens of Advanced Higher pupils will be taking part in demonstrations of experiments.

Around 120 Advanced Higher pupils from Dundee, Angus, Fife and Edinburgh will head to the University of Dundee tomorrow for a ‘Day of Physics’ designed to give them a flavour of studying the subject at undergraduate level.

The Electronic Engineering and Physics Division at the University will host the event to as part of the Tayside Universities and Schools Liaison in Physics (TUSLIP) Group’s attempts to reach out to pupils with an interest in the subject. TUSLIP is a partnership between the universities of Dundee and St Andrews.

Dr David McGloin, one of the organisers of the event, said he was delighted that so many S6 pupils were taking part, and that participation would enhance their Advanced Higher studies.

'We hope to demonstrate that physics is an exciting and inspiring topic to study at University that will lead to fulfilling careers,' he said. 'This is a key regional event for promoting physics for further study and motivating young minds for a career in physics.'

The pupils will take carry out undergraduate physics experiments in the University’s teaching laboratories, interact with students from both Dundee and St Andrews, hear about potential careers in physics and experience a real university lecture.

There will be interactive, hands-on demonstrations, and physics researchers will outline how physics can be used to study climate change and to discover new extra solar planets.

The event is being partially sponsored by the Institute of Physics (Scotland) and the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07854 953277