January 2021 Digest

With 2020 now behind us, the Physics Community team would like to say a virtual “welcome to 2021,” and to share some of the stories on our School blog from the past few weeks. 

We very much hope that you enjoyed reading the 2020 yearbook, and that you have continued to engage with one another via the student Discord, and have taken advantage of all the research seminars on offer.  In particular, the National Space Centre’s popular Live Q&A series has featured a host of special guests this month, including astronauts Bob & Doug, and space engineers working on Mars rovers – an excellent way to spend a Friday evening in lockdown, with more exciting guests to come.

Space News:  Last month we were updated on the X-ray optics for the Chinese-French satellite SVOM, which has left Leicester to be ready for launch in 2022.  Leicester planetary scientists were delighted by the news that the Juno mission, which has been exploring Jupiter since 2016, has been extended for another four years.  And we look ahead to the highly-anticipated launch of the James Webb Space Telescope this October, and Leicester’s involvement in MIRI.

Our Community:  Congratulations are in order for PhD student Daniel Watters on receiving a prestigious fellowship to work at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center; take a look at some of the photos of the great Jupiter-Saturn conjunction from last December; and we continue our “Conversations with…” series with a profile of our Head of School, Professor Emma Bunce.

Opportunities:  Don’t forget to consider entering the 3-minute thesis competition if you are a graduate student or postdoc.  And please spread the word about ESA’s latest engagement opportunity, the chance to have children’s artwork on the rocket that’ll send ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) to Jupiter in 2022.

Please do consider sending us posts and stories to share with the community, and we hope that you’re staying safe and well at the start of 2021.