PhD Opportunities in Nuclear Physics

1. PhD Opportunities in Nuclear Physics Above: the maps show Surrey’s main collaborating laboratories around the world (lines are 0 and 35 latitude) Below: the Segre chart of the nuclides, highlighting regions of particular current interest to the Surrey researchers A big emphasis is placed by the Surrey group on experiments performed at GSI in Germany, using the large synchrotron to accelerate uranium nuclei to 0.90c and then tear them apart in fragmentation reactions. The reaction products include many new and exotic nuclei. At GSI and in the new FAIR facility currently under construction, the Surrey theorists have leading roles in explaining the reaction mechanisms and understanding the results in terms of nuclear structure. That buzz, when you know that your thesis experiment worked. Both the theorists and experimentalists study halo nuclei and other light nuclei at the limits of nuclear existence, including experiments at GANIL and SPIRAL2 in France where beams of these shortlived radioactive species can be made and studied. There is also a strong collaboration with the NSCL at Michigan State University in the USA. In both experimental and theoretical nuclear physics, the Surrey group is strongly engaged internationally. Both geographically and in terms of the nuclei that we study, our interests are spread widely across the map. Our main experimental bases are at 2 of the world’s leading laboratories for radioactive beams, at GSI/FAIR in Germany and GANIL/SPIRAL in France. Colour code for the world map: red= strong experimental links, yellow = Theory and Experiment links, purple = strong theory link. During experiments and theoretical exchanges, there are occasional moments to take time out and visit the places where we work, such as Darmstadt in Germany (above) and Vancouver in Canada (below). Experimenters: Zsolt Podolyak, Paddy Regan, Wilton Catford, Bill Gelletly (emeritus) and Phil Walker Theorists: Jim Al-Khalili, Carlo Barbieri, Ron Johnson (emeritus), Paul Stevenson, Jeff Tostevin and Arnau Rios Huguet At any time we have about 20-25 PhD students, plus several postdocs, split evenly between theory and experiment.