Debating the future of science in cyberspace
How is physics changing the future of the computer gaming industry? What does the Many-People phenomena mean? And what lies beyond the moon?
These are some of the subjects being hotly debated in cyberspace this month as the Institute of Physics offers members of the general public and the scientific community at large the chance to discuss such topics as Next generation games programming and the new physics of Many-People phenomena.
Starting from 11 October 2005 and continuing throughout the month, the Institute of Physics - as part of Einstein Year- will be launching a series of live and innovative webcast seminars ‘i-Seminars’ which will present interesting discussion forums and offer participants the opportunity to debate issues relating to the subjects online.
Each ‘i-Seminar’ will focus on a different area influenced by science and will explore how the current developments in physics are shaping future discoveries. It will also provide a useful insight for those people unfamiliar with a particular field who can benefit from an increased knowledge of the subject.
Topics for discussion include: - The search for the Higgs, The Antarctic ozone hole and climate change, the new physics of Many-People phenomena , Next generation games programming and The Moon and beyond. The sessions will be highly interactive and stimulating, featuring polls and the opportunity to submit questions. The main seminar will last for 45 minutes and will be followed with a 15 minute questions and answers opportunity. In addition to being broadcast live, the ‘i-Seminar’ will be pre-recorded.
Background information to the ‘i-Seminar’ series
The search for the Higgs - 11 October 2005
Dr. Tara Shears, particle physicist and Royal Society university research fellow at the University of Liverpool, debates the mystery of mass and one of the biggest unanswered questions in particle physics today: “Why do different particles possess different masses and how did they get those masses in the first place?” This is inextricably linked with the search for the elusive (and as yet unobserved) Higgs particle. During the seminar, she will demonstrate how we can overcome such hurdles and describe how the Higgs particle could hold the key to solving the mystery of mass.
The Antarctic ozone hole and climate change – 17 October 2005
British scientists discovered the Antarctic ozone hole 20 years ago. In this seminar, UK scientist Dr. John Shanklin will investigate how ozone amounts are measured, the causes of ozone depletion, how depletion has changed over the last two decades, and how it may change in the future in response to climate change. The ozone measurements in Antarctica are made to a spectacular backdrop of scenery and wildlife, and some of this will be interspersed with the scientific discourse.
The new physics of Many-People phenomena - 19 October 2005
Neil Johnson, Professor of Physics at Oxford University and a fellow of Lincoln College, says that physics is heading for great things in its use for solving problems of rising complexity in world organisations. A simple example of complexity can be summed up as follows: two’s company, three’s a crowd. In other words, unexpected emergent phenomena seem to arise in an incredibly wide range of systems in organisations as the number of interacting objects increases. From unexpected movements in the world's currency markets, through to the future threats posed by unknown viruses and even the apparent chaos of on-going wars such as Iraq, physicists have recently made vital contributions. This talk takes participants on a journey through this wondrous new world of Many-People physics.
Next generation games programming - 21 October 2005
In this debate, Simon Whittaker discusses the ways in which physics has been instrumental in shaping the games industry and how research currently being carried out is shaping the appearance of the future.
Simon Whittaker graduated from Corpus Christi College, Oxford, in 1999 with a bachelor degree in physics and has worked on numerous computer games such as "Sky Sports Football Manager" followed by the acclaimed "Kelly Slater Pro Surfer" for the Game Boy Advanced. Moving onto PlayStation 2 games with "Batman, Dark Tomorrow", he has worked on the "This is Football" series at Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. Simon has been instrumental in the development of the next generation games that promise to amaze us all in the future.
The Moon and beyond – 24 October 2005
Our exploration of the solar system is mostly limited to unmanned spacecraft - but the spirit of adventure remains. By sending spacecraft to the far reaches of our solar system, we are discovering more about these planets and how they came to be. This in turn answers questions about our own evolution and our place in the Universe. This talk given by Dr. Sarah Dunkin, a space scientist at the CCLRC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, concentrates on our recent exploration of the Moon and of our plans for the exploration of Mercury - two of the most important bodies in the solar system.
For further information, please contact Maneera Stenhouse, Einstein Year public relations officer on +44 20 74704813 or e-mail maneera.stenhouse@iop.org
To register for an ‘i-Seminar’, go to http://careers.iop.org/events
Notes To Editors:-
Einstein Year is a year-long celebration of physics and its relevance to all our lives. Marking the centenary of Einstein’s three ground-breaking ideas it communicates the vital role physics plays in developing new technologies like cancer screening equipment and mobile phones, whilst addressing big questions such as how the Universe was created and how climate change can be tackled.
Einstein Year is here - be inspired by physics in 2005. www.einsteinyear.org
The Institute of Physics is a leading international professional body and learned society with over 37,000 members, which promotes the advancement and dissemination of a knowledge of and education in the science of physics, pure and applied. It has a world-wide membership and is a major international player in:
• scientific publishing and electronic dissemination of physics;
• setting professional standards for physicists and awarding professional qualifications;
• promoting physics through scientific conferences, education and science policy advice
The Institute is a member of the Science Council, and a nominated body of the Engineering Council. The Institute works in collaboration with national physical societies and plays an important role in transnational societies such as the European Physical Society and represents British and Irish physicists in international organizations. In Great Britain and Ireland the Institute is active in providing support for physicists in all professions and careers, encouraging physics research and its applications, providing support for physics in schools, colleges and universities, influencing government and informing public debate.
Released: 2005/10/11 10:13:52.593 GMT+1
