Fusion

About FUSION?

FUSION was formed in 2001 by students who recognised the need to create a society for Open University students and graduates whose primary interest is in physics. It now has over 400 members, UO students/alumni at any stage of study in physical science based subjects are very welcome to join.

As a member of FUSION you will receive a regular newsletter with articles and reviews provided by fellow students and professional physicists, event updates and news from the OU Department of Physics and Astronomy. Past FUSION events have included visits to Culham Science Centre, Mullard Radio Observatory, Jodrell Bank, Bletchley Park, Sellafield and many more.

Physics Stand-Up

Ryan Nichol, who gave the talk on neutrinos at Fusions' UCL AGM in January 2010, did a stint as a stand-up comedian recently along with his colleague Jon Butterworth at Bright Club.

Undergraduate Research Opportunities

There are undergraduate research opportunity schemes at various institutions in the UK and USA which are aimed at giving undergraduate physics students a taste of research, prior to commencing a postgraduate degree.

Schemes exist at Trinity College Dublin, Imperial College London and Leicester University

Also Johns Hopkins University.

And of course the CERN Summer Student Program no longer has an age limit ...

Alternatively, try contacting your local university, as there are often ad-hoc opportunities for research experience.

Fusion Weekend Hits Target

The 2009 Fusion Weekend, held in Oxford on 24th/25th January, was a great success. On the Saturday morning, about 20 Fusion members were taken on a fascinating tour of the Oxford teaching laboratories by John Ward, Oxford's Head of Laboratory Services; then after lunch, the eighth Fusion AGM was held, and a new committee elected. The meeting was attended by the OU's Head of Physics & Astronomy, Nick Braithwaite, and a motion to change the name of the society to "Fusion - the Open University Physics & Astronomy Society", following the demise of the OU Society for Astronomy & Planetary Science (OUSAPS), was passed unanimously.

What is the Institute of Physics?

The Institute of Physics is a professional body and learned society, established to promote the advancement and dissemination of a knowledge of and education in the science of physics, pure and applied.

The Institute has a world-wide membership and is active in:

Scientific publishing and electronic dissemination of physics
Providing support for physicists in all professions and careers
Providing support for physics in schools, colleges and universities

The benefits of Institute membership

A copy of Physics World every month, to keep you up to date on the latest events, research and jobs in physics.
Discounts on all books and journals produced by Institute of Physics Publishing.
Use of PhysicsWeb, a source of Physics Links, Jobs, Electronic Journals and your own portable email address!
Branch Lectures at locations around the country on a variety of physics topics.
Professional Support - upon graduating, you can apply for Associate Membership (and use the letters AMInstP after your name) - and enrol in their Professional Development Scheme to gain Chartered Physicist Status.

How It All Began

It could be argued that Fusion owes its existence to a letter that went astray somewhere in the Institute of Physics. Here is the full story …

The letter in question was written by OU student Jim Grozier to Julia Rose, the Institute’s Student Liaison Officer, and it concerned the possible starting-up of a special sub-group of the Institute for OU students. Jim had started his degree in 1999, and had begun to organise visits for OU students to places of scientific interest, such as Dungeness nuclear power station and the nuclear fusion research centre at Culham.

What is NEXUS?

Nexus was founded in 1992 by student members of the Institute of Physics to act as a contact point between physics societies
such as FUSION.

Nexus provides affiliated student physics or astronomy societies with grants to support their activities, and encourages interaction between different societies.

FUSION is affiliated to Nexus, on joining the Institute as a student member, you also become a member of NEXUS.

The Nexus News magazine is sent out to student members. It contains everything from interviews and competitions to humour and occasionally physics! Contributions always welcome.