T-Shirts T-Shirts T-Shirts troops T-Shirts ! Aren't you excited? Well they're on their way! That's the good news. Unfortunately They're going to cost a little more than we expected because the guys who normally help us subsidise these things can't help us this time.
Don't panic though, it's not that bad. Bog Standard T-Shirts will cost £12 and Polo Neck T-Shirts will cost £15. Please understand we're very sorry about this, we try not to spring surprise costs on you but this time out hands were tied.
When they arrive, we will be leaving them with Kate Shine on the second floor and you'll be able to collect them from her. She'll be taking the money for them too, so remember kids
"No cashy - No shirty"
Posters will go up when they arrive informing you of how to collect them. Booyah!
On Monday next, 27 February, Dr Ruth Gregory (Durham) will be speaking on "Brane New World".
Ruth Gregory was awarded the Institute of Physics Maxwell Medal and Prize this year for her contributions to physics at the interface of general relativity and string theory, in particular for her work on the physics of cosmic strings and black holes.
In the past decade, cosmology has changed from an art to a science the precision of data is increasing all the time, and with it, new questions are emerging. For example, most of the energy of our universe seems to be unknown. Of course, we always suspected dark matter, but this new energy is not like matter as we know it, it seems to be a cosmological constant, Einstein's biggest blunder! How can this be explained by theorists? It is almost as if gravity is getting weaker at large scales. Naturally theorists are unwilling to put aside Einstein's theory of gravity but braneworlds, a new idea in our quest for explaining the way nature is, allow us to find new ways of getting different gravity without losing Einstein's principles. Literally, they give us a new brane world!
The lectures are held at 14.15 in room 112 Physics.
For those of you who are interested in getting a T-Shirt could you please make sure you name and what type of T-Shirt you want is on the bit of paper on the notice board before Monday after reading week.
Also for anyone who wants to take part in paintball could you make sure you do the same, we now have enough people to make the trip worth while so if your name isn't on the list when I pick it up next monday you won't be able to go.
Next week, as you all know, is reading week therefore due to people going home there will be no PsiStar event next week. Ok dry your eyes, its sad I know but here's the good news, we are planning a day out sometime soon to go paintballing!! Oh yeah thats right paintballing!! How fun is that? Really, really fun, its paintballing!! Anyone interested should email back to me or put their name down on our sign-up sheet in the Physics foyer. When we have enough people (~8) we will organise the dates.
Enjoy reading week, you lucky little blighters ;-)
Sorry for the short notice but its been a busy week.
This Wednesday I'd like to remind people that the PsiStar general meeting will be held this Wednesday at 3.30pm in (probably) UG1. Be there if you want to be on the committee next year, or if you're on the committee this year, or if you would like some free pizza!
Straight after the meeting (~4.30) we will be heading off to the wonderful world of beer where we will experience a rather pleasant, historical London ale trail. There are 6 different places to visit on the ale trail starting from London bridge to Tower bridge and back. Anyone who has a guide (available from any of the 6 pubs) can collect stamps at each place to earn a free ale trail T-shirt!!
PsiStar will be holding a General Meeting some time before reading week to vote on next year's committee. The date has yet to be decided, although it will probably be on a wednesday afternoon or at least at a time when most of you are available.
The General Meeting is held every year as dictated by our constitution and both members and non-members are allowed to attend, although only only members will be allowed to vote or speak. At the AGM, the next year's committee are decided, any important issues regarding the society can be discussed and if necessary, changes can be made to the constitution.
The committee roles available for next year include President, Treasurer, Secretary, Social Secretary, Communications Officer, Web master, and Practical Physics Co-ordinator.
Only members can apply for these roles and application is by nomination. Your nomination must be seconded by another member. A sheet will be up on the noticeboard in the lobby and nominations will be accepted up to a week before the AGM. Members present at the AGM will then take a vote to decide whether or not you will 'get the job.'
PsiStar welcomes any member who would like to take a committee position next year, but we advise you to think long and hard about the role you wish to take. A description of the role requirements for each position can be found on the 'Committee' area of the site. We also remind you that should you fail to meet the requirements of your role, you will be fired. Out of a cannon. Into the sun. Good Luck troops.
Before I get stuck back into work after my 15 minute lunch break I thought I would send you all an email on behalf on PsiStar for our next event. On Wenesday 1st febuary we will be meeting up in the Physics foyer to go to the cinema! The movie of choice is Jarhead which believe me is a fantastic movie, I viewed it at a 'private screener' with a few friends and many of us are eager to see it on the big screen. The options available are Cineworld in Canary Wharf or Genesis in stepney green. Most likely we will be going to Genesis since it is closer and I know how much people cry when they have to go further than a 10 minute walk! After the movie there will be drinks food etc at a pub followed perhaps by another movie depending on how you all feel. The last PsiStar cinema trip had a great outcome (too bad about the movie (Chronicles of paedophilia in Narnia...), I didn't like it) so we would love to see you there again.
Also for anyone who missed our seminar, and that would be most of you, you really missed out on a very interesting talk and loads of biscuits, cakes, crisps and drinks. Don't be put off by the talks, as the coolest society in the world (yeah I went there) we make sure that we only get the best guys for the job and guarantee satisfaction! Big thanks to Steve Lloyd who told us all about the future of everything! I won't say anymore but if you want to know what happened you should have been there...
Next week you are cordially invited to attend the very first PsiStar SemiNar of 2006. The seminar will take place in room 112 of the physics department on Wednesday 25th of January. Please be there for 2pm so we can start at 2.15pm. As always the seminar will be catered for with soft drinks and snacks, and will be free for members and cost £1 for non-members (when will you start to understand the benefits we are trying to give you guys?). The speaker at the seminar will be Professor Steve Lloyd, a member of the Particle physics group at QM, who will be telling us about 'The Data Deluge and the Grid'. This seminar will be aimed at anyone from any degree so come along and check it out, heres a formal abstract of the talk:
quote:
The Data Deluge and the Grid
Talk by Prof Steve Lloyd, Queen Mary, University of London
There will be a massive increase in the amount of data collected in several diverse fields over the next few years. Examples of this "data deluge" include massive sky surveys in astronomy, genome and other databases in biology, images from earth observing satellites, data from particle physics experiments and the digitization of almost anything. The seminar will discuss how this has led to the concept of "e-Science" and the emergence of a new distributed computing paradigm known as the "Grid". Particular reference will be made to the Grid currently being constructed to allow physicists to analyze the enormous amounts of data expected from the Large Hadron Collider at CERN.
Bored on Wednesday afternoons? Maybe you're sick of work and need a break? Whatever the problem we have the solution and this week the solution is; Ice skating! Meet in the physics foyer at 2.30pm on Wednesday the 18th, we will be traveling into zone 1 which should be around £2 for a single for oyster card users and £3 for those of you still buying those blasted paper tickets, whats wrong with you? The venue is Queensway and since the station is closed we will most likely be going to Notting Hill gate, if the transport for London website is to be believed it is then a 4minute walk to the ice rink. We may even have a great forfeit for the person who has the most falls... Does ice skating make you hungry? After the skating there is no doubt in my mind that we will be dining at the best darn Kebab shop in London, they really look after you there and they have vegetarian options too.
So come along, its great fun and no one in the history of the human race has ever been hurt in any way shape or form from a bit of friendly ice skating...
And welcome back to QM, I hope you all had a great break. Now is the time for homework, essays and papers, but it doesn't have to be work, work, work! Thats why, when God saw how hard the average physicist has to work to get through the day he stretched out his noodly appendedge and PsiStar was born. We're here to put a little bit of excitement into your week and what could be more exciting than a trip to an all-you-can-eat chinese buffet, namely the one and only Wings! We are meeting at 2.30 in the physics foyer (nothings changed about that) on wednesday the 11th. Come one, come all, bring cash! All meals cost around five pound something (drinks not included) and the restaurant is in walking distance.
[edit]We have since found out that the meal actually costs £5.90 not including drinks[/edit]
Hope to see you all there!
Steve 'why do they make me do this every week' Hudziak
