School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews

20/10/2026

This week on Wednesday the 21st of October, we’ll be going for a night-time trip to Cambo gardens! Join us for a stroll around the beautiful walled garden ( NOTE - please bring a torch or a device with a torch function and plenty of charge!) and gather around the firepit with s’mores. Wednesday is the peak of the Orionids meteor shower and we will be bringing a telescope for (weather-permitting...) stargazing. Attendees are asked to arrive at St Andrews bus station for 7:40 pm where we will travel as a group to Cambo, and we will return together on the bus and be back in St Andrews by 11 pm. Tickets are not yet live (look out for updates on our story and email!) but are expected to be no more than a £5 donation to the Cambo gardens charity. See you soon for the ILW event of a lifetime! ⭐️💫

09/10/2026

Exciting news in the world of ! Along with IOP Publishing, we extend our warmest congratulations to Professor Francis Halzen for being awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2026 "for decisive contributions to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and the discovery of high-energy neutrinos of astrophysical origin".👏🏻

IOP President Professor Paul Howarth said:

"The Nobel Prize is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the people whose curiosity and determination change the way we see our world and our universe."

"It is a well-deserved honour, and we hope Professor Halzen and everyone who has contributed to IceCube can take great pride in this recognition and in everything their work continues to make possible."

Louis Barson, IOP's Director of Science, Business and Education, said:

“Professor Halzen's pioneering work with the IceCube Neutrino Observatory has opened a remarkable new window on the universe, allowing us to use some of nature’s most elusive particles to investigate phenomena that conventional telescopes cannot see."

🔗 Read our full response here: https://www.iop.org/about/news/francis-halzen-wins-2026-nobel-prize-physics-ghost-particles

📚 Discover IOP Publishing's Nobel Prize Collection, which includes papers from this year's laureate: https://iopscience.iop.org/page/nobel-prize

08/10/2026

On Thursday the 8th of October at 9PM in the Observatory come along to hear a talk from our very own Dr Anne Marie Weijmans. Titled “History and Astronomy” guaranteed to have you on the edge of your seat! Take a gander:

Astronomy is an old science, and has a rich history of finding its way into society through practical applications such as time keeping and navigation, as well as rituals and story telling. How did people from different cultures and throughout the centuries and millennia observe and interpret the night sky? How do we find and weigh evidence of past astronomical influences on societies? And what are the discoveries and inventions that have contributed to the knowledge of astronomy that we have today? 🌌

30/09/2026

New Funded PhD Studentship (3.5 years): The Safety and Efficacy of Far-UVC For Preventing the Airborne Spread of Disease. This team of multi-disciplinary scientists, with an established track record in successful Far-UVC
research, seek applications for a full-time PhD student to illuminate the field of safe indoor air. For further information and on how to apply to to:

The School of Physics and Astronomy offers a number of options for postgraduate students wishing to follow a research-based degree programme. We encourage applicants to view the list of potential projects linked below, and to contact prospective supervisors.

29/09/2026

Saints Spotlight: Professor Lars Kotthoff

Professor Lars Kotthoff is the Johann and Gaynor Rupert Chair in Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the University of St Andrews; an endowed post funded by donors to the Making Waves Campaign. Here, he discusses the potential for implementing AI to improve teaching and research across the University.

Read Lars’ Spotlight: https://ow.ly/AyrX50ZPy2H

25/09/2026

We welcome applications for consideration for this year's Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship 2027. Internal deadline is noon on 28th Oct. Please email [email protected] for the University of St Andrews application form. Call details are on:https://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/early-career-fellowships

21/09/2026

21/09/2026

On Friday the 25th of September at 9PM Astrosoc and HongKong soc bring you a celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival Moongazing! Come along to the Observatory for stories, stargazing, some hot chocolate and perhaps a moon cake or two! See you soon! 💫⭐️🌕

18/09/2026

RAS Fellowship call is now open.

Interested applicants can apply by emailing [email protected] before the internal deadline of 12 October with

- CV including publication list
- title of proposed research
- abstract of proposed research

Details of the call are at:

RAS Fellowships The RAS funds promising early-career scientists to be employed as Research Fellows at UK universities through two fellowship schemes: RAS Research Fe...