Join us from 3.45pm – 5pm, on Friday the 29^th of November in the Dora Allman Room for a Physics Alumni Panel Discussion.

We will be joined by a panel of exceptional alumni to hear about their time at UCC and their careers that followed.

A short biography for each panellist is given below. The panel discussion will start with a short introduction of each panellist, followed by Q&A from the panel facilitator and then from the audience, concluding with informal networking.

Séamus Davis

C. Séamus Davis is a distinguished experimental physicist known for his pioneering work in quantum materials and low-temperature physics. Born in Skibbereen, Co. Cork. He graduated from University College Cork in 1983 with a BSc in Physics and continued to the University of California, Berkeley for his PhD. He has held prominent academic positions at institutions like Cornell University, the University of St Andrews, and Oxford University. Davis's research focuses on understanding unconventional superconductors, quantum vortices, and other exotic quantum phenomena. He is particularly recognized for developing advanced techniques in scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and spectroscopy, enabling insights into the electronic properties of high-temperature superconductors. A Fellow of the Royal Society, Davis has received numerous awards for his contributions to condensed matter physics, and his work continues to shape the field's understanding of quantum mechanics at macroscopic scales. In 2019, he returned to University College Cork to build a new state-of-the-art suite of instruments in the Kane building and to continue his research.

Sian Joyce

Sian graduated from UCC with a degree in Physics in 2000. She studied for her PhD under the supervision of Prof. Mike Payne at the Theory of Condensed Matter group in the Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge. Her thesis was on a first-principles theory of nuclear magnetic resonance J-coupling. She continued working there as a Postdoctoral Researcher until returning to Cork in 2005. Sian then worked in the Tyndall National Institute, with Prof. Stephen Fahy in the Photonics Theory Group. Sian participated in many outreach projects with primary and secondary school students while at Tyndall and subsequently trained as a teacher, completing a Post Graduate Diploma in Education in UCC in 2009. Since then, Sian has taught Physics, Maths and Applied Maths at second-level and has recently completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Guidance Counselling and Lifespan Development in the University of Limerick.    

Margaret Murnane (dialling in remotely)

Margaret Murnane is a Fellow of JILA and a Distinguished Professor at the University of Colorado. She runs a joint, multi-disciplinary, research group with her husband, Prof. Henry Kapteyn. She received her B.S and M.S. degrees from University College Cork, Ireland, and her Ph.D. degree from UC Berkeley. Margaret, with her group and collaborators, uses coherent beams of laser and x-ray light to capture the structure and function of materials at the nanoscale. She is a Fellow of the American Physical Society, and the AAAS, and Directs the STROBE NSF Science and Technology Center. Recent awards include the Benjamin Franklin Medal in Physics, and the IOP Isaac Newton Award and Prize. 

Richard Milner  (dialling in remotely)

Richard G. Milner is a professor of physics at MIT and has worked there since 1988.  He was born and raised in Mayfield, Cork, Ireland and studied at University College Cork: B.Sc. (Hons.) in Experimental Physics in 1978 and M.Sc. in Theoretical Physics in 1979.  He received his Ph.D. in Physics in 1985 from Caltech. His research focuses on understanding nucleon and nuclear structure using the lepton probe, frequently using spin observables and polarized internal gas targets.

Read full bio here:   Richard G. Milner » MIT Physics

Eoin Murphy

Eoin is a Director of Analytics at Hasbro/Wizards of the Coast, where he specializes in employing innovative techniques to assess the incremental impact of marketing activities. Hailing from Bandon, Eoin earned his B.Sc. in Astrophysics from University College Cork (UCC) in 2009, followed by a Ph.D. under the guidance of Prof. Desnise Gabuzda. After completing his studies in 2014, Eoin became the first Data Scientist in the Data Innovation team at AIB. He later joined Riot Games, where he played a key role in leading the Insights function for the entire EMEA region. Eoin remains actively engaged with higher education institutions across Ireland, co-supervising final-year and master's students who are eager to incorporate real industry data into their projects.

Patrick O’Shea (dialling in remotely)

Patrick is an Irish-American scientist and academic. He has a B.Sc. degree from University College Cork, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Maryland, all in physics. From February 2017 to September 2020, he was the fifteenth president of University College Cork. He was previously vice president and chief research officer at the University of Maryland.  O'Shea's area of expertise is in electromagnetics, electron-accelerators and free-electron lasers. He is a Fellow of the American Physics Society, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He is also a University of Maryland Distinguished Scholar-Teacher.

Laura Russell

Cork native Laura Russell is a commercial pilot with Aer Lingus, an aerobatic pilot and a flight instructor. In 2023 she made history by becoming the first Irish woman to compete at the World Advanced Aerobatic Championships in Las Vegas. Prior to her commercial flying career, Laura completed a BSc in Physics and PhD in experimental quantum physics - both at University College Cork, Ireland. Her PhD research centered on the interaction of laser-cooled Rubidium gas with optical nanofibres. After completing her PhD, Laura spent two years working as an optics engineer for French automotive giants Valeo before eventually winning a pilot cadetship with Aer Lingus. Laura is an incredibly passionate and enthusiastic STEM advocate who is committed to sharing her knowledge and expertise with students and young professionals.