Pint of Science 2024

20 May 2024

The Pint of Science Festival 2024 took place from 13-15th May with events held throughout Ireland. 

As part of the Cork events, School of Physics Postdoctoral Researcher Jing Li and Postgraduate Students Joseph Carroll, Chaia Carroll and Patryk Hajdul all presented. Details on their talks is as follows:

'Tech Toolkit: Applications from healthcare to computing' event 13th May, Old Oak, Cork 

Joseph Carroll: "A Study of Superconductors: Atom by Atom" 

With over a hundred years of research scientists understand superconductors better than ever before. But what is a superconductor? How do they work? And most importantly why should you care? In my research I use scanning tunnelling microscopes (STMs) to study the properties of these strange materials atom by atom to better understand why they become superconducting and to discover new superconducting properties previously unseen. So, let’s discuss how these STMs work and how they’re used to reveal a world of quantum mechanics

'From Atomic to Interstellar: Forces that shape the world as we know it' event 14th May, Kino, Cork

Jing Li: "Quantum Heat engines"

Quantum technology, derived from applications of quantum theory, is poised to revolutionize the way we live in the future. It will significantly enhance the efficiency of various technologies, from batteries to computers. Classical heat engines generate power by performing a series of “strokes” that convert thermal energy (heat) into mechanical energy (work). Similarly, in the modern era, there is a growing demand for quantum devices that can leverage purely quantum features to enhance performance and surpass the limitations of classical devices. This has sparked a significant interest in the field of quantum thermodynamics.

Chaia Carroll: "Misfits of Magnetism: Do magnetic monopoles exist and can we find them?"

The mysteries of magnetic monopoles have captivated physicists for decades. These particles, which are either an individual North Pole or an individual South Pole, have been hypothesised to exist for over a century. However, these elusive particles have not yet been detected. Recently, the quest for monopoles turns towards small “spin ice” materials, in which quantum effects result in the creation of emergent magnetic monopoles. By probing these systems, can we discover how magnetic monopoles exist, behave, and eventually be utilised in our everyday lives?

Patryk Hajdul: "Cosmological Simulations: Recipe for a Home Made Universe"

I am interested in the early universe, particularly the first billion years after the Big Bang. I study how galaxies and massive black holes form and evolve in such environment as well as how both affect each other. In order to achieve this I utilize a suite of cosmological simulations, which are large scale highly resolved simulations containing tens of thousands of galaxies within them, that span an entire history of the universe. For this talk I would like to talk about what are the advantages of using simulations and what physics goes into designing them.

Well done to all who took part!