Celebrating 175 Years of Physics at UCC

29 Nov 2024

An internationally renowned expert in the field of ultrafast laser and x-ray science is among the high-profile graduates who participated in a special event on 29 November celebrating 175 years of Physics at UCC.

Professor Margaret Murnane is a Distinguished Professor of Physics at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Her accolades include the 2022 Isaac Newton Medal and Prize, awarded by the Institute of Physics.  

Professor Murnane commented:  

"The outstanding education I received at the School of Physics along with the remarkable people I met during my studies, continues to inspire me every day. I am honoured to contribute to its history of innovation and impact. 

My research is in ultrafast laser and x-ray science which has the potential to revolutionise nanotechnology and transform society. By exploring the benefits of laser-like short wavelength beams, we are opening new frontiers in our ability to see the nano world in action.  

This work promises to lead to advancements in nano, energy and quantum sciences, by making it possible to design and build more energy-efficient nano devices. The implications of these discoveries are vast, offering solutions to some of the key challenges of our time and paving the way for a future where technology and society are more closely intertwined". 

Professor Murnane joined a panel of graduates including Professor Séamus Davis - pioneering quantum physicist; Professor Patrick O’Shea - former UCC President; Laura Russell - aerobatic pilot; Richard Milner - Professor of Physics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); Sian Joyce – secondary school teacher; and Eoin Murphy - Director of Analytics at Hasbro/Wizards of the Coast, who shared their experiences with an invited audience in UCC’s Dora Allman Room.  

Professor Paul Callanan, Head, School of Physics, UCC said: 

“The history of UCC Physics is as old as that of UCC itself: for generations of students UCC Physics has formed part of the bedrock of the teaching of fundamental science in UCC. The School takes pride in the rigour of its teaching, the quality of its research, and the achievements of its alumni. With its core involvement in UCC Futures Quantum and Photonics, the School looks forward the exciting research horizons that lie ahead”. 

The anniversary celebration also featured a ceremony at the UCC Observatory, where an Irish Rowan Tree (Sorbus aucuparia ‘Autumn Spire’) was planted in honour of past, current, and future generations of staff and students from the School of Physics. 

The afternoon’s activities included talks from UCC experts Professor Colm O’Sullivan, Dr Margaret Lantry, and Professor Pádraig MacCárthaigh on significant historical moments - from George Ferdinand Shaw, the first Professor of Natural Philosophy at Queen's College Cork to the present-day School of Physics, accompanied by an archival display of artefacts.