Physicist Showcase

Key figures in the history of the department

Click on a person's profile to watch them talk about the history and development of the department, their research work, their inspiration and why they chose Durham.

Prof. Paula Chadwick

Paula Chadwick is Head of the Department of Physics and her research investigates gamma-ray astronomy and astroparticle physics.

Prof. Alan Martin

Alan Martin is an Emeritus Professor known for his research in the theory of elementary particles, including kaon physics, pi–pi scattering, hadron spectroscopy & muons.

Prof. Brian Tanner

Brian is an Emeritus Professor and formerly Dean of Knowledge Transfer, and is best known for research and business applications of X-ray diffraction topography.

Prof. Chris Done

Obtaining her PhD at Cambridge, Prof. Chris Done has focused on black holes, the ultimate triumph of gravity, with spacetime so warped that not even light can escape.

Prof. Mark Swinbank

Mark is an astronomer in the Centre for Extragalactic Astronomy. His research interests concern formation and evolution of galaxies, their clusters and interactions.

Prof. Peter Hatton

Peter is the Director of the Durham X-ray Centre, the largest interdisciplinary research centre in the University, and specialises in x-ray scattering techniques.

Prof. Shaun Cole

Shaun is the Director of the Institute for Computational Cosmology. His research interests are Galaxy Formation and Large-scale structure.

Professor Alan Martin

Alan Martin explains how the department changed after 1964

Alan Martin outlines the various research groups that formed, the expansion of student numbers and the involvement of Sir Peter Ogden.

Alan's first impressions of the Physics Department

Alan outlines some of the big names of the department and University who played such a huge part in it's history, his memories and how the department changed since the 1950s

Alan explains his field of research as a member of the Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology

Alan talks about the Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology, its funding and both the research work it and he does.

Alan Martin's treasured memories of working in Physics

Alan looks back at his treasured memories of working in Physics

What attracted you to Physics and to work in Durham?

Alan Martin explains what attracted him to Physics as a subject and why he chose to work at Durham University