Institute of Physics Schools Christmas Lecture
School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University
Wednesday 12th December 2012, Room N4.07
Programme
10.00 Welcome
10.05 Physics and the Games: a Winning Formula
Find out how scientists and engineers used physics to boost the chances of
national success in the London 2012 Olympics.
This inspiring lecture will reveal how:
 Newtonian physics dominates the world of sport

Developments in engineering and technology have defined many of the
key periods of sporting history

Key technologies have allowed athletes to push the boundaries of
human performance
The lecture will be delivered by a team from Sheffield Hallam University’s
world leading Centre for Sports Engineering Research.
The team includes Dr David James - who was the Institute’s Schools and Colleges lecturer in
2004 and the Royal Academy of Engineering’s first Public Engagement Fellow in 2009 - as
well as Heather Driscol and Leon Foster. Heather and Leon both have undergraduate
degrees in sports engineering from the University of Bath and have recently completed their
PhDs. Leon has been modelling the impact of technology on athletic performance and
Heather has focused on understanding the traction of football boots.
10.50 Break
11.00 Small magnets, big ideas - Dr Dan Read
For the last three millennia magnets have influenced our lives. From finding
our way around the globe using a compass to the latest technology looking
inside our bodies, magnets have likely impacted everybody reading this
sentence. Globally we spent about 20 billion US dollars on magnets last year
and this is likely to rise as we find more and more uses for magnets. Posing
the question “How many magnets do you own?” this talk will highlight the
attraction of magnets!
Dr Dan Read is a senior lecturer in experimental physics. His research includes nanoscale
magnetism and spintronics.
11.30 Festive Physics demo competition
Our postgraduate students compete for your vote (and a cash prize!) by showing us the
physics of the festive season. We don’t know yet what they will do, but past years have
included musical fire, flying carrots and a teleporting Santa!
12.00
End of morning event
13.00 Physics and the Games: a Winning Formula
Find out how scientists and engineers used physics to boost the chances of
national success in the London 2012 Olympics.
This inspiring lecture will reveal how:
 Newtonian physics dominates the world of sport

Developments in engineering and technology have defined many of the
key periods of sporting history

Key technologies have allowed athletes to push the boundaries of
human performance
The lecture will be delivered by a team from Sheffield Hallam University’s
world leading Centre for Sports Engineering Research.
The team includes Dr David James - who was the Institute’s Schools and Colleges lecturer in
2004 and the Royal Academy of Engineering’s first Public Engagement Fellow in 2009 - as
well as Heather Driscol and Leon Foster. Heather and Leon both have undergraduate
degrees in sports engineering from the University of Bath and have recently completed their
PhDs. Leon has been modelling the impact of technology on athletic performance and
Heather has focused on understanding the traction of football boots.
13.50 Break
14.00 Small magnets, big ideas - Dr Dan Read
For the last three millennia magnets have influenced our lives. From finding
our way around the globe using a compass to the latest technology looking
inside our bodies, magnets have likely impacted everybody reading this
sentence. Globally we spent about 20 billion US dollars on magnets last year
and this is likely to rise as we find more and more uses for magnets. Posing
the question “How many magnets do you own?” this talk will highlight the
attraction of magnets!
Dr Dan Read is a senior lecturer in experimental physics. His research includes nanoscale
magnetism and spintronics.
14.30 End of event