The University of Sheffield
Department of Physics and Astronomy

Visits to major facilities

At Sheffield we find ways to bring your learning experiences to life. Through our network of global partners, you'll have opportunities to visit leading institutions like CERN, Boulby and the Canary Islands Observatory.

This gives you the chance to experience the workings of a major research centre first-hand – talking to physicists at work or using state-of-the-art equipment.

Canary Islands - CERN - Boulby Mine

Newton Group of Telescopes (ING) in La Palma, Canary Islands

Students studying for an MPhys in Physics and Astrophysics have the option to spend year 4 of their degree working at the Newton Group of Telescopes (ING) in La Palma, Canary Islands. This is an international facility with a number of research grade telescopes situated nearly 8000 ft above sea level. This high altitude provides generally excellent observing conditions.

A short film of Liam Hardy discussing his work

Our student Liam Hardy was based at the ING and used the facilities to study exoplanets - planets orbiting nearby stars. By observing the slight decrease in light from these stars as a planet passes in front of the star it is possible to both detect and study the properties of these planets. Studies of exoplanets provide information on the formation of planetary systems and in the future will allow direct signs of life to be observed.

You can find out more on the ING website

Astronomy observing trip to Tenerife

Image 1: student using the telescope in the Canary Islands Image 2: students outside observatory

Our most popular dual degree is Physics with Astrophysics. Students have access to two state-of-the art telescopes on the roof of the physics building, one of which can be accessed remotely via the web. Each year up to 10 astronomy students have the opportunity to join a subsidised field trip to the observatory on Tenerife. Here they benefit from access to large-scale telescopes – the 0.5m Mons and 0.8m IAC telescopes. At 2,400m above sea level, these telescopes are situated in a near ideal environment for astronomy.

Press release from our recent field trip

The Large Hadron Collider at CERN

Image: group shot of students outside CERNOur department's particle physics group has been actively involved in developing the ATLAS detector – one of three particle physics detectors at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. They are now using this detector to look for the Higgs Particle and new particles beyond the standard model of particle physics.

Through our links with CERN, students have the chance to see this major international facility in operation and talk to physicists working on the LHC.

Sheffield Physics and Philosophy student Katherine Chapman spent the summer of 2012 working at the CERN particle physics facility in Geneva. Here is an account of her experience.

What our students say

Katherine Chapman"When I started my undergraduate in Physics and Philosophy at the University of Sheffield, I would not have believed that I would be working at CERN at the time of one of the most significant announcements for science in the century; the discovery of the Higgs-like-Boson. However, this is exactly where I have found myself this summer after completing two of my three years, I am spending 4 months over the summer working as Science Communication student in the EU projects group at CERN. I have had the opportunity to organise an event at CERN; the first ever CERN Tweetup, write published articles, make a presentation in the CERN auditorium and met many interesting and important people.

My supervisor, also a University of Sheffield Physics and Philosophy graduate, has helped me to visit a huge number of the experiments at CERN including three of the underground detectors, several accelerators and control rooms and the anti-hydrogen decelerator. I have been able to meet and talk to the people that run these different pieces of equipment and get an insight into how it all works. I have met 6 astronauts that took the AMS detector into space and shaken the hand of the Nobel prise winning physicist Professor Ting. However, what has been the most exciting part about being at CERN is how inspiring it is to become a physicist. It is amazing the power physics has to unify a huge range of nationalities and produce some amazing results. Working in such a diverse and challenging environment is a real thrill and makes you feel that you could achieve anything here."

The Boulby Underground Laboratory

Image: students visit Boulby mineScientists from our particle physics group work at the Boulby Underground Laboratory. The laboratory lies 1,100m below ground in a working potash mine in Northern England. It provides a low radiation background environment where physicists run high sensitivity detectors aiming to discover dark matter and study the effects of cosmic rays on cloud formation.

Boulby is the 2nd deepest mine in Europe. Students start their journey to the laboratory with a descent of 1,100m as they travel down the mine shaft, followed by a walk along a network of tunnels cut into a salt bed over 200 million years old.

You can find out more on the Boulby website.