Sarah Thompson (physicist)
Sarah Thompson MBE | |
|---|---|
| Alma mater | Durham University (PhD) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Condensed matter physics |
| Institutions | University of York |
| Thesis | The magnetic properties of plastically deformed steels (1991) |
| Doctoral advisor | Brian Keith Tanner |
Sarah Madeleine Thompson MBE[1] is a British physicist. Thompson is associate dean (research) for the Faculty of Science at the University of York.[2] She was head of the Department of Physics at the University of York from 2011 to 2017.[3] She is a fellow of the Institute of Physics[4] and she was Vice President of Institute of Physics (science and innovation) until 2019. [1]
Her research primarily focuses on thin film magnetic materials and nano-thermal imaging. She won an award from the Institute of Physics for the Public Awareness of Physics.[5]
Education
[edit]Thompson completed her Ph.D. in 1991 at Durham University with a thesis entitled The magnetic properties of plastically deformed steels.[6]
Career and research
[edit]Thompson works on magnetic thin films and spintronics at the University of York.[3] She first arrived at the university in 1992 as a post-doctoral fellow.[1] From 1994 to 1999, she held a EPSRC Advanced Fellowship. She was Head of the Department of Physics from 2011 to 2017.[3]
Her main research interests are magnetic thin films and multilayers, spin-dependent transport, spintronics, remote sensing of magnetoresistance and infra-red spectroscopy of magnetic thin films and multilayers and nanoscale thermal transport.[7] By working on the nanoscale, it is possible to manipulate the electron, which is the ultimate nano-magnet, and thereby design new functional magnetic materials with practical uses and to explore the underpinning physics.[7]
She works as part of internal university committees, national and international committees. These include the University of York Planning Committee,[3] the Royal Society Research Appointment Panel A(i) from 2016 to 2021,[4] and the Scientific Advisory Committee to the European School of Magnetism from 2018 to 2024.[8]
She participates in initiatives to increase representation of women and minorities in physics. She was a speaker at CUWiP UK in 2017 at Oxford,[5] and in 2020 was part of the organising committee for the event when it was held at York.[9] Under her direction as Head, the Department of Physics at York received an Athena Swan Charter Silver award in 2012 in recognition of their support for women in science.[10]
Thompson is very involved in science communication and outreach. She gave a Kelvin Lecture in 1998 on Designer Magnetic Materials and has exhibited at the Royal Society Summer Exhibition.[4][3] She also does teaching at the University of York, including modules on thermal physics, solid state physics and magnetism.[7]
She also served on Strategic Advisory Teams of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council for a total of nine years.[11]
Awards and honours
[edit]Thompson was made a Member of the British Empire (MBE) in 2012 for services to Higher Education.[1][4]
Thompson regularly performed a dialogue entitled Is Science Chaotic? with other members of the University of York's physics department between 1990 and 2000. The troupe were awarded a Public Awareness of Physics award from the Institute of Physics for the project.[12]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "New Year Honours for Professor Sarah Thompson - Physics, The University of York". www.york.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 2015-09-21. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
- ^ "Faculty of Sciences - About the University, The University of York". www.york.ac.uk. Retrieved 2020-02-04.
- ^ a b c d e "Sarah Thompson - Physics, The University of York". www.york.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 2015-11-03. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
- ^ a b c d "Sarah Thompson - Royal Society". royalsociety.org. Archived from the original on 2017-10-27. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
- ^ a b "CUWiP 2017 Oxford, UK - speakers". www.physics.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
- ^ Thompson, Sarah M. (1991). The magnetic properties of plastically deformed steels (Ph.D. thesis). Durham University.
- ^ a b c "Sarah Thompson - Physics, University of York". www.york.ac.uk. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
- ^ "Prof. Sarah Madeleine Thompson - Activities - Research Database, The University of York". pure.york.ac.uk. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
- ^ "Organising committee - Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics UK, The University of York". www.york.ac.uk. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
- ^ Yorkshire Times. "Accolades for York's commitment to women in science". Yorkshire Times. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
- ^ "Royal Society Fellow | Royal Society". royalsociety.org. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
- ^ "Successfully communicating physics". Physics Education. 35 (6): 377. 2000. doi:10.1088/0031-9120/35/6/603. ISSN 0031-9120. S2CID 250759693.