Beer and a ‘Light’ G&T – Energy, Matter and the Future

Beer has been accelerating dialogue and communication for thousands of years. Far less known, is the fact that the particles that make the beer have also played a key role in accelerator science.
Particle accelerators are of vital importance for modern science and also key for numerous society applications, such as energy generation and advanced cancer therapy. I will give an overview of some of the challenges scientists and engineers are facing today in this interdisciplinary research area. I will also talk about how beer (almost) stopped the world's largest science experiment.

Solar energy is abundant but it’s not always there when we need it. We aim to change this by using sunlight to generate fuels that can be stored and then used when required. The only inputs are light, carbon dioxide and water! In this talk we’ll explore my research on developing new materials and catalysts that can efficiently produce both carbon containing fuels and feedstocks from these abundant sources. Could we copy plants and use artificial photosynthesis to make our own environmentally-friendly fuels?

Ever wondered why tonic water glows under UV light? This talk will shine light onto one of the nation's favourite drinks.