Recent Press Releases
Reading students protest over physics department closure
PR32(06)
Tue, 22 May 2007
Reading University students staged a protest today at a meeting of the university senate, following the vice-chancellor's announcement that the physics department is to close in three years. The protestors, wearing masks of vice-chancellor Professor Gordon Marshall and carrying large banners, were led by Simon Stacey, president of the university physics society.
Stacey said: "No-one has given us any reasons as to why the department is closing. We’re here today to ask for an explanation of their decision and to try and get the vice-chancellor to change his mind about the closure. The physics department at Reading has an excellent teaching record and has attracted a lot of government funding in the last few years."
Philip Diamond, assistant director of science at the Institute of Physics, said: "The Institute of Physics is strongly against the proposed closure of Reading’s physics department. The Institute believes the university is making a precipitous and ill-judged decision."
First year students at Reading are worried that their degrees will be devalued when they graduate, as their department will close immediately after their final year. They will also lose the opportunity to go on to study a masters in physics at the university.
"I was hoping to go on to do a PhD at Reading after I graduate this year." Stacey continued. "Now I’m not sure if I will be able to do that. Physicists are also vital for dealing with issues such as climate change and developing new energy sources. Where is this country going to find physicists if university departments keep being shut down? The Government really needs to sort out how it is funding science subjects before it’s too late"
Notes to editors:
For pictures of the protestors at the meeting, contact:
Helen MacBain, press officer, Institute of Physics, tel: 020 7470 4815, or 07946 321 473 e-mail: helen.macbain@iop.org
At the University Physics Department please contact Dr Averil Macdonald, tel: 0772 975 9645, e-mail: a.m.macdonald@reading.ac.uk
ReadingUniversity’s physics department has received the following grants and investments:-
- Centre of excellence for teaching and learning (consortium with Leicester &
Open University), total investment £2.4M of which £1M was based at Reading (HEFCE)
- UltraFast Laser Laboratory £1M (HEFCE)
- Nano science centre £200,000 (Royal Society)
- Centre for Advanced Microscopy £1.5M (SRIF)
- Refurbishing undergraduate laboratories £300,000 (SRIF)
- Current EPSRC contracts with six new grants in physics (since Oct 2005) £1.7M
The Institute of Physics is a scientific membership organisation devoted to increasing the understanding and application of physics. It has an extensive worldwide membership (currently over 35,000) and is a leading communicator of physics with all audiences from specialists through government to the general public. Its publishing company, Institute of Physics Publishing, is a world leader in scientific publishing and the electronic dissemination of physics.
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