Emergency Lighting Testing in Physics will take place week commencing 23rd May 2022 from 9am daily
Emergency Lighting Testing in Physics will take place week commencing 23rd May 2022 from 9am daily.
Every month there is a quick test to ensure all Emergency Lighting fittings are operational. This involves a quick visual test. In residences, this applies to corridors and kitchens. There are longer, more involved tests at 6 month and 12 month intervals. I will notify you should any of these be occurring.
If you have any queries regarding the timing of the work please contact Facilities Helpdesk as soon as possible, facilities.helpdesk@lancaster.ac.uk or 01524 593333
Philip Simpson
Physics Rear Door
Could anyone unlocking the rear door of the building (the one oposite Iso Lab) be really careful to reset the side locks back when you’re done.
i.e. occasionally the side locks in the door that allow you to open both doors to get a wide item into the building are the being left unlocked which nearly caused a break in last night.
Just be careful to re lock it after you’re done.
Rob Lewsey
Call for Academic member to sit on University Senate
The University is looking to appoint a lecturer from FST to be on Senate. Appointments are for three years to 31 July 2025.
Details regarding the Senate’s membership and its primary responsibilities can be found here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/strategic-planning-and-governance/governance/senate/. Senate is responsible for the academic work of the University, including to promote the strategic development activities of the University, to promote and enhance the academic work of the University both in teaching and research, and for the regulation and superintendence of the education and discipline of the students of the University. Senate meets ordinarily four times a year.
Staff interested in serving in this position are encouraged to discuss their nomination with their Head of Department or Dean of Faculty to understand the role and commitment required.
Nominees should complete the Nomination Form found here. Please note the requirement to have a proposer who is a member of Senate and a seconder.
Completed Nominations Forms should reach Angela Potter via email (angela.potter@lancaster.ac.uk), no later than 5.00 p.m. on Friday 13 May 2022.
Philip Simpson
Physics KPI’s
The Physics KPI’s have been uploaded on sharepoint and can be accessed here – Physics – Staff Information – All Documents (sharepoint.com)
The KPIs have been set by the Faculty and are intended to be stretch KPIs – achievable but challenging – and are for a 5 year period. As such, if we meet a significant number of the KPIs in the period, it is a reasonable success. The KPIs also allow the Department to argue for actions and resources to support them. These requests may not be met, which will allow a narrative to explain why some KPIs are not met (if indeed they are missed)
Philip Simpson
Welcome to Jonathan Hughes
Jonathan Hughes joins Physics on Monday (9th May) as part-time Administrative Assistant. Jonathan’s work pattern will be 10:00 – 17:30 on Mondays and Wednesdays, and 10:00 – 14:00 on Tuesdays and Fridays. Please use the physics@lancaster.ac.uk to contact Jonathan and me.
Jonathan will be working in B9a so feel free to pop in to say hello.
Grainne Wilkinson
Possible Lancaster Testing & Reliability Centre
We are working on a possible demand study to help inform potential investment for the new engineering facilities on campus. We’re still scoping this out, but the initial plan is that it would be aimed at the ‘Electech’ sector (building on the recent UKRI Roadmap Report) to support testing, reliability assessment and validation of electrical based technology in devices such as instruments that need at least some degree of automation or inbuilt intelligence.
Some examples of embedded technologies we’re considering are listed below:
- Embedded Self-Test and On-line test within heterogeneous systems and products
- Self-Healing Technologies (Electronic, Materials, Mechanics, Biochemical & Mixed)
- Embedded Health & Usage Monitoring Systems
- Embedded technologies able to detect cyber-attack and unauthorised control
- Embedded low power prognostics
- Embedded Technologies able to optimise energy use, emissions and adapt to environmental conditions
- Fault Tolerant Systems that can adapt to degradation and failure
- Retrofittable technologies for legacy systems able to monitor extended life
- Tools and Methodologies to support the integration of test functions and through life support across the design cycle
We plan to host a workshop with academics across the University and external organisations in May or June to understand the likely demand for such a centre and to finalise the brief for the fuller demand study.
If this is of interest to you and you think it may benefit your research, please get in touch with myself outlining the potential fit with your work. I’m also happy to answer questions or provide clarification.
Best wishes,
Dr Nilla Karlsen-Davies
Philip Simpson
Fire Door Interface Inspections
Fire door interface inspections will take place in The Physics Building on 18/05/22 from 9am.
Every month the University is required to test the interface between the fire alarm system and door control systems in all buildings with access control and/or automatic doors.
This work is undertaken by Cook Fire and requires the physical inspection of all doors controlled by the access control system while the fire alarm is active and the doors are locked. This check is to ensure that all doors on escape routes will allow evacuation in the event that the fire alarm is activated. In most cases the alarm will be silenced during the inspection, but for some older systems, where it is not possible to silence the alarm, the checks have to be conducted while the alarm is sounding. Owing for the requirement for the doors to be locked during this test some buildings, where access is required during the week, will be tested at the weekend.
Philip Simpson
DSI Wednesday Lunch Time Talk: Dr Julian Newman 11th May at 12.30
Microsoft Teams
Wednesday 11 May 2022
12:30pm to 1:30pm
Title: A bounded-time approach to dynamics analysis
Julia Carradus
What we have learned about giant planet ionospheres from over 30 years of observations of H3+
C36 Physics and MS Teams
Thursday 12 May 2022
2:00pm to 3:00pm
Space and Planetary Physics seminar
Speaker: Dr Henrik Melin (University of Leicester)
Neil Rogers
Non-autonomous determinism and noise: more in common than previously thought?
C36 Physics and MS Teams
Friday 13 May 2022
3:00pm to 4:00pm
Condensed Matter seminar
Speaker: Julian Newman and Joe Rowland-Adams (University of Exeter and Lancaster University)
Michael Thompson
Title tbc
venue tbc
Monday 16 May 2022
3:00pm to 4:00pm
Astrophysics seminar
Speaker: Dr. Chris Frohmaier (University of Southampton)
Izzy Garland
Title tbc
joining info tbc
Friday 20 May 2022
3:00pm to 4:00pm
Condensed Matter seminar
Speaker: Anasua Chatterjee (Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen)
Michael Thompson
PhD travel fund
Due to the recent relaxations of travel restrictions the department has organised for a central travel fund for PhD students within the Physics department. This fund is to help support travel and collaborations for students which will benefit their studies and can be used for conferences, national and international meetings. Any students wanting to use this fund to contribute towards the costs of attending such meetings must apply for it by emailing Roger Jones and Philip Simpson with a brief statement on how these funds will be used, the benefits it will provide for their PhD and the estimated costs. Funds are awarded on a competitive basis and costs should be reasonable and will be made available subject to demand.
All travel/expenditure relating to this travel must be incurred before the 31st July 2022.
If you have any questions about this please email Philip Simpson (py-deptofficer@lancaster.ac.uk)
Philip Simpson
Physics Summer Sports
Now it’s the summer term and the days are warmer and sunnier, it’s a good time to start up the Physics Summer Sports again.
We go out occasionally if the weathers good, for about an hour at lunchtime to play either cricket (with a tennis ball so nothing full on)
Or football golf
If you’d like to be on the mailing list then send me an email and I’ll add you.
Rob Lewsey
DSI Wednesday Lunch Time Talk – 11th May @ 12.30 – Dr Julian Newman, Exeter University
Please join us at the next DSI Wednesday Lunch Time Talk
Calendar Entry: 11th May at 12.30
Speaker Dr Julian Newman, Exeter University
Title: A bounded-time approach to dynamics analysis
[joint work with Maxime Lucas and Aneta Stefanovska]
Abstract: Traditional analysis of dynamics is in terms of coordinate-invariant long-time-asymptotic properties of time-independent (or more general infinite-time) dynamical systems. However, through a simple and instructive model of phase-stabilisation of an oscillator by slow-timescale external forcing, we identify three limitations of such traditional approaches, that can be overcome by analysis in terms of dynamical systems defined on a bounded time-interval.
Firstly and most fundamentally, a prescribed indefinite-time deterministic or stochastic model will not take into account the true time-variable nature of dynamics of open systems. Secondly, bounded-time dynamical models that admit no natural extension to infinite time can exhibit important dynamical phenomena, which will not be identifiable by application of asymptotic-time methods.
Thirdly, even when a time-dependent model is well-defined on infinite time, an asymptotic approach may obscure dynamical phenomena that are more readily understood within the framework of finite-time dynamical systems. We conclude that theoretical and experimental analysis of dynamics throughout the sciences may crucially need to rely on approaches that are rooted in concepts of finite-time nonautonomous dynamics.
Please connect to the talk via the Teams link
Julia Carradus | Data Science Institute
Aneta Stefanovska
Annual Fire Protection Inspection – Fire Doors in Physics & Isolab- Your fire door inspection will take place week commencing 16th May 2022.
Annual Fire Protection Inspection – Fire Doors in Physics & Isolab
Your fire door inspection will take place week commencing 16th May 2022.
Lancaster University has a responsibility to inspect Fire Protection on site every 12 months.
Fire Protection Inspection involves assessing compartmentation, fire stopping, signage, combustible materials and more.
Part of this inspection will involve two members of the Lancaster University Facilities Maintenance team checking many of the parts of every fire door in the buildings. This usually takes less than five minutes per door.
We schedule approximately one week per building, though this may vary depending upon the size and complexity of the building.
Please note – Technicians will need to come back within the following three weeks should any faults be found that they are not able to repair during the inspection.
Information on the schedule can be found on the Facilities website
https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/facilities/services/scheduled-maintenance/fire-protection-inspection/
If you have any queries regarding the timing of the work please contact Facilities Helpdesk
Facilities Helpdesk
Philip Simpson
POE UPDATES – APRIL 2022
Development opportunities for staff:
Recruiting the best training.
All panel chairs and all members of the recruiting panel are required to participate in this training prior to engaging in any recruitment activity at the University. Please note that places on these events are limited and in high demand. We ask that you only book a place if you have recruitment activity coming up, and if this is the case book the session closest to the recruitment activity. Scheduled dates for 2021/22 are below:
Committee servicing
The session will cover the role of the secretary in supporting committees, preparation of minutes, managing confidential material and adopting a paperless approach.
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Tuesday 28th June, 9.30am till 12pm. Book here.
Manager@Lancaster Programme
Manager@Lancaster is a development programme with a difference. Tailored to the needs of Lancaster University managers the programme supports and challenges managers to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to build and develop high performing teams.
The programme incorporates a range of activities that are practical and highly relevant to the managers role. This is the ninth cohort of this programme which has consistently received strong reviews and has supported managers in enhancing their practice and finding solutions to common management challenges.
The next cohort is running from May 2022. To make an application please fill in this form. For more information please visit the OD webpage.
Managing Difficult Conversation
This workshop is appropriate for anyone that may need to have one-to-one conversations such as about poor performance, student conduct, or negative attitudes.
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- Tuesday 14th June, 10am till 12pm. Book here.
Updated COVID-19 reporting process
As the University has a public responsibility to report its staff and student COVID-19 cases to external agencies including Public Health England, it remains important that all staff report COVID-19 test results, in particular positive results, to their Line Manager. Line managers should then record these on People XD as soon as possible upon receipt of either a negative or positive, lateral flow or PCR test result. Please continue to familiarise yourself of the process and remind colleagues of their responsibility to report such cases. If a staff member tests positive, as a line manager you should:
- Submit a Managers Request in PeopleXD to record the positive case
If the member of staff has been on campus within 48 hours before receiving their positive test result, or you/employee believes this to be a workplace transmission, a short preliminary investigation should be carried out by you as line manager. This will help you and the University’s management understand where the suspected infection could have occurred. Please note, if the member of staff has not been on campus 48 hours before or there is no concern of workplace transmission, the short preliminary investigation (step 2) does not need to be completed.
Review of Redundancy, Restructuring and Redeployment
The HR Partnering team are carrying out an ongoing review of current redundancy, restructuring and redeployment processes across the University. Commencing in time for June Redundancy Committee and with the agreement of the Dean, FST will be trailing the new paperwork and template documents which were approved for use by th1qae University’s Redundancy Committee in January. Briefing sessions with the Designated Officers and further communication will follow after Easter. Work is also ongoing to review the University Redundancy, Restructuring, Redeployment Policies, Procedures and Guidelines and is in the early stages. We are working to bring the documents up to date and in line with best practice, to streamline and to combine in to one policy document. This is a significant piece of work and no timescales set for at the moment however further information will follow in due course in relation to focus groups and consultation both across Faculties and Departments and with the trade unions.”
Redundancy Committee Reminder of key dates:
| Redundancy Paper Deadline | Redundancy Committee Meeting Date |
| 12 May 2022 | 26 May 2022 |
| 01 June 2022 | 17 June 2022 |
| 08 July 2022 | 25 July 2022 |
- Equality Section
The following documents are now live on the EDI Web page:
There is also an EDI engagement Forum on 29th April 2022 and further communications are available here which details how you can register. This event specifically about the Race Equality Charter.
Reminders:
- HR Partner Approval (FST) – Any approval requests will be dealt on Monday’s and Thursday each week with the Faculty Resource Manager and the HR Partner. We politely request all information to be sent to Rosie Cantley in the first instance, this is so requests can be logged and we have an audit trial and limits email traffic and your request will be considered sooner.
- Mandatory training – new menu on People XD Following feedback, your employee dashboard now shows a new menu option on the left which includes a report of mandatory training courses and your own current compliant status for each course. This is now live in self- service: www.lancaster.ac.uk/hr/myhr. Please contact HR.MI@lancaster.ac.uk with any queries.
- Changes to the payroll deadlines from January 2022 With effect from January 2022, payroll deadlines will be changed indefinitely:
| NEW pay cut off date (5pm) | Current pay cut off date (5pm) | |
| Grade 6 and below Pay Date: 15th of the month |
1st |
4th |
| Grade 7 and above Pay Date: 28th of the month |
12th |
15th |
Intranet links: Pay dates & Payroll cut off dates
- Industrial Action: Further to the strike days that occurred w/c 29th November 2021, members of staff who participated are requested to update PeopleXD (formally CoreHR) with their strike declarations. Additional information on the industrial action can be found here and instructions for updating PeopleXD can also be found on this page.
- Teaching qualifications – Academic (lecturer, senior lecturer, reader, professor) and teaching-only (teaching associate, senior teaching associate, teaching fellow and senior teaching fellow) vacancies in Stonefish will need to have this desirable requirement in their person specifications: Possession of a relevant teaching qualification, such as PGCAP, FHEA, SFHEA. Stonefish will be updated in the next few weeks to prompt DOs to include this when they are submitting vacancies.
- Face to face right to work checks – POSTPONED TO SEPTEMBER 2022: Virtual right to work checks can continue until September 2022. However departments can still choose to conduct face to face checks if that is the preferred route/have the option to perform face to face checks in line with guidance issued – please refer to Services – Right to Work | Staff Intranet (lancaster.ac.uk)
- Starting salaries above the minimum entry point and approval. When a recruiting manager submits the offer in to Stonefish and a starting salary is requested above the minimum entry level, approval must be sought prior to completing the offer process. Completion of the HRP statement will be mandatory at this stage.
- Apprenticeships: If you have a member of staff who is on an apprenticeship and if there are any changes; they pause or stop their apprenticeship, it is crucial that your HR Advisor is informed, as there is paperwork and system processes we need to make. Where an employee is exploring an apprenticeship, please also liaise with your HR Advisor for support and refer to the apprenticeship intranet page for further information.
- ATAS – (Academic Technology Approval Scheme) now applicable to all new and existing staff on a visa – the ATAS scheme will apply to all international Academic and Research staff (apart from exempt nationalities) who are subject to UK immigration control from 21st May 2021. The scheme previously applied to only international students but has now been rolled out to include staff who are involved in research at Post Graduate level in certain sensitive subjects where their knowledge could be used in programmes to develop Advanced Conventional Military Technology (ACMT), weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) or their means of delivery. The certificate is free of charge but is required before an application for a new visa, or an extension request can commence. Current international staff who are working at the University on a visa are not required to take any action until such point that a visa extension is required or there is a change to their immigration status. Recruiting Managers should be aware when sponsoring a new member of staff that an ATAS application can take between 10-15 working days and therefore may cause delays to start dates. For further information please see our intranet page.
Sickness absence– please ensure that you accurately record and update staff sickness absence records to assist the payroll team during payroll periods to ensure that staff are being correctly. The Payroll Team are having to chase departments to confirm whet
Philip Simpson / Sarah Wilks
Research Software Skills Workshops
After the success of these courses in the Michaelmas term, we are delighted to announce another programme of workshops aimed at skills development for Computationally Intensive research, courtesy of our new N8CIR Research Software Engineer Robin Long. All the workshops are designed to help researchers (PhD students and staff) with the skills, they need for using and developing software as part of their research. If you have any questions about these workshops, or if you are unsure whether they are the correct ones for your needs, please email Robin Long at rse@lancaster.ac.uk.
This terms schedule (starting in week 21)
Week 23 (12/05/22): Version Control with Git
This course introduces the concept of version control and teaches it using
Git. If file names such as mycode_version5 and mycode_fixed look familiar
to you then you need this course!
https://lancaster-uk.libcal.com/calendar/dsi/rse-git
Week 25 (26/05/22): Plotting in Python, part 1
This course introduces python with learning to load in and plot data as the
motivation. If you have never used Python before and want to learn, or even
if you want to improve your skills, this is the course for you.
https://lancaster-uk.libcal.com/calendar/dsi/python-1
Week 27 (9/06/22): Plotting in Python, part 2
This is the second part of the introduction to Python course. Here you
will learn about how to run the same tasks multiple times with loops;
getting your code to run depending on the data with if statements; re-using
code with functions and more.
https://lancaster-uk.libcal.com/calendar/dsi/python-2
Week 29 (23/06/22): Git 2: Sharing your development with others using Github
This course will show you how to take your usage of Git and Github to the
next level by harnessing the power of GitHub for collaboration.
Have you ever been confused about how to start a Pull Request or how to fork
a repository and merge your changes back? Perhaps you know and want to gain
confidence in doing so? This course will teach you how to collaborate using
git, and give you an environment in which to practise.
https://lancaster-uk.libcal.com/calendar/dsi/rse-git-intermediate
Robin Long
Manus Hayne