Prof. Helen Gleeson's Inaugural lecture: Looking through the Liquid Crystal Ball

Professor Helen Gleeson OBE was appointed Head of Physics and Astronomy at the beginning of 2015, becoming the first female to hold the position as Cavendish Professor of Physics.

Professor Gleeson will give her Inaugural Lecture, titled 'Looking through the Liquid Crystal Ball', on 7th October, followed by a drinks reception in University House. The Vice-Chancellor, Sir Professor Alan Langlands, will be introducing Professor Helen Gleeson.

Details on the talk can be found below:

'We are all familiar with the concept of materials as solids, liquids or gases. Another state of matter, the liquid crystal phase, discovered well over 100 years ago, is responsible for revolutionising our lives in recent years Liquid crystal devices (LCDs) have allowed the development of mobile technology and have fundamentally changed society. It’s now hard to imagine life without LCDs.

In this talk I will describe some of the unique features of liquid crystals, explaining how the combination of order, fluidity and functionality is used in technology and by nature. I will then try to look into the future, through a liquid crystal ball! I will describe some of the new liquid crystal phases with nanostructures that offer completely new electro-optical phenomena. I will also speculate on some of the emerging non-display applications of liquid crystals. I hope to show you that understanding the physics of liquid crystals is both intellectually stimulating and could offer new practical solutions for the future.'

This is a free public lecture; please sign up here if this is of interest as there will be limited spaces.