Trinity College Dublin

Professor Michael Coey awarded inaugural

RDS / Intel Prize Lecture for Nanoscience

Photo courtesy of the RDS

Professor Michael Coey, Erasmus Smith’s Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy, Trinity College Dublin has been awarded the inaugural RDS / Intel Prize Lecture for Nanoscience in recognition of his contribution to the field of nanoscience.   Professor Coey presented a free, public lecture at the RDS recently where he was awarded an RDS medal in recognition of his achievement.

The RDS / Intel Prize Lecture for Nanoscience was established by the RDS in partnership with Intel Ireland in recognition of the significant achievements being made by Irish scientists and scientists based in Ireland to the field of nanoscience. This award recognises also those individuals who have a commitment to communicating their research to a diverse audience.

The RDS / Intel Prize Lecture for Nanoscience, supported by The Irish Times, will be awarded annually and will alternate between a scientist based in Ireland and an Irish scientist based abroad.

Prof. Coey awarded Einstein Professorship by Chinese Academy of Sciences

Prof. Michael Coey has been awarded an Einstein Professorship by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Professorships are awarded each year to twenty distinguished international scientists actively working at the frontiers of science and technology, for conducting lecture-tours to China.

The goals of the Einstein Professorship program are to strengthen science and technology links, cooperation and exchange between CAS scientists and respective Einstein Professors and their laboratories, and to enhance the training of future generations of scientists in China. The Einstein Professor is expected to visit China, and lecture in several institutes of the Academy. They also receive one or two young Chinese researchers in their own laboratory for visits of several months.

HERCULES 2010: Neutron and synchrotron radiation for physics and chemistry of condensed matter

CNRS, Grenoble, France, 21st February to 27th March 2010

Postgraduate student Karl Ackland attended the HERCULES (Higher European Research Course for Users of Large Experimental Systems) course on neutron and synchrotron radiation for physics and chemistry of condensed matter at the CNRS, Grenoble, France from the 21st February to 27th March 2010. The five week course included lectures, practicals and tutorials on topics such as neutron and x-ray powder diffraction, single crystal magnetic structure analysis, x-ray magnetic circular dichroism and spin polarized angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy. Practicals and tutorials in Grenoble were facilitated at the ILL (neutrons) and the ESRF (x-rays). One week was also spent at the SOLEIL synchrotron in Paris for further x-ray work. The course proved how useful synchrotron x-rays and neutrons can be in elucidating the magnetic properties of materials.

New ph.Ds Zhu Diao & Jonathan Alaria

Students Zhu Diao and Jonathan Alaria have been awarded Ph.Ds, Zhu Diao for his work on Magnetization Processes and Low Frequency Fluctuations in Micromagnetic Structures, and Jonathan Alaria for his work on Magnetic Semiconductors for Spin Electronics.

JEMS '08 Proceedings published

The Joint European Magnetic Symposia (JEMS) is the largest and most comprehensive Magnetism Conference in Europe. Held bi-annually, previous JEMS meetings were in Grenoble (2001), Dresden (2004), and San Sebastian (2006). Nobel Laureates in Physics, Albert Fert and Peter Gruenberg were present at the event, and spoke on consecutive days on aspects of theirdiscovery of giant magnetoresistance and future prospects for Spin Electronics. The structure of JEMS comprises 14 Plenary and Semi-plenary lectures and 15 parallel Symposia. Reports of new research results were presented in the symposia, which are structured as self-contained workshops, each organised by two active researchers in that field. In addition JEMS '08 offered a series of pre-conference tutorial lectures, aimed at graduate students, on Sunday the 14th and there was an invited plenary symposium on European large-scale facilities for magnetic research.

Michael Coey wins the Royal Irish Academy Gold Medal

Photo courtesy of the Royal Irish Academy website: www.ria.ie

On the 2nd of November 2005, Michael Coey was awarded one of two inaugural Gold Medal of the Royal Irish Academy by President Mary McAleese. The medals are intended to recognize Ireland's leading contributors to the world of learning. The other prize winner was Professor John Dillon, also of Trinity College.

The official press release from the RIA can be viewed here.

In honour of the occasion, a reception was held in Trinity College for the two medal winners. The photos may be viewed here.

• Mike is elected to the US National Academy of Sciences
• Mike's 60th Birthday party
• Unexpected ferromagnetism in a dielectric oxide
• Michael Coey elected to Fellowship of the Royal Society