Welcome to the Physics Society here at Royal Holloway!
Founded in 2004, we are a 20 year old society that has grown to become a central part of the experience of a physics student at Royal Holloway. We are recognised by the Institute of Physics (IOP) as a Gold Tier Affiliated Society and have become a tight-knit community of aspiring physicists.
Our Aims
Our purpose is to make a welcoming environment for students studying or interested in physics at Royal Holloway. We have three main areas of interest:
1. Socialising
We provide a means, outside of studies, for like-minded individuals to socialise, interact and find new friends!
2. Welfare
Physics is a notoriously difficult subject, and everyone will have ups, downs and some wobbles, but as a society we are here to help ensure your wellbeing is thriving throughout your degree. We aim to aid members in matters of mental and physical help and guide them to find the right resources to ensure they have the most care-free university experience possible.
3. Academic Achievement
If you're considering a degree, it's because you want to succeed! We're here to assist members with their academic studies and foster an environment that promotes and encourages academic achievement.
Since we exist to support our members’ academic achievement, social interactions, and physical and mental welfare, we encourage participation and any contribution – whether you want to help run the society, organise social events or just attend them, we’re always on the lookout for new talent.
Events
Every year we have a huge variety of planned events, these include our annual Pub Crawl, traditional Christmas Meal and fabulous and elegant Easter Ball and our Science Lectures! These are just some of may events that we have each year (just last academic year we hosted 80+ events -- that's a whopping 2.5 events every week!).
Below is a list of just some of the events:
- Barbie-heimer,
- Coffee Mornings,
- Pub Quizzes,
- Brunch,
- PhySoc Surgery,
- Late Night at the Science Museum,
- Halloween Screening,
- Men's Mental Health & Cancer Awareness Event,
- Christmas Elf Screening,
- LaTeX and Python Sessions,
- Stargazing Nights,
- Casino Night, and
- Capture the Flag.
The Committee
Here are all the Committee Members for the next academic year of 2024/25!
- Presidents:
Tiago Fernandes de Nobrega and Meghan Moody - Vice President:
Ariel Shimoni - Treasurer:
Kieran Gale - Acting Secretary:
Ariel Shimoni - The Social Team:
Events Coordinator:
Bethan Twigg
Engagement Officer:
Michelene Esteban - Academic Officer:
Aryan Bakhai - Welfare Officer:
Mu' Adh Uddin - First Year Representative:
To be confirmed
The Roles
The President(s) is/are the figurehead(s) of the society and it falls on them to have a dream for the Physics Society at Royal Holloway. They have a mission to achieve, and must steer their committee towards a maximum of fun for all physics students.
The Vice-President supports the President and shares the responsibility of overseeing the Committee. They also organise the Christmas Meal, ensure adherence to society policies, and manage the objectivity of Committee elections.
The Treasurer manages the Physics Society's funds, including accounting, processing transactions, and ensuring expense claims are handled efficiently. They may not be the most visible committee member but their role is fundamental to the society's success!
The Secretary handles the organisation of Committee meetings and oversees the Physics Society’s communications. Their duties include taking and distributing meeting minutes and agendas, managing merchandise orders, and posting any relevant administrative updates on social media.
The Social Team will work together to organise and manage events, ensuring that all social activities run smoothly and effectively. They will divide responsibilities based on their individual strengths to enhance the Society's social and engagement initiatives.
The Events Coordinator plans and manages weekly social events. Their duties include using feedback from the Engagement Officer to tailor events, informing members at least 24 hours in advance, and creating a timetable for upcoming events to be shared on social media and notice boards.
The Engagement Officer keeps current and new members involved by gathering feedback, promoting events, and encouraging participation, especially during Freshers’ Week. They ensure events are enjoyable, manage social media engagement, and assist the Events Coordinator with event planning and execution.
The Academic Officer ensures the Physics Society includes physics-related activities in its event calendar. They maintain our relationship with the Institute of Physics, organise termly academic events, and overseeing weekly ‘PhySoc Surgery’ sessions.
The Welfare Officer supports members' well-being by co-managing ‘PhySoc Surgery,’ organizing a termly welfare event, posting resources on social media, and ensuring events are inclusive and accessible.
The First Year Representative supports new students by promoting events and gathering feedback to improve first-year experience, combining elements of the Engagement, Academic, and Welfare Officer roles.
Previous Committees
Below is a list of all the previous committees as far as record keeping began. Please let us know if you are aware of any Committee Members for dates beyond our current records, and we will update them accordingly. To contact us, see our 'Contact Us' drop down menu below.
Committee for 2023/24
President: Lucie Robbins
Vice-President: Charlie Ross
Treasurer: Ariel Shimoni
Secretary: Meghan Moody
Social Secretary: Tiago Fernandes de Nobrega
Academic Officer: Hagen Thompson
Welfare Officer: Bethan Twigg
First Year Representative: Jazib Qamar
Committee for 2022/23
President: James Hughes
Vice-President: Matthew Webb
Treasurer: Charlie Ross
Secretary: Jake Reilly
Social Secretary: Lucie Robbins
Academic Officer: Julianna Ostrovska
Welfare Officer: Jasleen Kapoor
Our Resources
Important Documents
Here are some of our important documents:
A Year in Review
As a wrap up to our academic year, we have decided to make 'A Year in Review' document. Make sure to have a look at our achievements over the last academic year!
Resources
Here are some of the resources that we have accumulated over time that may be useful to our members.
Query Form
If you have any welfare concerns or any general queries please let us know via the link below!
Make your own planisphere
Use the two following documents to make your very own planisphere!
Contact Us
We look forward to seeing you at our events. If you want to get involved, contact us at enquiries.physoc@gmail.com or via our social media accounts:
Alternatively, you can find all our important links through our LinkTree: www.linktr.ee/rhulphysoc
Our Supporters
Below is a list of supporters of the Royal Holloway Physics Society.
Royal Holloway, Department of Physics
Our greatest supporter, the Royal Holloway, Department of Physics, has consistently supported the society since our founding in 2004. Without their support it would not be possible to achieve the successes that we are currently able to reap, so a big thank you!
Institute of Physics
We are an Institute of Physics, Gold Tier Affiliated Society again, allowing us to fund events that would not otherwise be possible. We are incredibly grateful for their continued support!
Professor Stephen Gibson providing his talk on accelerator physics for the Physics Talk of British Science Week 2024, organised by the Royal Holloway Physics Society.
