physics lancaster phd

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Physics PhD

Lancaster university, different course options.

• Key information

Course Summary

Tuition fees, entry requirements, similar courses at different universities, key information data source : idp connect, qualification type.

PhD/DPhil - Doctor of Philosophy

Subject areas

Physics (General)

Course type

We welcome applications from those seeking to perform research for a PhD in Physics. Research opportunities are available within each of our research areas, which cover both theoretical and experimental aspects, and are grouped into the four broad research divisions of Astrophysics, Accelerator and Particle Physics, Experimental Condensed Matter, and Theory.

There is vigorous cross-divisional activity, which includes studies of new materials such as graphene and molecular nanowires, cosmological experiments in liquid helium, nonlinear dynamics of biological rhythm and IR spectroscopy, and nanoscale probe microscopy of biological objects.

Our degree schemes emphasise the development of transferable skills, such as critical thinking, communication skills, numeracy, literacy, team working, and computing and computational skills, which are in much demand amongst employers. Students will also have the opportunity to attend specialist training courses as well as the Faculty of Science and Technology Research Training Programme.

The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.

UK fees Course fees for UK students

For this course (per year)

International fees Course fees for EU and international students

Students need to have 2:1 Hons degree (UK or equivalent) in Physics, ideally supplemented by a relevant Master's-level qualification. We may also consider non-standard applicants.

MPhil Solar Physics

University of central lancashire, ma by research solar physics, msc by research physics, astronomy and mathematics, msc by research solar physics, ma by research physics, astronomy and mathematics.

We have over 12,000 students across one of the safest campuses in the UK

92% of Lancaster University graduates go into work or further study

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Publications & Outputs

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Contact information

• http://www.physics.lancs.ac.uk
• Phone: +44 (0) 1524 593079
• Fax: +44 (0) 1524 844037

Organisation profile

High quality research.

In the REF2014 Research Excellent Framework Lancaster Physics was ranked #2 for world-leading research outputs.

Diversity in Physics

We're proud to have attained Juno Champion status, under the Institute of Physics programme designed to advance women’s careers in physics higher education.

We have a strong reputation for high quality teaching driven by outstanding research. 

School Visits

We're keen to develop partnerships with schools to inspire school students to continue studying Physics to a higher level.

For further information about Physics at Lancaster University visit the official website here

Measurement of the K+ → π+γγ decay

Research output : Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

Euclid preparation XXXIV. The effect of linear redshift-space distortions in photometric galaxy clustering and its cross-correlation with cosmic shear

A geometrical approach to physics.

Research output : Book/Report/Proceedings › Book

8th IoP Superconductivity Summer School

Activity : Participating in or organising an event types › Other

Characterisation of a 3D aluminium cavity for the QSHS experiments

Activity : Talk or presentation types › Invited talk

Lancaster Science Community Day

Activity : Other activity types › Types of Public engagement and outreach - Festival/Exhibition

Lancaster space researchers receive £1.8M to study planetary environments

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D-Wave says its quantum computers can solve otherwise impossible tasks

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Physics PhD

Want to know what it's like to study this course at uni? We've got all the key info, from entry requirements to the modules on offer. If that all sounds good, why not check out reviews from real students or even book onto an upcoming open days ?

Different course options

PhD/DPhil - Doctor of Philosophy

Lancaster University

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Course info

Entry requirements, tuition fees, latest reviews.

We welcome applications from those seeking to perform research for a PhD in Physics. Research opportunities are available within each of our research areas, which cover both theoretical and experimental aspects, and are grouped into the four broad research divisions of Astrophysics, Accelerator and Particle Physics, Experimental Condensed Matter, and Theory.

There is vigorous cross-divisional activity, which includes studies of new materials such as graphene and molecular nanowires, cosmological experiments in liquid helium, nonlinear dynamics of biological rhythm and IR spectroscopy, and nanoscale probe microscopy of biological objects.

Our degree schemes emphasise the development of transferable skills, such as critical thinking, communication skills, numeracy, literacy, team working, and computing and computational skills, which are in much demand amongst employers. Students will also have the opportunity to attend specialist training courses as well as the Faculty of Science and Technology Research Training Programme.

The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.

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Students need to have 2:1 Hons degree (UK or equivalent) in Physics, ideally supplemented by a relevant Master's-level qualification. We may also consider non-standard applicants.

Students living in

£4,712 per year

Students from Domestic

The tuition fee for students with UK fee status is set in line with the standard fee stipend provided by the UK Research Councils. The fee stipend for 2024/25 has not been set. For reference the fee stipend for 2023/24 was full-time £4,712, part-time £2,356.

£26,492 per year

Students from EU

The amount you'll pay if you come to study here from somewhere in the EU.

Students from International

The amount you'll pay if you come to study here from a country outside the EU.

Latest Physics (General) reviews

Review breakdown, how all students rated:.

Bailrigg Lancaster Lancashire LA1 4YW

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Lancaster Experimental Particle Physics

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Lancaster physicists work in collaboration with others at CERN (Geneva), Fermilab (Chicago), and KEK (Japan) using high energy beams from large accelerators to determine the ultimate structure of matter and the forces of nature. Whereas others of us work deep underground at SNOLAB (Canada), using the planet and the sun itself to determine the nature of neutrinos.

Prof. Helen O'Keeffe is Head of the Particle Physics Research Division. Prof. Roger Jones is Principal Investigator of the current Consolidated Grant and he is also the current Head of the Physics Department.

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• Entry year 2024
• Duration Full time 36 Months, Part time 48 Months

We welcome applications from those seeking to perform research for a PhD in Physics. Research opportunities are available within each of our research areas, which cover both theoretical and experimental aspects, and are grouped into the four broad research divisions of Astrophysics, Accelerator and Particle Physics, Experimental Condensed Matter, and Theory.

There is vigorous cross-divisional activity, which includes studies of new materials such as graphene and molecular nanowires, cosmological experiments in liquid helium, nonlinear dynamics of biological rhythm and IR spectroscopy, and nanoscale probe microscopy of biological objects.

Our degree schemes emphasise the development of transferable skills, such as critical thinking, communication skills, numeracy, literacy, team working, and computing and computational skills, which are in much demand amongst employers. Students will also have the opportunity to attend specialist training courses as well as the Faculty of Science and Technology Research Training Programme.

Your department

• Physics Faculty of Science and Technology
• Telephone +44 (0)1524 592032

Entry requirements

Academic requirements.

2:1 Hons degree (UK or equivalent) in Physics, ideally supplemented by a relevant Master's-level qualification.

We may also consider non-standard applicants, please contact us for information.

If you have studied outside of the UK, we would advise you to check our list of international qualifications before submitting your application.

English Language Requirements

We may ask you to provide a recognised English language qualification, dependent upon your nationality and where you have studied previously.

We normally require an IELTS (Academic) Test with an overall score of at least 6.5, and a minimum of 5.5 in each element of the test. We also consider other English language qualifications .

If your score is below our requirements, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language programmes .

Contact: Admissions Team +44 (0) 1524 592032 or email [email protected]

Fees and funding

The tuition fee for students with home fee status is set in line with the standard fee stipend provided by the UK Research Councils. The fee stipend for 2024/25 has not yet been set. For reference, the fee stipend for 2023/24 was full-time £4,712 and part-time £2,356.

The international fee for new entrants in 2024/25 is full-time £26,492 and part-time £13,246.

General fees and funding information

There may be extra costs related to your course for items such as books, stationery, printing, photocopying, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits. Following graduation, you may need to pay a subscription to a professional body for some chosen careers.

Specific additional costs for studying at Lancaster are listed below.

College fees

Lancaster is proud to be one of only a handful of UK universities to have a collegiate system. Every student belongs to a college, and all students pay a small College Membership Fee  which supports the running of college events and activities. Students on some distance-learning courses are not liable to pay a college fee.

For students starting in 2023 and 2024, the fee is £40 for undergraduates and research students and £15 for students on one-year courses. Fees for students starting in 2025 have not yet been set.

Computer equipment and internet access

To support your studies, you will also require access to a computer, along with reliable internet access. You will be able to access a range of software and services from a Windows, Mac, Chromebook or Linux device. For certain degree programmes, you may need a specific device, or we may provide you with a laptop and appropriate software - details of which will be available on relevant programme pages. A dedicated  IT support helpdesk  is available in the event of any problems.

The University provides limited financial support to assist students who do not have the required IT equipment or broadband support in place.

For most taught postgraduate applications there is a non-refundable application fee of £40. We cannot consider applications until this fee has been paid, as advised on our online secure payment system. There is no application fee for postgraduate research applications.

For some of our courses you will need to pay a deposit to accept your offer and secure your place. We will let you know in your offer letter if a deposit is required and you will be given a deadline date when this is due to be paid.

The fee that you pay will depend on whether you are considered to be a home or international student. Read more about how we assign your  fee status .

If you are studying on a programme of more than one year’s duration, the tuition fees for subsequent years of your programme are likely to increase each year. Read more about  fees in subsequent years .

Scholarships and bursaries

You may be eligible for the following funding opportunities, depending on your fee status and course. You will be automatically considered for our main scholarships and bursaries when you apply, so there's nothing extra that you need to do.

Unfortunately no scholarships and bursaries match your selection, but there are more listed on scholarships and bursaries page.

If you're considering postgraduate research you should look at our funded PhD opportunities .

We also have other, more specialised scholarships and bursaries - such as those for students from specific countries.

Browse Lancaster University's scholarships and bursaries .

Similar courses

• Materials Science MSc by Research
• Materials Science PhD
• Nanoscience PhD
• Natural Sciences MSc by Research
• Physics MSc by Research

Research Groups

Our postgraduate studies are closely aligned with our Research. Our research is divided into four main themes, and each of these contains sub-groups. In each group, you can find details of available research projects and academic supervisors.

Astrophysics

The Astrophysics group contains teams investigating Observational Astrophysics, Theoretical Particle Cosmology and Space and Planetary Physics.

Experimental Condensed Matter

The Experimental Condensed Matter group contains teams investigating Low Temperature Physics, Quantum Nanotechnology and Nonlinear and Biomedical Physics.

Particle and Accelerator Physics

The Particle and Accelerator Physics group contains teams investigating Experimental Particle Physics and Accelerator Physics.

Theoretical Physics

The Theoretical Physics group contains teams investigating Condensed Matter Theory, Mathematical Physics and the Theory of Molecular-Scale Transport.

Joshua Chawner's story

"Being a part of the physics research here at Lancaster University is an exciting experience. My experimental work in quantum electronics is both challenging and rewarding. The department has all the resources I need to allow the research to flow. I get many opportunities to share my work and learn more at various conferences around the world. I also enjoy helping undergraduate students learn to code, one of the many teaching opportunities available to postgrads. The physics community here is collaborative and helpful in the lab and a great laugh!"

Important Information

The information on this site relates primarily to 2024/2025 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.

The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.

More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information .

Our Students’ Charter

We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. View our Charter and other policies .

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Physics: Finding theses and dissertations

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Top Tips: Finding theses and dissertations

Lancaster eprints.

Lancaster eprints  is the research repository for Lancaster University.  

You can search the site for Lancaster theses, or browse by department, year or subject.

Dissertations and Theses

• EThOS This link opens in a new window EThOS is the UK’s national thesis service which aims to maximise the visibility and availability of the UK’s doctoral research theses. more... less... There are approximately 440,000 records relating to theses awarded by over 120 institutions. Around 160,000 of these also provide access to the full text thesis, either via download from the EThOS database or via links to the institution’s own repository. Of the remaining 240,000 records dating back to at least 1800, three quarters are available to be ordered for scanning through the EThOS digitisation-on-demand facility.
• ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global (with full-text) PQDTGlobal is considered the world’s most comprehensive collection of full-text dissertations and theses. The collection comprises millions of searchable citations from 1861 through to the present day, together with over a million full-text, graduate dissertations and theses added since 1997. Annually, around 70,000 new, full-text documents are added to the collection from 700+ academic institutions worldwide.
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Universities

Lancaster University

PhD in Physics

Lancaster University, Lancashire

Faculty of Science and Technology

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Pre-requisites

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PhD in Physics at the prestigious Lancaster University is a prestigious degree that offers in-depth learning in Physics. Being a renowned university, Lancaster University receives enough funds to ensure the best education facilities for its students across all programs. This doctorate program offered full-time primarily focuses on the practical implementation of fresh ideas through rigorous study and research. The students are encouraged to add new aspects and findings to the existing area of knowledge. PhD in Physics at LU is ranked globally by estimated organisations. Such recognition speaks volumes about the course’s importance and effectiveness in the present scenario. The top-notch faculty, modern facilities, and the aura of creativity and innovation in the LU campus is a life-changing experience for the students looking forward to kickstarting or upgrading their careers. Overall, a PhD in Physics at Lancaster University is an excellent opportunity to grow into a learned professional and bring new developments in the world.

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£24,530 / year

£73,590 / 36 months

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A list of my publications can be found here . For those who prefer to search for me with an ORCiD, mine is 0000-0002-0041-4356 .

In the middle of April, 2021 I posted the first two major works of my thesis outlining a new theory for the expansion of stellar wind bubbles from clusters of massive stars in dense, turbulent molecular clouds (the sorts of places where these massive stars form). They are now published in the Astrophysical Journal. You can find an abridged explanation of these papers in a Twitter thread I wrote when I posted them.

In March of 2019 I was observing at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile. I was there part of a research plan looking for exceptionally strange objects. When you go looking for strange things, you end up finding some, not necessarily the type you were looking for.

I went to undergrad at Carnegie Mellon University, intending to double major in physics and philosophy, I eventually got too hooked on math and switched to physics and mathematics, specializing in astrophysics. Inspired by my undergrad research in Galactic Dynamics with Dr. Matthew Walker and my summer research experience for undergraduates (REU) in Cosmology with Dr. Lloyd Knox , I applied to graduate school in astrophysics. Before I started the PhD program in the Princeton Astrophysics Department, I completed Part III of the Mathematical Tripos at the Institute of Astronomy (IoA) at Cambridge University in England. While in Cambridge I did research with Dr. Vasily Belokurov and Dr. Wyn Evans on the structure of the Milky Way’s Stellar Halo. Since starting my PhD at Princeton in 2017 I have worked on a large variety of topics in Astrophysics. My work under Dr. David Spergel has caused me to travel often to the Center for Computational Astrophysics (CCA) where I have also collaborated with many other researchers. I have also worked closely with Dr. Jenny Greene on observational projects related to Intermediate Mass Black Holes. In 2019 I started my thesis work with Dr. Eve Ostriker , though I also work closely with Dr. Chang-Goo Kim and Dr. Jeong-Gyu Kim . The main guiding goal of my thesis, and my planned future work, is to try to understand the magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD), stellar dynamic, and feedback processes involved in star formation in dense environments. I am particularly interested in the outstanding problem of Multiple Populations in Globular Star Clusters , and how feedback from forming stars can act to chemically enrich gas that subsequently forms more stars, creating chemically distinct but co-natal populations. In order to tackle this larger goal, I have found that we must first form a much better understanding of how winds from massive stars interact with the dense environments in which these stars form. The improved understanding of stellar wind feedback given by my thesis work has also allowed us to have a much better understanding of star-formation works in normal star forming environments (in our own Milky Way) as well as in forming Super Star Clusters (the closest we can get to an observable version of a forming Globular Cluster).

City of Philadelphia

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Mayor Cherelle L. Parker Nominates Nine Individuals to Serve on the Philadelphia Board of Education

(PHILADELPHIA) – Mayor Cherelle L. Parker today nominated nine individuals to serve on the Philadelphia Board of Education. The nominations will now be transmitted to City Council for advice and consent.

The Mayor made the following statement in support of her announcement today:

“I am proud to announce my nine nominations for the Board of Education. I promised to seek out the best candidates for this important board, and to identify a group that has the skills and experience, knowledge and wisdom to serve on our Board of Education. I said I wanted a school board with a diversity of skills, from different neighborhoods, sectors and communities, some with deep knowledge, some with new ideas, a group that truly reflects my vision of One Philly, a United City. I’m confident we’ve assembled that board, and that they are fully committed to sound governance and the best interests of the 197,000 students in our school system, as well as families, faculty and staff.

“I want to commend every member of the community who stepped up to serve during this nomination process. That includes every person who applied to join the school board, every member of the Educational Nominating Panel, as well as members of the public who attended public hearings and participated in the process. My administration is laser-focused on supporting this board, Superintendent Dr. Tony B. Watlington, Sr., and our many educators and staff to ensure every student has access to a world-class public education in Philadelphia. The challenges in front of us are enormous, and I am fully committed to supporting a well-run school system in partnership with the School District and the School Board, its governing body. Lastly, I want to thank every member of the current School Board for their long, tireless service and devotion to every child in our schools.

The Mayor made a particular point of praising every member of the Educational Nominating Panel, an all-volunteer body that devoted countless hours to recruiting, considering, and interviewing candidates for the board.

“This process began with their appointments, dedication and commitment to this process,” Mayor Parker said. “I sought a nominating panel that shared my vision for public education in Philadelphia, and in seeking a diverse set of school board candidates who truly reflected our City. Their work surpassed my expectations. I am profoundly grateful for their service.”

Mayor Parker’s announcement of her nine appointments to the school board follows a comprehensive process in which the mayor first named 13 individuals to serve on the Educational Nominating Panel, who volunteered their time to steer a public process that saw 122 persons apply to serve on the board. The nominating panel held two public meetings, and conducted interviews with every candidate before forwarding a list of 27 potential appointees to Mayor Parker on March 12. The Mayor and her senior team carefully considered the potential appointees and conducted additional interviews, before the Mayor made her final choices known today.

“I was proud to serve Mayor Parker and her administration as chair of the Educational Nominating Panel,” said  Otis Bullock Jr . “The panel conducted a rigorous and thorough process to find the most qualified nine individuals ready to serve Philadelphia and every student in our schools through their service on our School Board. We’re confident the Mayor made the right choices, and we look forward to seeing these individuals confirmed by City Council and getting to work.”

Following City Council’s advice and consent, the new Board of Education will begin their term on May 1, 2024, or the next possible start date following Council’s proceedings.

NOTE:  Mayor Parker will hold a press conference  tomorrow, Tuesday, April 2, 2024, at 1 p.m. at City Hall  to further discuss her Board appointees, who will attend.

About Mayor Parker’s nominations to the Philadelphia Board of Education:

Sarah-Ashley Andrews 

Sarah-Ashley Andrews is a licensed professional counselor, born in Philadelphia. Sarah-Ashley is a graduate of Philadelphia public schools, graduating from McCall Elementary and W.B Saul High School. She studied Mass Communications at Bloomsburg University and later enrolled at Lancaster Bible College, graduating with a Bachelor of Art degree in Biblical Studies with a minor in Human Services. She holds a Master of Science Degree in Counseling from Lincoln University of PA. Sarah-Ashley is an existing member of the School Board.

Crystal Cubbage 

Crystal is a Philadelphia native. She is a graduate of Philadelphia public schools, who studied Physics at Lincoln University, began her career as an Electronics Engineer at NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, OH, and served as an Education Volunteer in the Peace Corps, in Cameroon, West Africa. In 1996, Crystal made the permanent career change from engineering to education. For 10 years, she taught physics and chemistry at public and private high schools in the Philadelphia area, including Girard College, The Shipley School, and Germantown Friends’ School. In 2007, Crystal earned a Master’s Degree in School Leadership from Harvard’s Graduate School of Education. She has conducted research at an educational think tank, Jobs for the Future; started a nonprofit, Teachable Moments International; and worked on teams to open new public schools in her former positions with Drexel University and the School District of Philadelphia. She now serves as Executive Director for the Philadelphia Learning Collaborative.

Cheryl Harper 

Cheryl Harper was educated in Philadelphia public schools, graduating from Germantown High School. She received her BS from Cheyney University, in Elementary and Special Education, her MS from Arcadia University. She holds certifications in Elementary and Special Education, Elementary/Secondary Principals, Educational Supervisor and Superintendent. She taught in Philadelphia as an Elementary Teacher, was a Vice Principal, a Placement Officer in Human Resources and appointed by Superintendent Dr. Constance E. Clayton as Director of Human Resources. After retiring from the School District, she was called to work for the Camden Public School District as Executive Director of Human Resources. Later under Governor Ed Rendell, she was appointed as a Distinguish Educator for the PA Department of Education. She was assigned to various school districts across the State of PA, helping them make AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress). Cheryl was a Site Director/ Adjunct Professor, Supervising Student Teachers for Drexel University. She is currently a Trustee for Cheyney University.

Whitney Jones 

Whitney Jones is the Chief Financial Officer at Children’s Crisis Treatment Center (CCTC), a mental and behavioral health nonprofit serving children and families. Whitney comes to CCTC from the KIPP network of schools where he held financial leadership positions in the Philadelphia and San Antonio regions. With KIPP, Whitney led the organizations’ budget development, financial reporting, internal controls, general accounting, and accounts payables. Previously, Whitney served as the School Finance Specialist at the DC Public Charter School Board (DCPCSB), monitoring charters’ financial stability and ensuring adherence to federal and local laws. Whitney was also a Client Manager with EdTec, a niche consulting firm based in Emeryville, CA and dedicated to supporting charter schools’ financial and operational needs. Whitney began his career at Moody’s Corporation, working in public finance credit ratings and strategic planning. Whitney received his Master of Educational Leadership from The Broad Center (merged with the Yale School of Management in 2021), his Master of Business Administration from New York University’s Stern School of Business and his Bachelor of Business Administration from Howard University.

ChauWing Lam 

ChauWing Lam has served on the Philadelphia Board of Education since 2022. She previously worked for the School District of Philadelphia’s Office of Superintendent and Office of Evaluation, Research and Accountability. ChauWing is focused on improving the lives of children and families. She is currently the Operations Director of the not-for-profit Gun Violence Intervention and Coordination Center where she is building organizational infrastructure to combat the city’s gun violence crisis. Ms. Lam immigrated to the United States as a child and is the parent of an 8-year-old who attends a public charter school.

Wanda Novales 

Wanda is the Executive Pastor of City Reach Church, with two local campuses including one in the heart of Kensington. Prior to her faith leadership, she was the founding CEO and Principal of Pan American Charter School, an International Baccalaureate school in partnership with Congreso de Latinos Unidos. With extensive experience in teaching and managing in Philadelphia’s public district and charter schools, Wanda brings insight and perspective. Wanda is currently serving as a board member of the Tacony Civic Association and The Philadelphia Gospel Movement. Wanda has a BA from Temple University in Early Childhood Education & Elementary Education, a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Cheyney University, and a Superintendent’s Letter of Eligibility from Arcadia University.

Joan Stern 

In 1971, Joan Stem became the first paralegal hired by the law firm now known as Blank Rome LLP. In 1972, Joan was assigned to work on the law firm’s first public finance engagement for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania – the Commonwealth’s Disaster Relief General Obligation Bonds, Series of 1973. The experience focused her on pursuing a career in the law. She entered Temple University School of Law (now the Beasley School of Law) in 1974 as a full-time student and graduated cum laude in 1977. She then joined Blank Rome as an associate and became the second woman in Pennsylvania to practice public finance law. At Blank Rome she was elected partner in 1983. She served in a series of leadership roles at Blank Rome until joining, as a Partner in the Public Finance Practice, the law firm of Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC in 2014. As a public finance attorney, Ms. Stern concentrated her practice in financings for state and local governments, governmental agencies and authorities, cultural and sports facilities, institutions of higher education and health care entities. From 1977 to September 30, 2023 (when she retired from private law practice), she served as bond counsel and special counsel to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the City of Philadelphia and The School District of Philadelphia. Ms. Stern attended K-12 schools of The School District of Philadelphia and received a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania prior to her J.D. from Temple.

Reginald Streater 

Reginald L. Streater, a steadfast believer in public education as a fundamental right, is a Germantown High School alumnus with two children in Philadelphia public schools. He currently serves as the President of the Philadelphia Board of Education. An attorney at Feldman Shepherd specializing in personal injury, medical malpractice, and civil rights, Streater has a diverse legal background that includes class action suits and commercial litigation. His previous roles include working for Judge Theodore McKee in the Federal Third Circuit Court of Appeals and the Pennsylvania Innocence Project. Streater earned his J.D. from Temple University Beasley School of Law, where he also completed a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and African American studies. An active member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and the Barristers’ Association, Streater’s commitment to servant leadership is inspired by John S. Mbiti’s philosophy: “I am because WE are, and since we are, therefore I am.”

Joyce Wilkerson 

Joyce Wilkerson has an extensive career in public service. She is currently on the Board of Education where she served as president for four years leading the Board as it pioneered its Student Outcome Focused Governance approach and adopted the District’s Goals and Guardrails. Before her appointment to the Board, Joyce Chaired the School Reform Commission, where she oversaw milestones such as the creation of a new teachers’ contract and the return to local control. Joyce began her career in Philadelphia as an attorney with Community Legal Services, and later served as Chief of Staff to Mayor John Street. She helped to stabilize the Philadelphia Gas Works and chaired the board of the Philadelphia Housing Authority. Following her work in Philadelphia, she became Executive Director of the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority and Senior Advisor to the President of Temple University. Throughout her career, Joyce has been committed to supporting myriad organizations. She is currently on the Executive Committee of the Council of the Great City Schools, the Board Directors of Project Home where she chairs the Healthcare Committee, the Board of the Independence Foundation and the Board of Scribe Video Center.

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Characterizing social networks by the company they keep

by Stephanie Martinovich, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

People tend to connect with others who are like them. Alumni from the same alma mater are more likely to collaborate on a research project together, or individuals with the same political beliefs are more likely to join the same political parties, attend rallies, and engage in online discussions.

This sociology concept, called homophily, has been observed in many network science studies. But if like-minded individuals cluster in online and offline spaces to reinforce each other's ideas and form synergies, what does that mean for society?

Researchers at MIT wanted to investigate homophily further to understand how groups of three or more interact in complex societal settings. Prior research on understanding homophily has studied relationships between pairs of people. For example, when two members of Congress co-sponsor a bill, they are likely to be from the same political party.

However, less is known about whether group interactions between three or more people are likely to occur between similar individuals. If three members of Congress co-sponsor a bill together, are all three likely to be members of the same party, or would we expect more bipartisanship? When the researchers tried to extend traditional methods to measure homophily in these larger group interactions, they found the results can be misleading.

"We found that homophily observed in pairs, or one-to-one interactions, can make it seem like there's more homophily in larger groups than there really is," says Arnab Sarker, graduate student in the Institute for Data, Systems and Society (IDSS) and lead author of the study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences . "The previous measure didn't account for the way in which two people already know each other in friendship settings," he adds.

To address this issue, Sarker, along with co-authors Natalie Northrup '22 and Ali Jadbabaie, the JR East Professor of Engineering, head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and core faculty member of IDSS, developed a new way of measuring homophily. Borrowing tools from algebraic topology, a subfield in mathematics typically applied in physics, they developed a new measure to understand whether homophily occurred in group interactions.

The new measure, called simplicial homophily, separates the homophily seen in one-on-one interactions from those in larger group interactions and is based on the mathematical concept of a simplicial complex.

The researchers tested this new measure with real-world data from 16 different datasets and found that simplicial homophily provides more accurate insights into how similar things interact in larger groups. Interestingly, the new measure can better identify instances where there is a lack of similarity in larger group interactions, thus rectifying a weakness observed in the previous measure.

One such example of this instance was demonstrated in the dataset from the global hotel booking website Trivago. They found that when travelers are looking at two hotels in one session, they often pick hotels that are close to one another geographically.

But when they look at more than two hotels in one session, they are more likely to be searching for hotels that are farther apart from one another (for example, if they are taking a vacation with multiple stops). The new method showed "anti-homophily"—instead of similar hotels being chosen together, different hotels were chosen together.

"Our measure controls for pairwise connections and is suggesting that there's more diversity in the hotels that people are looking for as group size increases, which is an interesting economic result," says Sarker.

Additionally, they discovered that simplicial homophily can help identify when certain characteristics are important for predicting if groups will interact in the future. They found that when there are a lot of similarities or a lot of differences between individuals who already interact in groups, then knowing individual characteristics can help predict their connection to each other in the future.

Northrup was an undergraduate researcher on the project and worked with Sarker and Jadbabaie over three semesters before she graduated. The project gave her an opportunity to take some of the concepts she learned in the classroom and apply them.

"Working on this project, I really dove into building out the higher-order network model, and understanding the network, the math, and being able to implement it at a large scale," says Northrup, who was in the civil and environmental engineering systems track with a double major in economics.

The new measure opens up opportunities to study complex group interactions in a broad range of network applications, from ecology to traffic and socioeconomics. One of the areas Sarker has an interest in exploring is the group dynamics of people finding jobs through social networks. "Does higher-order homophily affect how people get information about jobs?" he asks.

Northrup adds that it could also be used to evaluate interventions or specific policies to connect people with job opportunities outside of their network. "You can even use it as a measurement to evaluate how effective that might be."

Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Provided by Massachusetts Institute of Technology

This story is republished courtesy of MIT News ( web.mit.edu/newsoffice/ ), a popular site that covers news about MIT research, innovation and teaching.

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