Welcome to the website of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the Open University. An important part of the Open University's mission, as a major provider of supported open learning, is to be to open as to people, open as to places, open as to methods and open as to ideas. This website is part of our Departmental contribution to that mission.
Here you will find information about our teaching and research. Much of our teaching is based on materials that have been specially created by members of the Department with distance learners in mind. You can read about the research that is taking place in the Department, and find links to some of our research collaborators in other departments, faculties and institutions. Other links will take you to our publications data base, the web pages of our staff and postgraduate students, our seminar lists, and to some of the many special projects in which members of the Department are involved.
We are pleased to be leaders in the Physics Innovations Project as part of the Centres of Excellence in Teaching and Learning Programme of the HEFCE. A Link to piCETL can be found HERE. Further information about the Open University Physics Society fUSION, operated by and for our students, can be found HERE.
Published work by our staff is now archived centrally at http://oro.open.ac.uk/.
The Department of Physics and Astronomy has signed up and become a Supporter of Project Juno – an IOP initiative to promote gender equality in all aspects of the Department’s operation.
Whatever your reason for visiting our website, we hope that you find items of interest to you and that you enjoy your visit. Why not try a virtual visit to the Department itself HERE.
Nick Braithwaite
Head of Department
