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OU Fusion - the Open University Physics and Astronomy Society

Affiliated to the Institute of Physics

Welcome to Fusion

FUSION is the Open University Physics & Astronomy society. We were formed in 2001 by students who recognised the need to create a society for OU students and graduates whose primary interest is in physics & astronomy. We have over 150 members many of whom are studying at various levels of the physical sciences study program. We organise regular events of interest to members, have a regular newsletter, a Facebook group. We welcome current and past students or anyone with a general interest in physics and astronomy.

You can keep up with all the latest on this website, or via our Facebook page. We'd love to hear what you think about the website too! To contact us, click here.

Messages from the committee

We need some new faces on the committee - in particular, someone to help with the newsletter. We hold 3/4 meetings each year, mostly online. If you would like to join the committee please contact us for further details.

Due to problems with our payment system it is not possible at the moment to join Fusion via the website. If you would like to join, contact us at fusionsocietyou@gmail.com for a membership form and details for payment by bank transfer.

  • Fusion T-shirts and Sweatshirts
  • We now have a full range of sweat shirts with the Fusion logo, and t-shirts in all three designs -Maxwell, Einstein and Schrondinger - in sizes S to XXL. The price for both is £15. At the moment these are only available directly from us, and not via the website. To order, email us on fusionsocietyou@gmail.com.
  • Articles for the FUSION Newsletter
  • Invitations are invited from ANY Fusion member (or associates or friends of members) who would like to contribute an original (previously unpublished) article, quiz, puzzle etc to the next Fusion Newsletter. Any theme remotely related to the interests of this Group or Society would be welcome. Please consult the editor if you are unsure about a topic. For enquiries and submissions email the editor, Nigel Patterson.

    All authors of published contributions will receive a free FUSION sweatshirt!

Events and Links

Report on the Fusion event 2024

Fusion held a very successful event at the University of Surry, in Guildford, in collaboration with their Physics Society, the weekend of 9/10th Novebber.

We had a variety of talks, including three academic ones -

The ADM formulism: from Tetrads to Quantum Gravity, by a PhD student at UCL.

Computational dynamics of surfactant in two phase fluid mixtures, given by an OU student and Fusion member - who also told us of his experience of the student bursary scheme at the OU.

Jim Grozier, an OU graduate and member of Fusion and the IOP History of Physics Group, spoke on the history of dimensions 1629-2026.

A retired physics teacher and OU graduate gave a talk titled 'How a pencil in St Paul's Cathedral in 1979 changed my life.' Intriguing! But all was revealed -it was an experiment that involved how a Foucault pendulum knocked over a pencil stood in sand as it moved, and which was instrumental in his decision to study physics. He told us of his experiences of teaching physics and working with the IOP to promote the subject to girls.

Bradley Allsop, IOP Student Liaison Officer, spoke online about how the IOP can support students and professional physicists.

Dr Chris Wiley, of the music department of the university, gave a fascinating talk on 'Music and Space'. This included facts about people who are both physicists and musicains - think Brian Cox and May, Patrick Moore, - a demonstration of a chamber organ and Theremin - an early electronic instrument, music from films and TV - Star Wars (the tune that always accompanied the appearance of Darth Vader) and Doctor Who, how Kepler translated the planets' eliptical dimensions into musical notation, and amazing videos of musical recitals performed simultaneously on earth and the space station!

The weekend included the society AGM.

There were also social events - a Saturday evening meal in a local pub, and on the Sunday mornng a guided tour of Guildford followed by lunch.

Feed back from attenders was that it was an interesting, educational and enjoyable weekend.

Thankyou to our speakers, and a huge thankyou to Alexia at Surrey, who helped organise the weekend by, amongst other things, putting me in touch with speakers and arranging a room, and without whom the weekend would not have happened.

In the past we have held the annual Fusion weekend in alternate years at Walton Hall, Milton Keynes. After the problems of Covid and other restrictions, we are hoping to return to our home campus this year. We will keep you posted via the website, Facebook and WhasApp.



Physics and Astronomy events near you


More coming soon!

For a complete list of forthcoming IOP events in various locations around the UK, click here.

Reports of talks: If you attend a physics talk that you enjoy, how about writing it up for the Fusion newsletter? See the panel on the left for contact details.

Click here for a video of a talk by Dr Meganne Christian (UK & ESA astronaut) at a recent "Moon Night" event at the OU.

See our Facebook page for other events and news

If you are interested in any Fusion events, or wish to arrange an event, please contact Dwyn for further details and to book a place .

Newsletter: The latest Fusion newsletter (vol. 22 no. 2) has been distributed. The previous five issues of the newsletter are available here (click to download):

Summer 2020; Autumn 2021; Summer 2022; Summer 2023; Winter 2023-24.

As always, our Editor would welcome contributions from Fusion members. Click here to email the Editor.

Useful links:

Open University Astronomy Club
Institute of Physics
IOP University Student Committee
Open University School of Physical Sciences
Open University Students' Association
OUSA shop (for free availability of past exam papers)
Open University Space Society
Feynman Lectures
International Association of Physics Students (IAPS)
Susan J Fowler Blog
Learning How to Learn MOOC