Sign in

MPLS Division, University of Oxford

@mplsoxford.bsky.social
340 followers 59 following 403 posts

The University of Oxford leads the UK in mathematical, physical, engineering, computing and life sciences research.

PostsRepliesMedia
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Are you an entrepreneur with an idea ready to pitch? 🚀 Applications are open to Oxford students, staff and alumni to pitch at the Oxford Saïd Entrepreneurship Forum on 13 November, with the chance to win a share of the prize pot. Apply by 16 October 👇 tinyurl.com/hu43eahx
Oxford Said Entrepreneurship Forum 2026 banner with a call for pitch applicants; smiling attendee wearing event lanyard and holding a takeaway drink.
010
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
New Oxford research involving Oxford physicists has linked India’s growing reliance on coal-fired power with worsening urban air pollution. The study estimates urban deaths attributable to PM2.5 exposure rose by around 30% between 2000 and 2020. ⬇️
tinyurl.com
Coal-powered economic growth linked to rising urban air pollution and deaths in India
University of Oxford researchers have found that rapid economic growth in India increased access to electricity and cleaner cooking, but led to a sharp rise in urban air-pollution-related deaths due to burning more coal for power.
011
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
👏 Congratulations to Professors Martin Booth and Tom Melham, who have been elected Fellows of the Royal Academy of Engineering. Their work spans pioneering optical technologies and making complex digital systems more reliable and trustworthy. See more: tinyurl.com/sn6huet5
Split portrait: left Martin Booth, Professor of Electrical Engineering in the Department of Engineering and right Tom Melham, Professor of Computer Science, Department of Computer Science.
010
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
📢 Networking lunch for postdocs next Thursday. Sign up for a networking event and free pizza with the Radcliffe Science Library 👇
010
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
RESEARCH: Oxford scientists have captured the step-by-step assembly of individual virus-like particles, revealing how simple molecular interactions can reliably build these complex structures. The findings could inform vaccine and antiviral development. ➡️ Read more: tinyurl.com/54b6527d
Coronavirus model with headline: new method shows viruses self-assemble molecule by molecule (Chemistry/Kavli).

Image credit: CDC
000
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Applications for postgraduate study at Oxford are now open. From AI and quantum technologies to ecosystems, sustainable materials, mathematics and the physical sciences, explore postgraduate courses across MPLS. 👉 Find out more on applications and funding: tinyurl.com/46e4wpts
Three students walking past a modern glass building, two with backpacks and one holding notebooks, wearing jeans and trainers.

Credit: John Cairns
000
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
📢 Applications are open for the fourth round of SCGC-FIRST, supporting ambitious research with the potential for real-world impact. Researchers at @ox.ac.uk can apply for awards of up to £100,000 for projects in sustainability and technology. ➡️ Find out more: tinyurl.com/2zxaz77f
Two scientists in lab coats and safety goggles examine a small glass vial together in a laboratory.

Credit: Ian Wallman
000
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Oxford physicists have helped find strong evidence of quantum entanglement between Z bosons produced in Higgs boson decays, testing quantum mechanics in some of the most extreme conditions we can create on Earth. 👉 Find out more about the research: tinyurl.com/ymva9965
Blue LHC beam pipe running through a tunnel, caption: Oxford physicists help uncover a "spooky" quantum effect in the Large Hadron Collider.

Image: A chain of LHC dipole magnets inside the tunnel at point 1 (ATLAS) towards the end of Long Shutdown 2 (LS2).When the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) begins Run 3 next year, operators aim to increase the energy of the proton beams to an unprecedented 6.8 TeV. Source: CERN (CDS)
000
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
How can we make solar cells more efficient? Professor Laura Herz from @oxfordphysics.bsky.social studies what happens when light interacts with semiconductors, and how understanding these processes could lead to better solar technologies. ➡️ See more in Oxford’s Pulse: tinyurl.com/5n97s2ma
Professor Laura Herz in the Beecroft Building at the University of Oxford
001
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
What can mathematics reveal about biology? Professor Philip Maini explores how mathematical approaches can unlock new insights into living systems, from fundamental biology to potential new therapies. Find out more about Philip Maini's work: tinyurl.com/4muxefxm
Philip Maini at the Mathematical Institute, Oxford
010
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
📢 BOLD is recruiting Fellows and partners! More than 350 researchers, innovators and policymakers gathered in Oxford to launch BOLD, a new national AI research programme aiming to transform how AI research is developed in the UK. ➡️ Find out more at tinyurl.com/5n95tu2m
Professor Jakob Foerster, BOLD's Founding Director, speaking at the Festival.
010
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
An international team, including physicists from Oxford, has observed a long-predicted effect of gravity on a quantum object for the first time. The result shows Einstein’s equivalence principle remains consistent with quantum mechanics.  ➡️ Read more: tinyurl.com/ytjzhvwx
The 2D MOT apparatus which feeds the science chamber with cold atoms. 

Credit: Or Dobkowski.
030
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
📢 Four places are still available for RisingWISE this year. Early-career women researchers: develop your leadership, communication and networking skills, broaden your network and build connections across disciplines. Applications close 11 September 👇
mpls.ox.ac.uk
RisingWISE: An enterprise course by and for women
The RisingWISE programme, dedicated to women in STEMM, encourages early-career researchers to identify and expand their potential in academia and industry.
010
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Expert comment: More extreme weather is coming – can AI help us to better prepare for it? Dr Shruti Nath from @OxfordPhysics explores how AI-powered forecasting could help us better predict extreme weather, while addressing its limitations. ➡️ Read more: tinyurl.com/2e57ftp4
000
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Our congrats to @oxfordphysics.bsky.social’s Professor Herz, awarded the @royalsociety.org's Rumford Medal and @oxfordchemistry.bsky.social’s Professors Iain McCulloch & Charlotte Williams, awarded the Hughes Medal and Armourers & Brasiers’ Company Prize respectively. ➡️ tinyurl.com/4ze44ysv
Two Royal Society medals above text announcing awards for three MPLS Division academics (Chemistry and Physics).

Medal image credit: Royal Society
011
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
What if we could stop cancer before it takes hold? David Church and his team at @ox.ac.uk are investigating whether vaccines could train the immune system to recognise and tackle precancerous cells. Find out how in this @oxfordsparks.bsky.social video 👇 www.oxfordsparks.ox.ac.uk/videos/cance...
oxfordsparks.ox.ac.uk
Cancer vaccines: responding to the early red flags - Oxford Sparks
Making cancer curable is undoubtedly one of the biggest medical challenges we face. But what if we could actually…
010
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Considering postgraduate study at Oxford? Fully funded Martingale Scholarships are available for 2027 entry across Mathematical Sciences and Artificial Intelligence, with eligible master’s and DPhil courses. Applications are now open. 👉 Find out more: martingale.foundation
Applications for Martingale Scholarships supported by the Martingale Foundation are now open.
010
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Expert comment: Are extreme heatwaves the UK’s ‘new normal’? Professor Myles Allen from the Department of Physics explains how researchers are using climate information and weather forecasting to understand the changing risks of extreme weather. 👉 tinyurl.com/426wchxp
Thermometer stuck in beach sand under a bright sun, red column indicating a high temperature (around 40°C / 100°F).

Image credit: Immo Wegmann
010
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Congratulations to Oxford chemist Professor Philipp Kukura who has been awarded a @royalsociety.org  Faraday Discovery Fellowship. His research will develop new technology to measure the mass of individual molecules. ➡️ Read more about Professor Kukura's work: tinyurl.com/2e2xffp9
The Atomium in Brussels photograph with the text Philipp Kukura awarded Royal Society Faraday Discovery Fellowship below.

Sculpture image credit: Lucas Mosesson
020
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
RESEARCH: @ineosoxford.bsky.social study shows the expansion of industrial poultry farming has increased the movement of Campylobacter more than 100-fold. The findings show how bacteria can spread and evolve in commercial flocks, with implications for AMR. ➡️ Read more: tinyurl.com/32enfhck
Chickens behind wire; headline: industrial chicken farms accelerate spread of a major foodborne disease.

Image credit:  Franz W
143
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
How do you move a herbarium? Very carefully... 🌿 Oxford University Herbaria's 1.7 million botanical objects have moved to a purpose-built home in the Life and Mind Building, supporting research and teaching for years to come. Find out more: tinyurl.com/yr33xhae
Antique open herbarium book showing two pressed brown plant specimens on blue pages with handwritten labels.
000
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
Researchers at the Ineos Oxford Institute for antimicrobial research (@ineosoxford.bsky.social) have secured a £500,000 award from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council to protect tetracycline antibiotics from resistance. 👉 Read about the research: tinyurl.com/4ukpprbu
IOI Postdoctoral Research Associate Dr Matthew Beech working in the lab

Credit: IOI
121
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
From professional services and IT to estates, facilities, labs and workshops, the MPLS Excellence Awards celebrate the people whose expertise supports world-leading teaching and research across the Division. 👉 Find out more about the inaugural winners: tinyurl.com/yxa56j5e
Dark blue geometric background with a framed navy panel reading "MPLS Awards 2026."
011
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Oxford mathematician Graeme Segal has been awarded the Chern Medal, recognising a lifetime of outstanding achievement in mathematics. The medal was announced today at the International Congress of Mathematics. ➡️ Read more: tinyurl.com/mu7hmwm7
Dr Segal in front of bookshelves; caption: Graeme Segal awarded 2026 Chern Medal for lifelong achievement in mathematics.
010
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
This year's MPLS Teaching Awards recognise five members of the MPLS Division for their outstanding contributions to teaching and learning 👏  ➡️ Read about this year's winners: www.mpls.ox.ac.uk/latest/news/mpls-…
010
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
From robots that collaborate with humans to sensor-rich robotic hands, the Oxford Robotics Institute showcased cutting-edge robotics and AI as one of just 13 flagship exhibits at this year's Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition. 🤖 Find out more: tinyurl.com/5ay4dkrb
Professor Ingmar Posner (left) and Professor Perla Maiolino (right). 

Image credit: The Royal Society.
010
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
👏 Congratulations to the five winning projects and three commendations recognised in this year's MPLS Impact Awards for research that is making a real difference beyond academia. ➡️ Read about all the projects: tinyurl.com/ypjpzxy6
011
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
As CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC) enters its latest shutdown, Professor Daniela Bortoletto, Head of Particle Physics, explains what comes next and why the upgraded High-Luminosity LHC, due around 2030, matters for Higgs physics. Find out more 👇
tinyurl.com
The Large Hadron Collider is being upgraded so that it can unlock the secrets of the Higgs boson
Major upgrade works may allow the LHC to uncover signs of new physics.
010
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Did elephant energetics determine Hannibal's route across the Alps? A new study with the Department of Biology suggests that the Col de la Traversette was the least energy-intensive route for Hannibal's famous Alpine crossing. 🐘 Read more: tinyurl.com/4c9xyurp
Adult elephant with tusks walking through dry grassland with rolling hills in the background

Credit: Monica Max West
000
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
The Institute for Ethics in AI invites Oxford undergrads to part in this year's Bernard Williams Essay Prize: ‘Should AI speech be limited?’ Submit your entry for the chance to win up to £500 and help shape the conversation on the future of AI. Entries are now open. 👉 tinyurl.com/3mtv9esk
Bernard Williams Essay Competition: 'Should AI speech be limited?' Open to Oxford undergraduates. Deadline 18 Sept 2026
010
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
How do volcanoes work? 🌋 Professors Tamsin Mather and David Pyle's new children's book, The Power of Volcanoes, combines science and illustration to introduce readers aged 7–11 to one of Earth's amazing natural phenomena. Find out more: tinyurl.com/3a6fddm2
Red children's books titled "The Power of Volcanoes" showing an erupting-volcano illustration and University of Cambridge logo.
020
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
Professor James Maynard has been appointed as the new Regius Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford. He will succeed Professor Sir Andrew Wiles and take up the post in the Mathematical Institute on 1 October 2026. Read more about the appointment: tinyurl.com/ytjvmurc
Professor James Maynard standing in front of bookshelves in the Mathematical Institute.
031
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Researchers led by the Department of Physics have discovered two of the lowest-density giant planets ever detected. The rare "super-puff" planets, TOI-791 b and TOI-791 c, are about the size of Jupiter but have densities lower than candy floss. See more: tinyurl.com/4bwjxc9d
000
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
ICYMI:  Oxford chemists have been recognised in the Royal Society of Chemistry’s 2026 Prizes. Professor Yimon Aye was named winner of a Corday-Morgan Mid-Career Prize for Chemistry and Team SNOM were awarded the Dalton Horizon Prize. Find out more at: tinyurl.com/y3tz5x3z
DeepMind molecular illustration above text: Oxford chemists recognized in the Royal Society of Chemistry 2026 prizes.
020
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
🎙️ Can AI accelerate the search for new medicines? Fergus Imrie from the Department of Statistics joins the @OxfordSparks podcast to discuss OpenBind, an open-access dataset of protein–ligand interactions designed to advance AI-driven drug discovery. 🎧 tinyurl.com/mryn5byh
Generated image of stacked blister packs containing orange and blue round tablets on a white background.
000
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
Five researchers from Oxford's MPLS Division have been awarded European Research Council Advanced Grants. The awards, worth up to €2.5m each over five years, will support leading research in chemistry, mathematics and computer science. ➡️ Read more: tinyurl.com/4dmrcrh4
Five headshots with text announcing MPLS academics won ERC Advanced Grants in chemistry, computer science and maths.

Harry Anderson (Chemistry)
Jason Davis (Chemistry)
Elias Koutsoupias (Computer Science)
Ben Green (Mathematical Institute)
Alex Scott (Mathematical Institute)

Background image credit: John Cairns
030
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
Oxford will host BOLD, the new UK AI Research Lab. Backed by a £60m EPSRC investment, the cross-university initiative will bring together researchers from Oxford, UCL and Imperial to develop open, safe and resource-efficient AI. Find out more at: tinyurl.com/ya9nh8se
000
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
Congratulations to the winners of the MPLS Awards for Outstanding Research Supervision! Recognised by colleagues and research group members, each winner has shown an outstanding commitment to nurturing talent and supporting career development 👏 ➡️ tinyurl.com/tbp5a7h5
Ten framed headshots of the award winners arranged in two rows on a red brick wall.
010
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Congratulations to Prof Brian Ripley, Emeritus Prof of Applied Statistics at Oxford, on being named a 2026 Rousseeuw Prize laureate. The award recognises the International R Core Team's work making advanced statistical computing tools freely available. 👇
tinyurl.com
Oxford statistician co-awarded $1 million Rousseeuw Prize for the R Project
The $1 million prize recognises the achievements of Professor Brian Ripley and the international R Core Team, whose work has helped make advanced statistical computing freely available to researchers, organisations and students around the world.
010
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
From accelerating discovery to reshaping research, how is AI transforming science? Hear from Dr Stuart Feldman, President and Chief Scientist at Schmidt Sciences, at Oxford's Schmidt AI in Science Annual Public Lecture. ➡️ Register online at: forms.office.com/e/Bb429LV7J4
Promotional poster for the University of Oxford's Schmidt AI in Science Annual Public Lecture. The event features Dr Stuart Feldman, Chief Scientist of Schmidt Sciences, speaking on 'Steering the Disruption: AI's Transformation of Science and the Role of Philanthropy.' The lecture takes place at the Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford, on Wednesday 17 June at 5:30 pm.
000
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
NEW RESEARCH: Work led by the Department of Biology reveals how ancient genetic doubling events gave evolution the raw material to create new brain cell types, shaping vertebrate brains for hundreds of millions of years🧠 Find out more about the research: tinyurl.com/y38k5jtz
Digital artwork depicting a human brain made of luminous, interconnected neural pathways, creating a complex network of glowing white strands and nodes on a dark blue background.

Credit: Gerd Altmann
000
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
👏 Congratulations to the winners, highly commended nominees and finalists from across the Division who have been recognised at this year's Vice-Chancellor's Awards. Read more about this year's winners from across the University: hr.admin.ox.ac.uk/vice-chancellors-…
Vice-Chancellor's Awards 2026 — ceremony stage with presenter handing award to recipient and winners shown on large screen.
000
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 04/06/2026
EXPERT COMMENT: Global coral reef collapse is not inevitable. Oxford Earth Sciences researcher Noam Vogt-Vincent discusses evidence that coral reefs could still recover later this century if we rapidly reach net zero. Read more: tinyurl.com/y7zx2ces
Two bright yellow butterflyfish with vertical stripes swimming above a coral reef in clear blue water.
000
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
Our congratulations to the Oxford scientists elected Fellows of the @royalsociety.  The new Fellows include researchers from across MPLS disciplines, including mathematics, biology, statistics, physics and computer science. 👏 Find out more at: tinyurl.com/3fstj3pj
020
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Do you want to showcase the wonders of your science to the public? Then join the Science Wonder Garden Party @begbrokescience.bsky.social this summer! ☀️ If you're interested in sharing your work through talks or hands on activities, register interest by 5 June. 👉 tinyurl.com/23jkf4ap
Promotional image reading “Science Wonder Garden Party” in large white bubble lettering on a green background, with “4 July 2026” and “CALL OUT” in bold black text below.
010
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
RESEARCH: Scientists at Oxford’s @compscioxford.bsky.social have helped achieve a world first by encoding the hepatitis D virus genome using 117 qubits on IBM’s Heron quantum processor. The work opens new possibilities for quantum genomics and bioinformatics. ➡️ tinyurl.com/2prna5ev
Generated graphic showing a glowing RNA strand dissolving into a quantum network against a dark blue background, with overlaid text about Oxford researchers contributing to a world first in quantum computing and genetics for the Department of Computer Science.

Model: Gemini 2.0 Flash Image Generation
020
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
In conversation: Professor Daniela Bortoletto, Head of Particle Physics at @oxfordphysics.bsky.social, talks to CERN Director-General Mark Thomson about overseeing CERN’s biggest upgrade in 20 years and what it means for the future of science. ➡️ Read more: tinyurl.com/3jthsjed
Professor Daniela Bortoletto in conversation with Mark Thomson, Director-General, CERN, at Pembroke College, University of Oxford, where Professor Thomson studied physics.

Credit: C Wood
000
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
Reminder: the Basics of SciFinder An initial session on the CAS SciFinder Discovery Platform covering literature searching, saved alerts, projects, substance data, and AI research tools for chemistry and related disciplines. 📅 Tomorrow at 1pm 👉 Book: tinyurl.com/9rnnj7y8
Close-up view of hands typing on a laptop keyboard, focusing on digital work.
000
MPLS Division, University of Oxford @mplsoxford.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
Expert comment: New investments in nature are accelerating, but conservation science must remain central to decision-making. Researchers from @biology.ox.ac.uk  warn that without robust evidence, nature finance risks missing the mark. Read more 👇 tinyurl.com/pn4rwbdv
A small green seedling sprouting from dark soil, illuminated by soft sunlight with a blurred green background.

Credit: Eko Pramono
012
Reposted by MPLS Division, University of Oxford
University of Oxford @ox.ac.uk · 14/05/2026
The OpenBind consortium’s first release of experimental data marks a milestone in efforts to improve how artificial intelligence (AI) is used in drug discovery. Find out more ⬇️ www.ox.ac.uk/news/2026-05-12-openbi…
The image shows a colourful abstract scientific visualisation featuring ribbon-like protein structures, molecular models and translucent flowing forms in bright shades of orange, blue, yellow and pink. Overlaid text reads: “OpenBind releases first open dataset and AI model for drug discovery” alongside University of Oxford branding.
0106