image: Professor Erminia Calabrese, Cardiff University view more
Credit: Professor Erminia Calabrese
Professor Erminia Calabrese, from Cardiff University’s School of Physics and Astronomy, has been awarded the 2022 Institute of Physics Fred Hoyle Medal and Prize.
Professor Calabrese, Deputy Director of Research, received her award for distinguished work on observational cosmology using the Cosmic Microwave Background to study the origins, content and evolution of the universe, and to probe new regimes of physics.
The Institute of Physics (IOP) is the professional body and learned society for physics, and the leading body for practising physicists, in the UK and Ireland.
Its annual awards proudly reflect the wide variety of people, places, organisations and achievements that make physics such an exciting discipline.
The IOP awards celebrate physicists at every stage of their career; from those just starting out through to physicists at the peak of their careers, and those with a distinguished career behind them.
They also recognise and celebrate companies which are successful in the application of physics and innovation, as well as employers who demonstrate their commitment and contribution to scientific and engineering apprenticeship schemes.
Professor Calabrese said: “It is a great honour for me to receive this award. I have been very lucky to work in the field of observational cosmology during a decade which has seen tremendous progress driven by unprecedented cosmic microwave background observations and by the huge effort of international teams working together to analyse them.
“I am delighted to have played a role in this and look forward to what the next decade of exploration has to offer. Many aspects of the Universe are still very mysterious, and I am ready to delve into more data which next-generation experiments like the Simons Observatory will collect.”
Institute of Physics President, Professor Sheila Rowan, said: “On behalf of the Institute of Physics, I warmly congratulate all of this year’s Award winners. Each and every one of them has made a significant and positive impact in their profession, whether as a researcher, teacher, industrialist, technician or apprentice.
“Recent events have underlined the absolute necessity to encourage and reward our scientists and those who teach and encourage future generations. We rely on their dedication and innovation to improve many aspects of the lives of individuals and of our wider society."
Professor Peter Smowton, Head of School, added: “The whole school is delighted to congratulate Professor Calabrese on her achievement. As the citation states, Erminia’s major achievements and continuing influence at the forefront of observational cosmology are fully deserving of recognition through the award of the Fred Hoyle Medal.”
The award marks the second time the School has won the prestigious medal in recent years. Professor Jane Greaves triumphed in 2017 for her significant contribution to the understanding of planet formation and exoplanet habitability through her seminal imaging of debris discs around Sun-like stars and solar system bodies using far-infrared telescopes.
Press contacts
For specific enquiries about Professor Calabrese, or to arrange interviews, please contact Heath Jeffries, Cardiff University Communications: jeffrieshv1@cardiff.ac.uk +447940 012468.
For specific enquiries about the IOP/2022 IOP Awards, please contact awards@iop.org
Notes to Editors
Cardiff University
Cardiff University is recognised in independent government assessments as one of Britain’s leading teaching and research universities and is a member of the Russell Group of the UK’s most research intensive universities. The 2014 Research Excellence Framework ranked the University 5th in the UK for research excellence. Among its academic staff are two Nobel Laureates, including the winner of the 2007 Nobel Prize for Medicine, Professor Sir Martin Evans. Founded by Royal Charter in 1883, today the University combines impressive modern facilities and a dynamic approach to teaching and research. The University’s breadth of expertise encompasses: the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; the College of Biomedical and Life Sciences; and the College of Physical Sciences and Engineering, along with a longstanding commitment to lifelong learning. Cardiff’s flagship Research Institutes are offering radical new approaches to pressing global problems. More at www.cardiff.ac.uk
The Institute of Physics (IOP)
The Institute of Physics (IOP) is the professional body and learned society for physics in the UK and Ireland. It seeks to raise public awareness and understanding of physics, inspire people to develop their knowledge, understanding and enjoyment of physics and support the development of a diverse and inclusive physics community. As a charity, it has a mission to ensure that physics delivers on its exceptional potential to benefit society.
The Institute of Physics (IOP) Awards
The IOP Awards proudly reflect the wide variety of people, places, organisations and achievements that make physics such an exciting discipline. They celebrate people at every stage of their career, from those just starting out through to those at their peak. They also recognise and celebrate companies which are successful in the application of physics and innovation, as well as employers that demonstrate their commitment and contribution to scientific and engineering apprenticeship schemes.
More information about the IOP Awards here