No Comment

Physics at Queen Mary

The physics department at Queen Mary, University of London (QMUL) has never thought small. It was here, back in 1984, that Michael Green - in collaboration with the US academic John Schwarz - did his pioneering work on string theory, and the department has retained its international research reputation ever since. At almost any time of day you can drop into the labs on the Mile End Road in east London and end up chatting to one of the world's top physicists.

You might find a similarly stellar cast list of academics at other leading universities, but you'd be hard pushed to find the same informality. And it's this combination that has helped secure QMUL the top ranking in this year's physics table. "In comparison with other departments, we're relatively small," says Professor David Dunstan, head of physics at QMUL. "Unlike many other research-intensive departments at other universities, we are not put under any pressure to take more students than we can comfortably handle. QMUL values the work we do and we can keep the staff-student ratio at a level that works to the benefit of everyone. With 25 academics and 45 other research, administration and support staff and just 120 students, we are able to operate an open-door policy so staff and students have the chance to build a close working relationship."

Inevitably places on the course are at a premium, but those students who are accepted will find something to fit their interests. "All single-honours courses have to be accredited by the Institute of Physics so they tend to cover similar ground," Dunstan continues, "but we also offer a range of natural science and modular courses; you can even do business studies with physics if you want." The choice of course is yours; which just leaves the small problem of getting on one.
John Crace

http://education.guardian.co.uk/universityguide2006/story/0,,1765198,00.html

No Porto são... durinhos.