James Ferrando
@jamesferrando.bsky.social
Particle physicist at Lancaster University @atlasexperiment.bsky.social. Personal account, all views expressed are my own
Reposted by James Ferrando
![[Scene is a kitchen - a middle aged woman called JANET is boiling peas at the stove. A younger more colourfully dressed woman named LIZ approached her.]
JANET:
Ugh...
LIZ:
What's up?
JANET:
I am so bored of cooking peas!
LIZ:
Have you tried...
AI peas?
JANET:
AI peas?
LIZ:
They're peas with AI!
[Liz holds up to us a packet of peas labelled: Pea-i AI - Peas with AI].
LIZ:
Al-powered peas harness the potential of your peas
JANET:
What
LIZ [Now a voiceover as we cut to a whizzy technology diagram of peas all connected by meaningless dotted lines]
Why not take your peas to the next level with Al Peas' new Al tools to power your peas?
[Show a techno diagram of a pea with a label reading 'AI' pointing to a random zone in it]
LIZ:
Each pea has Al in a way we haven't quite worked out yet but it's fine
[Show Janet and Liz now in a Matrix-style world of peas]
LIZ:
With Al peas you can supercharge productivity and make AI work for your peas!
JANET:
What
LIZ:
Shut up
LIZ:
Our game-changing Pea-Al gives you the freedom to unlock the potential of the power of the future of your peas workflow
From opening the bag of peas
to boiling the peas
to eating the peas
To spending millions on adding Al to the peas and then having to work out what that even means.
JANET:
Is it really necessary to-
LIZ [Grabbing Janet by the collar]:
THE PEAS HAVE GOT AI, JANET
[Cut to an advert ending screen, with the bag of peas and the slogan:
AI PEAS: Just 'Peas' for god's sake buy the AI peas.
[Ends]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:4m3we4apbjayclzcnhwe3pfp/bafkreiayqa37f7kik7l7s7fbtfp2sir5ckb662ry2lylinyjrfa2rkvvka@jpeg)
Reposted by James Ferrando
Interested in a fully funded PhD place in Experimental Particle Physics in Edinburgh?
We have fully funded studentships, including a specific scholarship for students from a Black heritage (including mixed Black background).
More info: inspirehep.net/jobs/3080808
We have fully funded studentships, including a specific scholarship for students from a Black heritage (including mixed Black background).
More info: inspirehep.net/jobs/3080808
INSPIRE
inspirehep.net
November 8, 2025 at 9:23 AM
Interested in a fully funded PhD place in Experimental Particle Physics in Edinburgh?
We have fully funded studentships, including a specific scholarship for students from a Black heritage (including mixed Black background).
More info: inspirehep.net/jobs/3080808
We have fully funded studentships, including a specific scholarship for students from a Black heritage (including mixed Black background).
More info: inspirehep.net/jobs/3080808
Sad news. It was fantastic to be taught by Robin as a student and then to work with him as a colleague.
Professor Robin Devenish (1942–2025) - Hertford College | University of Oxford
It is with great sadness that we share the news of the death of Hertford Emeritus Fellow Robin Devenish, who died peacefully at home surrounded by his family on 27 October. Robin was appointed to a Un...
www.hertford.ox.ac.uk
November 7, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Sad news. It was fantastic to be taught by Robin as a student and then to work with him as a colleague.
Reposted by James Ferrando
There's still time to apply for our Career Development Fellowship scheme, which aims to support the retention in STEM of researchers from underrepresented backgrounds. The deadline for this application round is Wednesday 19 November: https://royalsociety.org/grants/career-development-fellowship/
October 28, 2025 at 12:50 PM
There's still time to apply for our Career Development Fellowship scheme, which aims to support the retention in STEM of researchers from underrepresented backgrounds. The deadline for this application round is Wednesday 19 November: https://royalsociety.org/grants/career-development-fellowship/
Reposted by James Ferrando
Tuning the treatment laser to the collagen absorption peak could enable efficient pancreatic tumour ablation with minimal damage to healthy tissue. 🧪⚛️ physicsworld.com/a/resonant-l...
Resonant laser ablation selectively destroys pancreatic tumours – Physics World
A mid-infrared femtosecond laser tuned to the collagen absorption peak can ablate pancreatic cancer while preserving healthy pancreatic tissues
physicsworld.com
October 23, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Tuning the treatment laser to the collagen absorption peak could enable efficient pancreatic tumour ablation with minimal damage to healthy tissue. 🧪⚛️ physicsworld.com/a/resonant-l...
Reposted by James Ferrando
Here’s the link to the full @royalsociety.org report on UK researcher visa costs compared to other countries
royalsociety.org/news-resourc...
royalsociety.org/news-resourc...
UK immigration costs: an international comparison of skilled worker, researcher and student visas in 2025 | Royal Society
2025 update to the Royal Society's analyses of upfront immigration costs in the UK and 17 other leading science nations.
royalsociety.org
October 21, 2025 at 8:36 AM
Here’s the link to the full @royalsociety.org report on UK researcher visa costs compared to other countries
royalsociety.org/news-resourc...
royalsociety.org/news-resourc...
Reposted by James Ferrando
If any Labour MPs are reading (go on, you know you want to), as someone trying to hire six new Oxford professors in AI / experiments / big data / all the stuff you say you want, I would really appreciate knowing if new hires can, you know, stay in the country they move to... current policy is chaos
October 20, 2025 at 8:55 PM
If any Labour MPs are reading (go on, you know you want to), as someone trying to hire six new Oxford professors in AI / experiments / big data / all the stuff you say you want, I would really appreciate knowing if new hires can, you know, stay in the country they move to... current policy is chaos
Reposted by James Ferrando
All of which is to say, this has costs, for us in HE sure, but also for business, medicine, finance, tech, arts and entertainment, pharmaceuticals. The industries that this country is a world leader in. And if you cannot fathom why this uncertainty is a problem then you are not fit to govern.
October 20, 2025 at 8:57 PM
All of which is to say, this has costs, for us in HE sure, but also for business, medicine, finance, tech, arts and entertainment, pharmaceuticals. The industries that this country is a world leader in. And if you cannot fathom why this uncertainty is a problem then you are not fit to govern.
Reposted by James Ferrando
“This morning, Germany is one nation again.”
This is how BBC Breakfast News reported on German reunification, 35 years ago today.
This is how BBC Breakfast News reported on German reunification, 35 years ago today.
October 3, 2025 at 6:43 AM
“This morning, Germany is one nation again.”
This is how BBC Breakfast News reported on German reunification, 35 years ago today.
This is how BBC Breakfast News reported on German reunification, 35 years ago today.
Reposted by James Ferrando
Daybreak over the Bridge of Sighs 🌅
📷 Instagram | Juncao_Oxford
📷 Instagram | Juncao_Oxford
September 3, 2025 at 8:12 AM
Daybreak over the Bridge of Sighs 🌅
📷 Instagram | Juncao_Oxford
📷 Instagram | Juncao_Oxford
Reposted by James Ferrando
We are calling on the UK Government to not introduce a levy on higher education provider income from international students, reduce visa costs to attract global talent, and to review higher education funding to create a sustainable model
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/documents/58...
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/documents/58...
July 10, 2025 at 8:54 AM
We are calling on the UK Government to not introduce a levy on higher education provider income from international students, reduce visa costs to attract global talent, and to review higher education funding to create a sustainable model
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/documents/58...
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/documents/58...
Reposted by James Ferrando
“High visa fees are putting off some of the world’s most talented scientists from coming to the UK,” said Foulkes, with “We need to be able to compete for the world’s best scientists.” research institutes forced to divert funds from labs to pay fees.”
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
Cancer research ‘set back years’ as visa fees drive scien...
With vital studies being shelved and foreign experts turning down jobs, leading charity urges ministers to act
observer.co.uk
August 24, 2025 at 6:12 AM
“High visa fees are putting off some of the world’s most talented scientists from coming to the UK,” said Foulkes, with “We need to be able to compete for the world’s best scientists.” research institutes forced to divert funds from labs to pay fees.”
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
Reposted by James Ferrando
A couple of thoughts on genAI.
Even if it was brilliant, worked perfectly, and did not hallucinate, I would not want it in an undergraduate setting in an unguarded manner.
Even if it was brilliant, worked perfectly, and did not hallucinate, I would not want it in an undergraduate setting in an unguarded manner.
August 12, 2025 at 9:05 AM
A couple of thoughts on genAI.
Even if it was brilliant, worked perfectly, and did not hallucinate, I would not want it in an undergraduate setting in an unguarded manner.
Even if it was brilliant, worked perfectly, and did not hallucinate, I would not want it in an undergraduate setting in an unguarded manner.
Reposted by James Ferrando
July 8, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Reposted by James Ferrando
The ATLAS Collaboration at @cern.bsky.social has just launched a new release of #opendata designed to empower education, outreach and #citizenscience!
Explore the new release ⤵️
opendata.atlas.cern/docs/categor...
Explore the new release ⤵️
opendata.atlas.cern/docs/categor...
13 TeV (2025 Beta Release) | ATLAS Open Data
Welcome to the tutorial page for the 2025 13 TeV beta release. Please, start by choosing your enviroment and continue as needed.
opendata.atlas.cern
July 3, 2025 at 4:33 PM
The ATLAS Collaboration at @cern.bsky.social has just launched a new release of #opendata designed to empower education, outreach and #citizenscience!
Explore the new release ⤵️
opendata.atlas.cern/docs/categor...
Explore the new release ⤵️
opendata.atlas.cern/docs/categor...
Reposted by James Ferrando
Pick them up! Systems easy and fun. TBH we’ve had such a good time playing that nothing was lost by stopping to learn something we missed. Just remember M.A.R.V.E.L … #ttrpg
Gamers! Amazon is having a stunning sale on the Marvel Multiverse RPG books. Core Rulebook: $21, X-Men: $20, Spider-Verse: $21. Grab 'em quick!
amzn.to/44FWMIw
amzn.to/44FWMIw
Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game
Visit Amazon's Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game Page and shop for all Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game books. Check out pictures, author information, and reviews of Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game
amzn.to
July 10, 2025 at 3:56 AM
Pick them up! Systems easy and fun. TBH we’ve had such a good time playing that nothing was lost by stopping to learn something we missed. Just remember M.A.R.V.E.L … #ttrpg
Reposted by James Ferrando
Big day @leverhulme.ac.uk - we are celebrating our centenary by investing £100m in blue skies research and doctoral centres. Here I explain why... @wonkhe.bsky.social
Research funding requires research capacity wonkhe.com/blogs/resear...
Research funding requires research capacity wonkhe.com/blogs/resear...
Research funding requires research capacity
The Leverhulme Trust is investing an extra £100m in supporting research next year. Anna Vignoles calls for new thinking on ways to sustain university research infrastructures
wonkhe.com
July 7, 2025 at 6:40 AM
Big day @leverhulme.ac.uk - we are celebrating our centenary by investing £100m in blue skies research and doctoral centres. Here I explain why... @wonkhe.bsky.social
Research funding requires research capacity wonkhe.com/blogs/resear...
Research funding requires research capacity wonkhe.com/blogs/resear...
Reposted by James Ferrando
Shamelessly replugging this from two years ago. We would never look at the proportion of, say, schools, that don't turn out literate pupils and go 'oh well, probably those kids were better off out of it'. We shouldn't view the short tail of bad courses and/or outcomes any differently:
July 2, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Shamelessly replugging this from two years ago. We would never look at the proportion of, say, schools, that don't turn out literate pupils and go 'oh well, probably those kids were better off out of it'. We shouldn't view the short tail of bad courses and/or outcomes any differently:
Reposted by James Ferrando
Dear friends and colleagues from the physics community, be sure not to forget that you can nominate young researchers for the early career prize of New Journal of Physics! 🏆
iopscience.iop.org/journal/1367...
iopscience.iop.org/journal/1367...
Early Career Award - New Journal of Physics - IOPscienceSearch
iopscience.iop.org
June 16, 2025 at 10:33 AM
Dear friends and colleagues from the physics community, be sure not to forget that you can nominate young researchers for the early career prize of New Journal of Physics! 🏆
iopscience.iop.org/journal/1367...
iopscience.iop.org/journal/1367...
Reposted by James Ferrando
Sharing on behalf of colleagues: Lancaster University Library is looking to commission an artist to create a mural to promote its new Graphic Novels Collection. Deadline for applications this Friday (20th June), details here: tr.ee/JKSl7cv-Ei
June 18, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Sharing on behalf of colleagues: Lancaster University Library is looking to commission an artist to create a mural to promote its new Graphic Novels Collection. Deadline for applications this Friday (20th June), details here: tr.ee/JKSl7cv-Ei
Occasionally updated thread of songs that I am particularly enjoying at the time:
Susana Baca's song for the Desaparecidos
open.spotify.com/track/5OYKJl...
(A cover of an original song by Natalia Lafourcade)
1/X
Susana Baca's song for the Desaparecidos
open.spotify.com/track/5OYKJl...
(A cover of an original song by Natalia Lafourcade)
1/X
Hasta La Raíz
open.spotify.com
June 10, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Occasionally updated thread of songs that I am particularly enjoying at the time:
Susana Baca's song for the Desaparecidos
open.spotify.com/track/5OYKJl...
(A cover of an original song by Natalia Lafourcade)
1/X
Susana Baca's song for the Desaparecidos
open.spotify.com/track/5OYKJl...
(A cover of an original song by Natalia Lafourcade)
1/X
Reposted by James Ferrando
💣 The Muon g-2 theory initiative dropped their update. Bottom line: the g-2 anomaly is gone. arxiv.org/abs/2505.21476
🧪⚛️
🧪⚛️
May 28, 2025 at 5:39 AM
💣 The Muon g-2 theory initiative dropped their update. Bottom line: the g-2 anomaly is gone. arxiv.org/abs/2505.21476
🧪⚛️
🧪⚛️
Reposted by James Ferrando
Check it out: two open PhD positions and a postdoc position in our ATLAS group at @nikhef.bsky.social. On the search for double-Higgs production in the LHC Run-3 data!
➡️ jobs.nikhef.nl
➡️ jobs.nikhef.nl
May 24, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Check it out: two open PhD positions and a postdoc position in our ATLAS group at @nikhef.bsky.social. On the search for double-Higgs production in the LHC Run-3 data!
➡️ jobs.nikhef.nl
➡️ jobs.nikhef.nl
A little late posting this news item about the recent Breakthrough prize award to the LHC experiments (with Lancaster context)
www.lancaster.ac.uk/news/-atlas-...
www.lancaster.ac.uk/news/-atlas-...
ATLAS Collaboration awarded Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics - Lancaster University
The ATLAS Collaboration at CERN has been awarded the Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics for its pioneering studies of the high-energy collisions from the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).
www.lancaster.ac.uk
April 22, 2025 at 1:12 PM
A little late posting this news item about the recent Breakthrough prize award to the LHC experiments (with Lancaster context)
www.lancaster.ac.uk/news/-atlas-...
www.lancaster.ac.uk/news/-atlas-...
Reposted by James Ferrando
Application deadline this week!
📢 We're hiring! 📢
In the context of our ENW-XL grant 'The Full Potential of the Higgs' we have 3 open PhD positions in our ATLAS group at Nikhef on the exciting search for double-Higgs production in the LHC Run-3 data!
➡️ jobs.nikhef.nl/jobs/3-phd-p... @nikhef.bsky.social
In the context of our ENW-XL grant 'The Full Potential of the Higgs' we have 3 open PhD positions in our ATLAS group at Nikhef on the exciting search for double-Higgs production in the LHC Run-3 data!
➡️ jobs.nikhef.nl/jobs/3-phd-p... @nikhef.bsky.social
April 14, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Application deadline this week!