Dr Alan Merchant

Physics
Lecturer in Physics

Qualifications

M.A. (Oxon), D.Phil.

Academic Background

Read Physics at Merton College, Oxford as an undergraduate (1973-1976) and started a D.Phil in theoretical nuclear physics (1977).
Transferred to Wolfson College, Oxford (1977) and completed D.Phil there (1979).
Guest Scientist at the Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung (G.S.I.) in Darmstadt, (West) Germany. (October 1979--September 1981)
Senior Research Associate at the SERC Daresbury Laboratory, Warrington. (October 1981--August 1984)
Research Associate at the Instituto de Estudos Avançados, of the Centro Técnico Aeroespacial in São José dos Campos, Brazil. (September 1984--October 1987 and October 1988--November 1990).
Research Assistant in the Department of Nuclear Physics at the University of Oxford (October 1987--October 1988, Dr. P.E.Hodgson's group).
Research Assistant in the Department of Nuclear Physics at the University of Oxford (October 1991--September 1996, Dr. W.D.M.Rae's group) and College Lecturer in Physics at Brasenose for four years in this period.
Research Assistant in the Department of Theoretical Physics at the University of Oxford (December 1990--September 1991 and October 1996—September 2000) and College Lecturer in Physics at Christ Church since 1996.
Currently working for Sungard on the Milton Business Park, Didcot (financial risk management consultant).

Undergraduate Teaching

Since 1991 I have taught
First Year – Mathematics, Classical Mechanics, Optics, Special Relativity.
Second/Third Year – Atomic Physics, Atmospheric Physics, Electromagnetism, Mathematics, Nuclear and Particle Physics, Optics, Quantum Mechanics, Special Relativity, Statistical Physics, Thermodynamics.

Research Interests

Low energy nuclear structure and reactions. Especially the application of cluster models to particle emission half-lives and quasi-rotational spectra.

Publications include:

100+ articles in refereed journals.

Hobbies

I have to say that physics is now a hobby rather than a profession. I also play a mean game of 5-a-side football and play the piano whenever time permits.