Lesley Cohen (physicist)

Lesley Cohen
Alma mater

University of Cambridge

Bedford College
Scientific career
Fields Magnetic Materials
Institutions Imperial College London

Lesley Cohen is a Professor of solid-state physics at Imperial College London. She works in magnetic materials for solid-state magnetic refrigeration and spintronic applications.

Education

Cohen completed her BSc in Physics at Bedford College in 1983. She moved to the University of Cambridge to complete a PhD entitled "Microwave Investigations into Superconducting Systems".[1] She joined Polytechnic University of New York as a postdoctoral research fellow in 1988 and was appointed Assistant Professor in 1989.[1]

Research

Cohen first joined Imperial College London in 1993 as a Royal Society Research Fellow.[2] She became a Reader in Solid State in 2003 and a Professor in 2006.[1] Between 2008 - 2013, she was Head of Solid State Physics, one of the largest research groups at Imperial.[3] Cohen is interested in alternatives to standard models of refrigeration, using magnetic materials.[4] Magnetic refrigeration could provide a "green" alternative to traditional fridges, using 20 - 30% less energy.[5] In 2009 her group uncovered the mechanism behind cooling crystals, known as the magnetocaloric effect.[6][7][8]

She is co-investigator the UK EPSRC Research Programme on Nanoplasmonics "Reactive Plasmonics".[9]

In 2014 Cohen arranged a Royal Society two-day residential conference on "Emergence of new exotic states at interfaces with superconductors".[10] In 2016 she took part in another two-day discussion at the Royal Society, "Taking the temperature of phase transitions in cool materials".[11][12] She is consul for the Faculty of Natural Sciences.[13]

Her recent work focuses on exotic properties that occur at interfaces between thin films, at crystallographic boundaries and at vertices in honeycomb structures, working closely with 'Urban Legend' Dr. Will R. Branford.[14][15]

Support for women in science

As well as being a prominent voice for early career researchers and postgraduates, Cohen is a passionate campaigner for women in physics.[16] In 1996 Cohen created a booklet, Voices from Women in Science, which led to a number of opportunities promoting diversity at Imperial College London.[17] She sits on the Department of Physics Juno committee, which writes the Athena Swan and Juno applications.[2] Under her leadership, the department was awarded Juno Champion status and Athena Silver Swan Awards.[2] She is Imperial College's Academic Ambassador for Women and chair of the Committee for Academic Women.[18] In 2013 she was the inaugural winner of Imperial College London Julia Higgins medal.[19]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Home - Professor Lesley F Cohen". www.imperial.ac.uk. Retrieved 2018-01-25.
  2. 1 2 3 "Juno Committee". Imperial College London. Retrieved 2018-01-25.
  3. ↑ "Prof Lesley Cohen New Head of Experimental Solid States Group". Imperial College London. Retrieved 2018-01-26.
  4. ↑ "New methods of refrigeration". Radio National. 2008-02-14. Retrieved 2018-01-25.
  5. ↑ "Researchers closer to the ultimate green 'fridge magnet'". Imperial College London. Retrieved 2018-01-26.
  6. ↑ "Scientist uncover key mechanism in magnetic cooling crystals". Electronics Weekly. 2009-05-21. Retrieved 2018-01-25.
  7. ↑ "European Commission : CORDIS : News and Events : Magnets key to next generation of energy-saving white goods". cordis.europa.eu. Retrieved 2018-01-25.
  8. ↑ "Magnetic Refrigeration FTW!". AnandTech Forums: Technology, Hardware, Software, and Deals. Retrieved 2018-01-25.
  9. ↑ "Professor Lesley Cohen - Reactive Plasmonics". Reactive Plasmonics. Retrieved 2018-01-25.
  10. ↑ "Emergence of new exotic states at interfaces with superconductors". royalsociety.org. Retrieved 2018-01-25.
  11. ↑ "Taking the temperature of phase transitions in cool materials". royalsociety.org. Retrieved 2018-01-25.
  12. ↑ "Committee Members | Research groups | Imperial College London". www.imperial.ac.uk. Retrieved 2018-01-25.
  13. ↑ "Academic and research staff | Research groups | Imperial College London". www.imperial.ac.uk. Retrieved 2018-01-25.
  14. ↑ Dunning, Hayley. "New way to write magnetic info could pave the way for hardware neural networks". Imperial College London. Retrieved 2018-01-25.
  15. ↑ Gartside, Jack C.; Arroo, Daan M.; Burn, David M.; Bemmer, Victoria L.; Moskalenko, Andy; Cohen, Lesley F.; Branford, Will R. (January 2018). "Realization of ground state in artificial kagome spin ice via topological defect-driven magnetic writing". Nature Nanotechnology. 13 (1): 53–58. arXiv:1704.07439. Bibcode:2018NatNa..13...53G. doi:10.1038/s41565-017-0002-1. ISSN 1748-3395.
  16. ↑ "Anger grows as 1,000 engineering and physical sciences PhDs slashed". Times Higher Education (THE). 2011-08-04. Retrieved 2018-01-25.
  17. ↑ Physics, Institute of. "Four new members have joined the Institute's Council". www.iop.org. Retrieved 2018-01-25.
  18. ↑ "Postgraduate Contacts". Imperial College London. Retrieved 2018-01-25.
  19. ↑ "Julia Higgins Medal and Awards". Imperial College London. Retrieved 2018-01-25.
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