Ross Louis Jordan

I joined CDT-PIADS in 2016; who knew 4 years would feel like a millennia? The same can be said of my Bachelors in Astrophysics, which was also earned and awarded at Queen’s University Belfast. QUB has held its grip on me for 8 years now. If that doesn’t tell you what a fantastic bunch I’ve found, I don’t know what will.  

I also had the opportunity to stay in Glasgow for three months and it’s great to have the University of Glasgow as a ‘sister’ school, that genuinely does feel like part of the family. The family the CDT is continuing to grown. They’ve expanded not just my career, but my personal life and have provided opportunities to excel beyond the details of my research. 

PhD Project Title: Thermal Behaviour of Nanostructured Magnetic Materials

Supervisors:
Dr Solveig Felton, Queens University Belfast
Prof Stephen McVitie, University of Glasgow

The investigation into the thermal behaviour of nanostructured magnetic materials can be broken into three parts: 

1. Effect of magnetic domains on the lateral thermal transport of permalloy thin films. 
2. Magnetocaloric Effect in La(1-x)CaxMnO3 perovskites.
3. Spin-crossover in Magnetic Nanoparticles  

General Research/Science Interests: 
I’m massively keen to venture into the world of machine learning. It is, oddly, a very ‘new’ tool being used in almost every discipline of science, but has been a concept understood for almost as long as science has been recorded. Alan Turing understood these concepts to such a depth, combined with the understanding of number systems, to develop our society’s first ever computers.  

I want to combine the understanding of computer science, machine learning and magnetism to develop potential neural networks, made from magnetic islands that show Artificial Spin Ice.  

I’m hoping his could have applications to help us understand… well pretty much everything. The list of things I’ve thought of is fairly long. However, the more you go down my list, the more ambitious and less immediately applicable the ideas become. Dream big they say; aim for the moon they say, or is it the stars? 

Funding: 
My research is funded by the EPSRC

Talks / Presentations: 
I was due to talk at IOP Magnetism 2020, but yano, COVID.  

CDT Involvement: 
I represent my cohort at the monthly Management Board meetings.  

I also organised a radio show with the local radio stations to talk about the people underneath the lab-coats. To try and engage the public in science showing that it is performed by ordinary people. 

I am also a student buddy.  

Impact Activity:  
I have a science instagram page dedicated to inducing curiosity and wonder: @scientia.disciplina.ratio 

Contact me: 
Email: rossj775@gmail.com or rjordan08@qub.ac.uk  
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ross-jordan-0b82b41b2  

Any other info? 
I play in a band called Mac Tíre and Béar: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMvxw9ByCAI 
https://www.facebook.com/mactiresonoftheland 

I have also represented Ireland at the last two World Skate Inline Hockey Championships. I am on the squad to potentially represent my country again at the championships 2021 in Columbia. 

Most positive PIADS experience so far: 
It has to be the Conclave. There’s something for everyone at this occasion; Nerdy presentations with even nerdier pub quizzes, potential for employment and experience doing the dreaded “networking” which is invaluable going into the corporate world AND we all get very merry with a few pints.