Summary of the impact

The research carried out by Surrey's Nuclear Physics Group and the expertise of its members have informed and stimulated debate on a wide range of scientific areas via broadcasting, the press, science policy, STEM education, and wider public engagement.

Professor Al-Khalili, in particular, has built on his expertise and experience in theoretical nuclear physics, such as his published research on the properties of exotic halo nuclei, to promote and disseminate many fundamental ideas in quantum mechanics, and physics in general, to the wider public. Through his popular science books, such as Nucleus: A Trip into the Heart of Matter (the only coffee table book on nuclear physics) and Quantum: A Guide for the Perplexed, and his numerous television and radio programmes (such as BBC Four's Atom, which is widely seen as having broken new ground in the way science documentaries are presented), he has played a vital part in the resurgence of interest in physics in popular culture and in inspiring the next generation of scientists, impacting millions of people around the world.