Dr Holly Hedgeland

Biography

Prior to moving to the Open University, I held a Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship at the London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London. As an undergraduate, I read Natural Sciences at Cambridge, staying on for a PhD in the Surface Physics group at the Cavendish Laboratory. After finishing my PhD, I held a postdoc and teaching fellowship at Robinson College and also spent two years as a secondary teacher of maths and physics before moving to UCL.

Research Interest

"My background is in surface science with a particular interest in dynamical phenomena at surfaces. I have applied experimental techniques ranging from helium atom scattering and scanning tunnelling microscopy to synchrotron x-ray and neutron scattering to evaluate surface energy landscapes and friction. I am particularly interested in providing the novel data needed for benchmarking the latest developments in theoretical approaches such as density functional theory and molecular dynamics. I also have an interest in Physics Education Research, stemming from MEd/MA-ODE and practitioner studies while teaching in the secondary sector, and I am currently involved in several PER projects based at the OU."