Professor of Physics, Department of Physics, University of Oxford

Professor Justin Wark is a Professor of Physics in the sub-department of Atomic and Laser Physics, in the Department of Physics at the University of Oxford, and a Tutorial Fellow in Physics at Trinity College. His research group currently focuses on two main areas: Shock compression of condensed matter and Warm dense matter.

Shock compression of condensed matter: The study of material at high pressures is highly challenging. Static techniques (such as compression in diamond anvil cells) allow us to reach pressures of several megabars. However, to reach higher pressures, such as those found in planetary cores, one must employ dynamic compression techniques. His main interest lies in the use of high power lasers to compress material via both shock and ramp (quasi-isentropic) compression. They are able to use laser generated x-rays to interrogate these highly complex systems on their fundamental length and time scales via in-situ, short-pulse x-ray diffraction.

Warm dense matter: The fields of condensed matter (where atomic binding energies greatly exceed kinetic energies), and plasma physics (where kinetic energy dominates potential), are well established. However, neither theory adequately describes systems whose energy is equally distributed between atomic binding and motion. These so called warm dense systems are of increasing interest to the physics community. The Wark group is at the forefront of using 4th generation light sources to generate and probe matter in the warm dense state.

Professor Wark is an elected member of the MPLS Divisional Board, the Chair of the NIF (US National Ignition Facility) Users' Group, and a member of the STFC Science Board.