The Sheffield Physics Society (aka PhySoc) is the Physics and Astronomy departmental society at the University of Sheffield. As a Sheffield Students' Union society, PhySoc organises a wide range of activities and events throughout the academic year, building an inclusive and welcoming community for all students across the department.
From pub quizzes to study socials, museum trips to late night scavenger hunts, PhySoc aims to encourage all students to make the very most of their time at the University of Sheffield, both academically and socially.
Run by a really passionate and hard-working committee, PhySoc endeavours to regularly organise different events that cater to all interests in the hope that all students feel welcomed to come along and get to know us here at PhySoc!
The Hicks Ball is the annual physics departmental ball, organised and hosted by PhySoc towards the end of each academic teaching year for all students, PGRs and staff across the department. This is always a really lovely evening consisting of welcome drinks, a three course meal, some student nominated and voted awards, a live band, and lots of dancing!
The Hicks Ball is a great event to bring the academic year to a close, getting all our members together to celebrate a year of hard-work and PhySoc fun.
Every Wednesday afternoon PhySoc hosts a study social in Interval Kitchen, a cafe located within the Sheffield Students’ Union.
This weekly event is designed for all students within the department to be able to come along at whatever time suits them and for however long they’d like to study in the company of other students. This social is also a great opportunity for students across all levels within the physics department to work together to understand parts of their courses, encouraging a really supportive and caring student environment.
Our Wednesday study social is something we’re really proud of here at PhySoc.
Barmageddon is PhySoc’s infamous annual Halloween social (as you might’ve already guessed from the photo!).
Following an Oscar worthy promo video produced by the PhySoc committee each year, at this social the committee starts the evening as zombies, and gradually zombify other PhySoc members if they break the barmageddon rules.
Some of these rules include ‘don’t be more than 10 minutes late’, ‘don’t call a committee member by their name’, and ‘don’t be in a photo with a zombie’. The last PhySoc member to remain un-zombified wins!
Museum trips organised by PhySoc are a great opportunity for students to explore areas of science outside the scope of a physics degree together.
Our most recent museum venture was to Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham where we found out about the proud history of steelworks in Sheffield.
PhySoc’s visits to the Lego Cafe (the Builder’s Brew Cafe in Sheffield) is definitely one of our absolute favourite socials!
We are yet to find a physics student who doesn’t totally love building Lego sets while indulging on hot chocolates with lots of cream and marshmallows!
This is a social that always gets everyone chatting and getting to know each other better.
Candid Camera is our highly anticipated annual late night scavenger hunt social, in which PhySoc members form teams and compete to take photos of their team completing challenges across Sheffield City Centre.
Some of these challenges include “anthropomorphised tetrahedron - make a human pyramid”, “slainte - drink a baby guinness (or a soft drink of choice) while Irish dancing”, and “in the shadow of giants - pose like the iron ladies, next to the iron ladies”.
Candid camera is one of PhySoc’s most popular events, always guaranteeing to stir up some chaotic fun and friendly competition between teams.
Visiting our local board game cafe (The Treehouse Board Game Cafe in Sheffield) is one of PhySoc’s most popular socials.
We always have a really fun evening here playing board games, drinking milkshakes, and occasionally getting a little too competitive over a game of Articulate!
Each academic year, PhySoc enters both a football and netball team into campus leagues.
Organised and run by PhySoc’s football and netball secretaries, all our members are always welcomed and encouraged to come along and play weekley matches against other departmental society teams.
We might not be quite top of the leagues, but we always have a really great time playing matches.
Roar, the sports club night at the Foundry, and an excuse to wear fancy dress, was something PhySoc wasn’t going to miss out on!
Celebrating our sporting success in the football and netball campus leagues with our members is always a lot of fun.
If you would like more information, please email us at physoc@sheffield.ac.uk