Professor Glenn Patrick CPhys, FInstP, FRAS is a particle physicist who has spent most of his career working on the massive particle accelerators at the CERN Laboratory in Geneva. Until recently, he was studying the subtle differences between matter and anti-matter deep underground at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) – the biggest machine on the planet! He is now an Honorary Scientist at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory near to Oxford and is a Fellow of both the Institute of Physics and the Royal Astronomical Society.

Glenn is also well known as an engaging science communicator and has won grants for his outreach work. He gives inspirational public talks to schools, science cafes, festivals and cruise lines where he specialises in exploring physics, cosmology, astronomy and the earth sciences in everyday language. As a Visiting Professor at the University of Portsmouth and also a Tutor with the Open University, he has a unique perspective which enables him to bring the beauty of the natural world and the mysteries of the physical universe closer to us.

Listed below are some examples of talks that can be readily delivered. My talks can usually be adapted to specific cruise itineraries, and I am also very happy to write other science related talks tailored to the specific requirements of cruise directors.

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SCIENCE - PHYSICS, ASTRONOMY & SPACE SCIENCE:

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1. A QUESTION OF TIME.
As we cross time zones and change clocks on our travels, we look at the whole question of time and ponder what is means to us. This includes big questions such as does time have a start, can it be reversed, and will it have an end? Particularly suited to ocean crossings with time zone changes.

2. COSMIC PARTICLES - MESSENGERS OF THE UNIVERSE.
This talk explores the origin of cosmic rays and what they tell us about the Universe. Along the way, their links with ocean cruising, volcanoes and the secrets of the pyramids are discussed! Good connections with USA and European scientists, worldwide geographic locations, ocean cruising and Northern Lights.

3. THE LARGE HADRON COLLIDER AND THE HIDDEN UNIVERSE.
The Large Hadron Collider is the largest scientific machine on the planet and capable of probing deep into matter. This talk puts it under the microscope and discusses what it is revealing about the hidden subatomic Universe. A truly global endeavour (over 70 countries) so can be tailored to many itineraries.

4.THE QUEST FOR ANTIMATTER.
Antimatter was discovered over 80 years ago, but there seems to be a serious lack of it in the Universe, despite everyday production in laboratories and even within our own bodies. This talk examines this exotic substance and how it is thought to explain our very existence. Strong links with both American and European places and personalities.

5. NEUTRINOS - GHOSTS OF THE UNIVERSE.
As we travel the oceans, we are all too aware of the light emitted from the Sun. However, the Sun would not shine at all if it were not for a tiny sub-atomic particle that also makes the 8-minute journey from our star, but then goes on to travel straight through the Earth! This talk explores what has been revealed about the amazing properties of the enigmatic neutrino and its crucial role in the Universe. Links with several geographic locations, including the Mediterranean, southern polar regions, USA and Japan.

6. THE SEARCH FOR DARK MATTER.
It appears that only 5% of the Universe is made from everyday matter. This talk looks at the 25% thought to be made from invisible dark matter and how it is being searched for deep underground and in space. Links with USA/Canada, Europe, and Asia.

7. THE ENTANGLED CATS OF COPENHAGEN.
James Joyce described Copenhagen as a place in which “things are not what they seem”. This talk explores why the city became a world-famous centre for quantum physics and the nature of reality. Links with Copenhagen and many European scientists.

8. LEAPING THE ATLANTIC.
This talk looks at the history of crossing the Atlantic and how revolutionary scientific discoveries have enabled information to flow between the UK and USA at the speed of light! Strong links with James Clerk-Maxwell, Guglielmo Marconi, and Atlantic Ocean.

9. THE PURSUIT OF THE HIGGS PARTICLE.
This talk describes a 50-year hunt for a sub-atomic particle thought to explain the expansion of the Universe. The race to find this mythical particle has oscillated between both sides of the Atlantic with the USA and Europe vying to build the largest scientific machines on the planet, including the Large Hadron Collider. Includes links to science, politics, and personalities in a transatlantic struggle between USA and Europe.

10. WALTON’S LEGACY AND THE LARGE HADRON COLLIDER.
This talk looks at the legacy of Ernest Walton – the first Irish person to win a Nobel prize in science. His pioneering work with John Cockcroft at Cambridge led to them splitting the atom and started our quest to peer deeper and deeper into matter. Strong links with Dublin, Cambridge.

11. WIDEROE’S LEGACY AND THE LARGE HADRON COLLIDER.
The Wideroe airline is a familiar company in Norway, but it is less well-known that a family member, Rolf Wideroe, came up with some of the concepts that led to building the largest machine on the planet – the 27 km Large Hadron Collider in Geneva! Strong links with Norway.

12. THE HAMBURG GLUE OF LIFE.
We exist only because elementary particles are bound together to form atoms, which then make up our molecules and human cells. This is the story of the quantum glue that holds our very own atoms together and how it was eventually discovered in a Hamburg suburb. Links with Hamburg.

13. MENDELEEV’S DREAM AND MODERN ALCHEMY.
The iconic Periodic Table which maps out all the chemical elements is 150 years old. It apparently came to the famous Russian chemist Dmitry Mendeleev in a dream and launched St. Petersburg as a major scientific centre. This talk explores the life of Mendeleev, the emergence of the Periodic Table and how atom smashers have achieved the long-held alchemist’s dream of turning base metals into precious elements. Links with St. Petersburg.

14. NOBEL CITIES AND NOBLE ENDEAVOURS.
The Nobel Prize in peace is awarded in Oslo each year, whereas the other five prizes are awarded in Stockholm. It is not clear why Alfred Nobel stipulated this arrangement between Sweden and Norway and this talk explores the background and legacy of the prizes. We then focus on some of the science prizes, the controversies, and their influence today. Links with Stockholm, Oslo.

15. SHADES OF NATURE
The West Indies are bathed in colour with blue skies, azure seas and bright red sunsets. Why do we see this rich palette and how is it created? This illustrated talk looks at the aesthetics and beauty of colour, the science of colour and some of the personalities behind. Links with any destination, but especially the Caribbean and Mediterranean.

16. RIPPLES IN THE UNIVERSE
A giant laser beam recently made the first direct observation of gravitational waves – “ripples in space-time” – by detecting the tiniest of movements. These ripples were first predicted by Einstein over 100 years ago and we look at how we are now observing colliding black holes and neutron stars across the Universe. Links with USA (Washington State, Louisiana) and Italy.

17. THE HUNT FOR EARTH 2.0 AND ALIEN LIFE
Nearly half of all telescopes can be found in deserts of Chile. The world’s largest optical telescope is also situated on a volcanic peak 1.5 miles above sea level on La Palma. One thing that connects these facilities that they have helped to find 4,000 exoplanets orbiting distant stars. We look at how we have managed to find these planets way beyond our own Solar System and the prospects for finding extra-terrestrial life. Links with Chile, Canary Isles and Caribbean.

18. DARK MATTERS
South Africa currently has the world’s largest radio telescope known as MeerKAT. This is part of a global effort to build an even bigger telescope called SKA with thousands of dishes split between South Africa and Western Australia. In this talk, we look at the “Dark Universe” and how South Africa is poised to lead cosmology research in the next decade. Links with South Africa, Australia and worldwide.

19. WILL THORIUM THUNDER?
Around 40% of Sweden’s electricity is generated using nuclear power, whereas Norway has no nuclear power stations. Thorium was discovered by Jons Jacob Berzeliuus, but it is Norway that is estimated to have the world’s largest reserve of this element. This talk looks at the different approaches to energy in the two countries and the potential role of thorium as we try to wean ourselves off fossil fuels. Links with Scandinavia.

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EARTH SCIENCES, GEOLOGY & CLIMATE:

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20. LOOKING THROUGH THE GREENHOUSE.
Glaciers are melting and even the land itself is rising because of climate change. But what do we really know about climate change and how is the world going to meet the energy demands of a growing population? Particularly relevant to any location with glaciers or climate effects .... including those near the polar regions.

21. THE NORTHERN LIGHTS - A QUANTUM LIGHT SHOW.
The Aurora are wonderful spectacles of nature caused by the solar wind and sub-atomic particles interacting with the Earth. This lecture explains the science, explores what they tell us about the Earth and looks at some of the folklore surrounding them. Particularly suited to Northern Lights cruises.

22. COLLIDING PLATES.
Iceland is home to continual seismic activity because it sits on the boundary between two tectonic plates. This talk looks at how the seabed of the world’s oceans has been mapped and what this revealed about continental drift and tectonic plates. Particularly suited to Iceland, Pacific Ring of Fire countries or anywhere with volcanic activity.

23. DATING THE DINOSAURS.
What caused the mass extinction of the dinosaurs that roamed the Earth? The best explanation is that a huge asteroid smashed into the Gulf of Mexico 66 million years ago. This talk examines the detective work by a Nobel winning physicist and his son that led to this conclusion. Links with Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico area and many countries with dinosaur fossils.

24. HURRICANE ALLEY
The Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean sit in the middle of the area known as “Hurricane Alley”. The hurricane season can be both a wondrous demonstration of the forces of nature, but also a frightening experience. In this talk, we look at the science and myths behind hurricanes and what we can do about them. Links with Caribbean, Florida and Gulf of Mexico area.

25. THE MAGNETISM OF GREENLAND
The geomagnetic North Pole currently sits off the northwest coast of Greenland. However, the magnetic north pole is wandering around at 50 km/year and may soon end up in Siberia! What will happen to GPS systems? Will the northern lights move? Will we still be protected from harmful radiation? This talk explores these questions and how the magnetism of the Earth depends on processes deep inside the core of our planet. Links with Greenland and Arctic countries.

26. ATLANTIC ANOMALIES
An area over the South Atlantic has been dubbed the “Bermuda Triangle of Space. This is the so-called South Atlantic Anomaly where the Earth’s magnetic field is weakening and causes the radiation belts to dip down from space with potentially disastrous consequence. We take a look at the background of this strange anomaly and at what is being done to monitor it on some of the islands in the South Atlantic like St. Helena and in Namibia. Links with South Atlantic, South America and Africa.

In addition to the above, further talks can be prepared and delivered and I am very happy to tailor my programme to the specific needs and themes of particular cruises. All of the talks are given in everyday language and need no prior scientific knowledge.

Enrichment lecturer since 2014. Experience as follows:

Fred Olsen (Bolette): Discovering Greece, Turkey & the Dalmatian Coast, 25 Feb - 28 Mar 2024
Fred Olsen (Balmoral): In Search of the Northern Lights at Christmas, 21 Dec 2023 - 04 Jan 2024
Fred Olsen (Balmoral): Winter Warmth in the Canaries, 30 Nov - 13 Dec 2023
Fred Olsen (Bolette): Scenic Exploration of the Adriatic & Dalmatian Coast, 18 Sep - 14 Oct 2023
Fred Olsen (Bolette): In Search of the Northern Lights, 11 - 23 Feb 2023
Fred Olsen (Bolette): White Christmas in Norway, 21 Dec 2022 - 3 Jan 2023
Cunard (Queen Victoria): The Canary Islands, 29 Nov - 11 Dec 2022
Princess Cruises (Enchanted Princess): Norway and Iceland, 22 Jul - 5 Aug 2022
Fred Olsen (Bolette): Natural Wonders of Iceland, 4 - 15 May 2022
Cunard (Queen Elizabeth): Atlantic Coast and Iberia,13 - 20 Feb 2022
Marella (Explorer): Cities and Ice, 4 - 18 Sep 2019
Cunard (Queen Mary 2): Transatlantic Crossing, 19 - 26 Nov 2016
Viking (Star): Viking Homelands, 24 Jul - 6 Aug 2016
Saga (Pearl II): Norwegian Fjords, 15 - 22 June 2014

I was also scheduled for the Baltic with Marella in May 2020 and Iceland with Fred Olsen in June 2020, but both cancelled due to COVID-19.

Glenn received the feedback below from the Cruise Director for Marella Explorer after a recent cruise.
"Probably the most interesting lecturer we have had on, and the attendance was probably the highest we've had with any guest speaker. Very intelligent man with a lot to tell, lovely presentation manner and definitely one to get back in the future".

The following recent Cruise History has been recorded for this candidate.