Category Archives: People in physics

Women in tech: Step UP open now

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Girls Talk London are excited to announce our brand new programme for female students at university in the UK and Ghana, Step UP is now open for applications. 


Step UP is a FREE 6 month Tech talent accelerator programme taking place from January-June 2022 funded and supported by HSBC, Virgin Media O2, BT, and Vodafone for students who identify as female at university (all years are eligible to apply) that provides access to professionals and skills development training in the Technology Sector.

The Deadline to apply for this programme is Friday 26th November 2021 at 5pm

Interested and eligible students from any level/year should apply here: https://forms.gle/tUkXUqXSNtfzzJxc7

Delivered and managed by Girls Talk London, this programme will provide 80 female students in the UK and Ghana the following:

  • A mentor from a sponsoring business who they will meet for monthly one hour virtual mentoring sessions to receive structured support and guidance to pursue a career in Technology   
  • Monthly skills development masterclasses led by influential business professionals 
  • An exclusive specially curated two day virtual Tech Summit meeting Senior Leaders & recruiters from all sponsoring businesses in March 2022
  • Have the opportunity to apply to available internships and graduate jobs at sponsoring businesses

This is a fantastic opportunity for aspiring women in Technology to get their foot in the door, in time for when they graduate from university!

A two day virtual careers technology summit will take place in March 2022 for all participants to meet representatives from all businesses, take part in workshops where they can meet in-house technologists,  recruitment teams, Senior Leaders and discover the variety of opportunities within the technology sector and across all businesses. This summit is a fun and interactive opportunity for all participants to go behind the scenes in some of the world’s top businesses in Technology.

Physics powering a green economy

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Looking Glass is a podcast from the Institute of Physics. In their first series, Angela Saini hosted challenging conversations about our society, exploring ideas and innovations across disciplines to create a blueprint for a future world. In series two, Gemma Milne discusses the climate crisis and looks at the part physics has to play in powering a new green economy. 

Find out more on the IOP website

Physics in printing and graphics

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Exciting new developments are taking place in graphic arts technology and printing applications.

According to the Institute of Physics and their Printing and Graphics Science (PGS) Group:

The digital revolution initiated a whole range of new ways of reproducing and displaying images and information: physics is involved in forming and measuring the image and how it is perceived. Inkjet and other printing and deposition processes are being used in many novel applications such as visual displays, flexible electronics, smart packaging, lighting and photovoltaics based on organic and polymer electro-optic materials.

Physicists are actively involved in developing the processes, designing and characterising the products, and developing the new materials.

The UK has a world-leading position in these technologies, and the Printing and Graphics Science Group promotes the application of physics in these fields.

Institute of Physics, Printing and Graphics Science (PGS) Group, Applied Physics and Technology Division of the Institute of Physics

Their conference in July brings together scientists working in industry, academy and elsewhere, and develop links with other active professional societies, such as the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, Institute of Paper, Printing and Publishing, Royal Society of Chemistry, Royal Photographic Society and the Colour Group. 

Conference details

CAPS ‘21 – Free Physics conference

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CAPS ‘21 is the UK’s premier student physics and related conference, hosted this year by the University of Birmingham’s Poynting Physical Society alongside the Institute of Physics and CAPS ’21 is online for the first time.

You can expect:

  • Talks from prestigious speakers and panels with inspiring physicists in different sectors, in two parallel streams.
  • To meet other physics students across the UK, Ireland and beyond in a unique virtual conference environment, which includes networking and social activities.
  • To boost your skills participating in workshops and poster presentations, with opportunities to present your work.
  • Meet employers at our virtual careers fair.

The weekend will be hosted on Gather Town – a virtual space accessible through your browser which we will be using to simulate an in-person Careers & Networking Fair and Poster Session. 

Registration is via this link: CAPS ’21 Registration  or https://www.iopconferences.org/CAPS21

Masters, PhD students can submit an abstract for the student poster talks, but the deadline is soon! 18th June.

Physics in animal reproduction biotech

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A company formed by current and former College of Science & Engineering staff members has won one of the biggest prizes in the latest round of the prestigious Scottish EDGE Awards.

Dyneval, founded by Dr Tiffany Wood and Dr Vincent Martinez, received the top biotech award sponsored by iBioIC.

Offering quality control for animal reproduction, Dyneval was invented by physicists, with over 30 years of experience studying complex fluids at the University of Edinburgh, and was validated by vets. 

Members of the team combine deep-tech science and agri-tech expertise with networks in Canada, Argentina and the US and are adapting this technology to other species and challenges.

More here

IOP Careers Panels: 3 – Physics in medicine

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The Institute of Physics recent campaign LimitLess was aimed at encouraging young people to choose physics as degree.

However, the online careers panels feature 33 physicists sharing their expertise and experiences, talking about their roles and give great insight into different areas where physicists work. Q and A was great!

Dr Yolanda Ohene chaired the final panel session on Physics in Medicine, with speakers Heidi Hernandez, Jamie Mewburn-Crook, Sophie Martin and Lauren Byrne.

Credit : Institute of Physics

IOP Careers Panels: 2 – Robotics and AI

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The Institute of Physics recent campaign LimitLess was aimed at encouraging young people to choose physics as degree.

However, the online careers panels feature 33 physicists sharing their expertise and experiences, talking about their roles and give great insight into different areas where physicists work. Q and A was great!

Dr Clara Barker hosted their second discussion on Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, including contributions from Dr Luke Davis, Matthew Goundry, Matthew Watkins and Raquel Velasco.

Credit: Institute of Physics

IOP Careers Panels: 1 – Climate change

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The Institute of Physics recent campaign LimitLess was aimed at encouraging young people to choose physics as degree.

However, the online careers panels feature 33 physicists sharing their expertise and experiences, talking about their roles and give great insight into different areas where physicists work. Q and A was great!

The first panel focussed on climate change. More panel videos to follow.

Hosted by Jonathan Lansley-Gordon, the Climate Change panel discussion featured Naaza Zimba, Allan Simpson, Dr Kristin Burmeister and Dr José Luis Ramírez Mendiola.

Credit: Institute of Physics

Climate change – the IOP Environmental Physics Group

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Did you know the Institute of Physics (IOP) community has Special Interest groups representing discipline and the application of physics & astronomy across a wide range of sectors and contexts?

These groups play a huge part in influencing industry, government and global institutions.

For example:

The UN Global Climate Change Conference (COP26) will take place in Glasgow in November 2021 and the IOP wants to make its position on climate change clear and this will be published on its website as a precursor to more detailed comments and information to be provided later this year.

“IOP have asked the Environmental Physics Group Committee to review their draft statement, which you can download and read via the button below. The committee felt that the final paragraph of the statement needed more detailed and specific examples of how physicists have helped both to identify the existence and causes of climate change as well as providing mechanisms and motivation to address and reduce the human component of these causes. Given the huge wealth of expertise and knowledge within the group’s 1,650 members the committee invites suggestions from the membership to help IOP to create a very strong and clear statement about climate change.

So if you are interested in environmental physics or other other applications of physics:

  • join a special interest group
  • work with like-minded people
  • expand your network
  • make a difference

More on Special Interest Groups here