Year 12 Physics Trip: Physics in Action Lecture Day

'If no evidence of life is ever found on Mars, it brings up the question that is there is no life on a planet so similar to us, are we then alone in the universe?' . - Sanjeev Gupta
 
On Monday this week, Year 12 Physics students attended the Physics in Action Lecture Day in the Emmanuel Centre, London. They got to hear from a fascinating and diverse array of speakers, talking about the Science they've been doing within their careers and their pathways into their current research. 
 
Sanjeev Gupta talked to us about his work on Martian rover missions, and how he is able to use his expertise as an Earth Scientist to address big questions about whether or not there was water (and life) on Mars. He thrilled us all by telling us of plans to return samples of Martian rock to Earth for study, which will be an incredible feat of engineering if it works! 
 
Caroline Shenton-Taylor talked to us about her work as a nuclear physicist, working specifically on detecting hidden radioactive material (which has huge application to national security) and how she is working with AI to help identify specific radioactive isotopes from very noisy gamma spectra. It was especially interesting to learn about how the AI is trained and makes decisions based upon the inputs. 
 
Leah Morgan talked to us about her work on developing nuclear fusion reactors using magnetic confinement, including her work at the JET facility and other contemporary research into making sustainable fusion reactors. She showed us footage from inside of a fusion reactor in operation, which was very cool! 
 
Nic Harrigan introduced us into the wacky world of quantum entanglement with a very clever magic trick, and the strange implications of entangled particles. He then proceeded to thrill us all with tales of computers, bits, and so called "qubits" and how quantum computers can work. It was fascinating to see some real examples of entangled systems and how these are being actively studied by scientists to realise working quantum computers. 
 
Finally, Science journalist Greg Foot (who was also the chair of the sessions) talked to us about his journey into the deep ocean in a submersible, the considerable engineering that goes into modern submersible vehicles and why studies of the deep ocean are important for us all to be aware of. We got to see a real example of the "Hoff-crab", a creature that lives on deep-ocean vents! 
 
Lewis Matheson also talked to the students on exam success, and shared his top tips and strategies for doing the very best in A Level Physics. He stressed the importance of understanding content as you go along, and not leaving things until later in the course. And, of course, plentiful practice! 
 
It was a brilliant set of talks, and we all learned a lot. Yarin in Year 12 said:

'All of the talks were so inspiring--each one made me want to do that as my job!'.

Raha felt that: 'The lectures were not only interesting (particularly the nuclear fusion and quantum computing talks), it was great to see how Physics can link to different careers, and to hear from industry experts about cutting-edge research'. 

Dr. Moore was especially fascinated at how many of the scientists who spoke had gotten into their field later in life, and how they showcased how Science at the cutting edge is hyper interdisciplinary. The take away message was that you should follow your passions and where they lead you; there is no such thing as a 'wrong turn' if you've got the passion.