What did you study at A-level and why did you select those subjects?
I chose a Physics, Maths, and Chemistry based path for the last few years of pre-university education. I was always interested in the sciences and involved in related activities such as Maths Olympiads, so it felt like a natural choice. My plan at the time was to pursue a career in Chemistry or Engineering, until I realised Physics was also an option.
What degree did you study and what PhD are you studying?
I completed bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Physics and am currently working towards a PhD in the same field.
What inspired you to choose and study your degree subject?
I have always been interested in how things work and how science helps us understand nature and apply that knowledge in practical ways. I was also encouraged to develop my mathematical and logical skills in school and at home, so the hard sciences felt like a good fit.
What attracted me to physics in particular was the fascinating questions and ideas it explores. As a teenager, I read a lot of science fiction and science-inspired fantasy books. Learning about the real-life phenomena that inspired these stories, such as space and quantum mechanics and their ‘weirdness’ captured my curiosity.
At first, being a physicist didn’t seem like a viable option for me, because I wasn’t aware of anyone pursuing that career in my home country, so I was ecstatic to discover it was offered as an undergraduate degree and I knew I had to give it a go.
What key skills did you learn at university?
A physics degree develops a variety of skills and changes the way you think. These include learning how to code, gaining new mathematical tools, and working with laboratory equipment.
The most challenging yet most interesting skill to acquire was learning how to solve physics problems and how physical models for different phenomena are constructed.
What jobs have you had during your career?
I have primarily worked within the university environment as a postgraduate student, conducting research and participating in teaching activities. I have also had the opportunity to take part in shorter-term activities, including a studentship at CERN.
What is your current job and what do you enjoy about it?
My main focus at the moment is my PhD research. It allows me to immerse myself in a specialised topic while contributing to the direction of my work. The role is highly aligned with my interests and helps me develop independence as a researcher.
There’s also a lot of variety in my day-to-day activities. I particularly enjoy demonstrating and working with students — it is a great feeling to help someone understand a tricky concept.
Do you have an area of research?
My current research focuses on applying quantum computing to problems in particle physics. It brings together several of my interests: particle physics, quantum mechanics, and the use of computational methods to gain better insights.
What has been your most exciting project or career role?
Visiting CERN and seeing such large-scale experiments in person, as well as taking part in the diverse community working there, was very special.
What are your top tips for working in your industry?
Working on difficult topics can be really daunting, but persistence and practice lead to significant progress. It’s so rewarding when you finally get there.
It is also important to develop other interests and hobbies outside your field; they will help you become a more well-rounded person and researcher while helping you get through the challenging periods.
Any advice you’d like to share?
Don’t be afraid to put yourself forward for opportunities — you might be surprised how far you can go. The first step is simply being in the running.
Why are you passionate about your subject?
I enjoy understanding how things work and using mathematical and computational tools to describe how the universe behaves. There are some fascinating ideas to explore within physics, and especially when we can see them manifest in real life.
My career so far has helped me to develop skills in problem-solving, coding, education, outreach, and more — all of which I can carry forward into whatever I pursue next.
More resources:
Original Ideas Podcast - Episode 12: Quantum