Outreach activities
October 2017: YouTube video introduction to fusion
Wrote and starred in a short video introduction to nuclear fusion and fusion energy using the binding blocks chart. Watch it on YouTube here!
May 2017: Guest speaker at Ashby School Awards Evening
Invited to present prizes at the annual awards evening at my old school, celebrating the achievements of GCSE and A level students. After the presentations I spoke about my time at Ashby School and the inspiration behind the decisions that led me to a PhD in fusion, and making things up as I went along... Read the school news article here.
October 2016: Celebrate Science Festival, Durham University
Led the Sun Dome activity with live commentary (see below for details) for the general public at Celebrate Science, a festival hosted by Durham University.
June 2016: Festival of Ideas, University of York
Volunteered on the binding blocks (see below for details) exhibition at the York Festival of Ideas.
October 2015: Celebrate Science Festival, Durham University
As above (Celebrate Science 2015).
September 2015: YorNight (European Researchers' Night), York
Hosted the Sun Dome for the general public at YorNight, York's contribution to the European Researchers' Night.
April 2015: School visit, Ashby School
Visited my old school to speak to sixth form Physics students about fusion energy and my research, and answer questions about applying to university, as well as about science.
September 2014: YorNight (European Researchers' Night), York
As above (YorNight 2014).
March 2014: National Science and Engineering week events, University of York
Hosted the Sun Dome for groups of primary school children and for the general public at an evening event.
Assisted with a simple spectrometry activity for GCSE student groups in which they made simple spectrometers from CDs.
The Sun Dome
The Sun Dome is an inflatable dome, inside which nuclear fusion outreach videos are projected. The videos take the audience through the need for a source of clean energy and introduce them to some current research, e.g. JET and ITER. Live commentary allows the content to be tailored to the audience present.
binding blocks
The binding blocks outreach project is a nuclear physics-based, hands-on exhibit, enabling visitors to build the nuclide chart out of LEGO bricks whilst engaging in physics discussions. Other nuclear physics activities (including fusion-based ones) run alongside.
Watch a range of videos about the binding blocks chart on the YouTube channel! We have also written two journal articles in Physics Education: an introduction to the chart, and a guide to activities that can be used as part of teaching the A level Physics curriculum.