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XMaS Scientist Experience 2015

Scientist Experience:

Discovering New Science with X-Rays and Neutrons

6th-9th April 2015

 

Winners have been selected from competition entries to win all expenses paid, 4 day trip, to Grenoble, France. They toured two world class facilities and met the scientists who work there.

The University of Warwick with the University of Liverpool, have selected 14 winners from competition entries to visit the EPN science campus in Grenoble, France. The EPN science campus is an international science hub hosting three major European institutes - EMBL, ESRF and ILL - along with the IBS and joint partnerships. The winners toured the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) and the Institut Laue-Langevin(ILL) and visited XMaS, the UK-CRG beamline at ESRF.

Project Background

The aim:

To encourage young women to consider science careers.

The launch:

The competition was launched in selected schools for Year 12 female Physics students.

The competition:

Students were asked to write a two page essay on ‘What is the legacy of Dorothy Hodgkin, both on the study of structure on an atomic scale and for women in Science?’ as well as being asked why they would like to go on the trip.

Winners were then selected from a panel of judges and informed in December 2014 who had won a place on the trip.

The Project

The info evening:

The students, teachers and their families were invited to the Physics department to get to know one another and to receive more information about the trip.

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Students building a tower from spaghetti and marshmallows at our info evening.

The trip:

This trip was an all expenses paid, 4 day visit, which took place in the Easter holidays 6th-9th April 2015. The winning students had the opportunity to meet scientists working at the ESRF and ILL and toured these world class facilities. They were given time to explore the city and get a taste of what life could be like as an international scientist! Please see outline of the agenda below;

On Monday they will travelled to Grenoble and spent time in the evening exploring the city.

On the Tuesday they visited the UK's XMaS beamline at the world-leading x-ray research centre the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF).

On Wednesday they visited the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL), which is the most powerful neutron research reactor in the world​.

The trip was extended by two days due to the air traffic control strike, during the extra days the students returned to the ESRF to revise for their upcoming exams, they explored the city its shops, museums, cafes and parks.

Student Showcase:

A showcase of the students experiences will took place at the University of Warwick on 24th April 18:30-21:00. The students gave presentations about what they learned on the trip on the topic of 'What Scientists Do' and 2 students prepared the videos featured at the top of this page. We would like to thank all those that attended the student showcase.

Since the trip the students have been involved in loads of events spreading the word that #physicsisforeveryone


Big Bang Fair in London 30th June and 1st July

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University of Warwick Staff summer festival 26th August

University of Warwick Festival of the Imagination 16th-17th October 2015

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Sciencegrrl Outreach group presentation. Presented to outreachers from Coventry and Warwickshire area (5th November)

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Articles, Publications and Blogs;

Materials today
Hase TPA, Lampard K, Bouchenoire L "XMaS inspiring women into scientific careers" Mater. Today 18, 7, 356–357 DOI:10.1016/j.mattod.2015.07.003

APS Article
Lampard K, “XMaS Scientist Experience: Changing Perceptions about Careers through Interactions with Scientists at a Central Facility” The Gazette 34, 2, 10

ESRF News “EPN trip tackles gender bias” (n°70, page 6, July 2015)

Blogs;

WISE (Francesca Woolley),

Warwick 50@50 (Kayleigh Lampard

Rugby High School Newsletter

Contact Us

Kayleigh Lampard Ally Caldecote
XMaS Project Co-ordinator

Ogden School Teacher Fellow

Kayleigh.lampard@warwick.ac.uk

A.Caldecote@warwick.ac.uk

02476 151773

02476 528134

Physics Department

Physics Department

University of Warwick

University of Warwick

Gibbet Hill Road

Gibbet Hill Road

Coventry

Coventry

CV4 7AL

CV4 7AL

 

 

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