Meet our latest Wow Winner...

This month we're celebrating a brilliant team from the Department of Physics. Their Warwick Wow Award recognises their dedication to inspiring and empowering young women to pursue careers in science, which they're doing through immersive experiences and community-building initiatives.

Want to say well done? Log in to congratulate our winning colleagues in the comments section at the bottom of the page.

XMaS Scientist Experience
Physics

Did you know women only account for 29% of UK jobs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)?

To help address this, Warwick's XMaS team created the Scientist Experience - a trip for Year 12 female-identifying physics students to visit the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble, France. Their mission is to inspire young women to pursue careers in science, build a sense of community, and boost their confidence.

The team goes above and beyond to make sure the trip is unforgettable. They arrange tours of the synchrotron beamlines, hands-on experiments, and chances to chat with female scientists working in Grenoble.

Transcript

Professor Stuart Croft: So for the Wows and Wonders today, it's all about the future. We are going to the Physics department and behind is the building for STEM Connect, and that's where Physics is going to be in the future. And the team we're going to see today, they're also all about the future. They're about developing the talent of the future. They reach out and support girls in year 12 and give them encouragement and give them amazing experiences on their journey to becoming scientists. So let's go meet the team.

What a full table. What an amazing coincidence that you're all, are you all here? We are here because guess what? You've been nominated for something and you've won it. Really? We have our Wows and Wonders. Some of us are smiling because we have experience of this before. And you guys have been nominated and you win for this amazing stuff, which is very happily, very happily you have on your laptop in front of you. It's the fantastic XMaS project.

Not only are you fabulous and wonderful, and we love you very much, and we're gonna put all this out so everyone can see and learn more about the work you do. But we do also have some little awards. Little awards. A piece of paper is the first little award, which is for your outstanding contribution to the Warwick community. And then this fantastic thing. Now this is the thing now, please everybody, please, at this moment, we do need a big cheer for these fabulous people, don't we? Yay. Thank you all wonderful people. You are all stars.

These experiences are designed to spark a love for science and show just how far a career in the field can take you.

The XMaS team also host online 'Women in Physics' evenings for students nationwide, with Warwick speakers sharing their journey to physics, the focus of their research and how they got to be where they are today.

The aim is for students to leave feeling inspired and more confident in themselves - thinking they can study and have a career in science.

The dedication, passion, and hard work of the XMaS team is truly deserving of recognition. They're not just empowering young women, they're shaping the future of STEM.

Hear from year 12 students who went on the Scientist Experience trip:

“I was grateful to meet people that were similar to me. It makes me feel like I am capable of doing this!”

“I no longer feel like an imposter studying physics, as I have met so many other female students like me.”

“I’ve gained so much confidence and communication skills.”

Comments for Meet our latest Wow Winner...

Subscribe to these comments

Echo Zhou 27 March 2025 10:41

What a brilliant thing to do! Thank you for sharing these amazing stories!
Ruth Cooper 27 March 2025 14:02

Congratulations to the team!