Over the last week, 40 of the best and brightest Sixth form students from around the UK gathered at Manchester University for their ‘Headstart’ summer school. This residential university programme gives the students the opportunity to experience university life before they make the vital decision on continuing into further education. The Nuclear Physics summer school takes place over the course of a week and is headed up by John Roberts of the University of Manchester School of Physics and Astronomy. The students, all of whom have strong interests in pursuing STEM subjects at university, get to experience first hand some of the practical applications of studying Nuclear Physics, ranging from dose detection equipment to medical physics at The Christie.
As part of the summer school, the students also get to speak to members of the nuclear industry and current engineering students about their experiences, both in the worlds of study and employment. The YGN are always keen to encourage, inspire and motivate young people to join the UK Nuclear industry. So it was very important for us to send an ambassador to the event, in the hope of encouraging some of the most gifted and talented young people to be part of our nuclear future, and assist in their ongoing development.
Our representative at the event was Carwyn Chamberlain, a graduate engineer working for DBD Ltd within their simulation & modelling capability. Carwyn is a volunteer on the YGN education, attraction and outreach subcommittee, and we hope that his experience of working both within the UK and international nuclear markets, from very early on in his career, managed to ignite a passion for nuclear in some of the students.
John Roberts of the University of Manchester had this to say on the event: “In July the School of Physics and Astronomy at The University of Manchester once again hosted a Nuclear Physics Summer School for Headstart, an Engineering Development Trust scheme to encourage school pupils to choose STEM subjects for their University degree. It was great to have Carwyn Chamberlain from the Nuclear Institute Young Generation Network give a presentation on the STEM careers options within the UK nuclear industry. We hope to see the pupils following Carwyn’s example and choosing a nuclear career after graduation.”
Giving presentations alongside Carwyn were a year in industry student, who spoke about gaining experience within engineering by taking a year in industry during his studies, along with a PhD student at Manchester who is looking into sources that could be used for theranostics.