Women In Physics Group - Institute of Physics

Warmest congratulations to IOP President-elect Professor Michele Dougherty CBE on her appointment as Astronomer Royal, succeeding IOP Honorary Fellow Lord Martin Rees, who has held this prestigious role for an extraordinary 30 years.

As incoming President of the Institute of Physics and the first woman to hold the historic role of Astronomer Royal, Professor Dougherty is an inspirational ambassador for science and a role model for every young person who has gazed up at the stars and imagined a future in physics or astronomy.

🔗 Read the full statement here: https://www.iop.org/about/news/iop-president-elect-appointed-astronomer-royal

📰 Read the BBC news article here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c741lll88q5o

Registration is open for this years Jocelyn Bell Burnell Awards event!

This year we will be in Belfast on the 19th November!

If you would like to hear from the nominees for this years award, and find out the winner of the award, then this is the event for you. More information on this to come over the next couple of months!

The event is tailored for senior school or university students, or anyone who is passionate about physics. If this is you, or know someone who would be interested please share and register here:

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Could you help shape a more inclusive future for physics? We're looking for four new members to join the Panel for the Bell Burnell Graduate Scholarship Fund - a ground-breaking initiative supporting PhD students in physics from underrepresented backgrounds in the UK and Ireland.

If you have experience with PhD recruitment and a passion for inclusion and diversity in STEM, we'd love to hear from you.

📅 Applications close 11 August
🔗 Find out more: https://www.iop.org/physics-community/member-latest

Congratulations to our Chair, Dawn Watson, for being elected as Vice President for Membership for the IOP Council!

Dawn has been the chair for the IOP Women in Physics since 2021 and will sadly be leaving the group in October. It is great to see that she will be continuing to advocate fiercely for inclusivity and accessibility of physics to all within the IOP, as she has done as Chair of our group. We wish her all the best!

IOP 2025 Council election results announced Six new trustees will take up their posts from October.

Today we wish a to Vera Rubin, an American astronomer who pioneered work on galaxy rotation rates! Her groundbreaking work was the first widely accepted evidence for the existence of dark matter, a discovery that many believe should have won her the Nobel Prize. Learn more about Rubin's discovery and perseverance in the face of gender bias here: https://ow.ly/NHSR50WtBtS

Happy birthday to astrophysicist and former IOP president, Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell! 🎂

Dame Jocelyn donated her £2.3m Special Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics to support PhD students from under-represented groups. The fund is now in its sixth year and to date has given out more than £1m to support 47 physics PhD students.

Dame Jocelyn was also appointed Companion of Honour, one of the nation's highest honours, for services to , and in the .

You can find out more about the Fund and the brilliant physicists who have been able to carry out valuable physics research as a result of Dame Jocelyn's generosity here: https://www.iop.org/about/support-grants/bell-burnell-fund

Congratulations to winner Amelia from Adamstown Community College in Dublin for her project 'Through Another Eyes'! 🎉 👏

Amelia’s hand-drawn book beautifully explores how physics shapes the way animals experience the world - from light waves to sound vibrations and even magnetic fields. We were blown away by Amelia’s creativity and imagination.

“I came across this idea because I have a cute little cat. I was aware that they could see the world in different colours than us humans and began to wonder what other animals see when perceiving the world.”

Did you know the mantis shrimp can see up to 16 types of colour receptors, including ultraviolet? 🌈 This lets it perceive parts of the electromagnetic spectrum far beyond human vision!

Read more about the winners here: https://www.iop.org/about/news/irish-student-wins-eurekas-science-competition

Check out Amelia's full entry here: https://theeurekas.co.uk/submissions/winning-entry-through-another-eyes/

"The scholarship has given me the confidence to believe that my unique academic journey that blends multiple disciplines has something important to contribute to the field of physics."

Congratulations to Samantha O'Sullivan of University of Oxford! 👏 🎉

At the exciting crossroads of physics and biology, Samantha is using advanced mathematical models to explore how living things grow, develop and evolve - blending theory, creativity and collaboration to push the boundaries of science.

Being awarded the scholarship means Samantha can continue her pioneering research, while also advocating for a research culture where women and Black researchers not only belong, but thrive.

Read Samantha's interview here: https://www.iop.org/about/support-grants/bell-burnell-fund/2025-awardees/samantha-osullivan

"The scholarship means I can finally focus on my research instead of constantly worrying about my finances. Most importantly, it validates that I belong in physics despite all the barriers I face."

Congratulations to Syl Shaw of University of Warwick! 👏 🎉

Syl's cutting-edge work with 2D electron systems is helping to drive forward the frontier of topological quantum computing - a technology that could one day revolutionise how we process and store data.

Syl's advice to others that face barriers in following their dreams to pursue physics: "Believe in yourself and don't give up on your passion for physics if it's what you truly love."

Read Syl's interview here: https://www.iop.org/about/support-grants/bell-burnell-fund/2025-awardees/syl-shaw

“Although it hasn’t been easy, I’m proud of my journey into physics so far and I hope to be able to continue to explore ways of improving physics education for people from diverse backgrounds.”

Congratulations to Meg Blackburn of University of St Andrews! 👏 🎉

Meg is studying the Milky Way in a bid to investigate how stellar life cycles shape our galaxy and beyond, and sheds light on the profound physical processes that govern the cosmos.

She believes inclusivity in science is important, and the fund will allow her to pursue the research area she's passionate about and inspire the next generation of physicists.

Read Meg's interview here: https://www.iop.org/about/support-grants/bell-burnell-fund/2025-awardees/meg-blackburn

"Your dream is worth fighting for – don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!"

Congratulations to Nichola Charlton of University of Birmingham! 👏 🎉

Nichola's research dives into the powerful world of stellar explosions, unlocking what these cosmic events can teach us about the evolution of galaxies across the universe.

Receiving the scholarship has not only supported Nichola's research - it's affirmed her place in physics. She hopes to inspire the next generation of physicists to follow their passion and know that they too belong in science.

Read Nichola's interview here: https://www.iop.org/about/support-grants/bell-burnell-fund/2025-awardees/nichola-charlton

We are holding an event for STEM Returners online on 10th April.

A virtual event that will bring together employers, from academia, industry, teaching and clinical settings, with attendees, to share inclusive practises to support the recruitment of STEM Returners.

Register here: https://iop.eventsair.com/rw2025