Emma Elley

Why did you get involved in physics outreach activity at university?

I benefitted hugely during high school from having excellent physics teachers who made it clear that if I wanted to I could go and study this subject I loved at university. Moving on through my academic journey, I’ve always been incredibly grateful for the fantastic role models I’ve had at every stage. I want to ensure that others are able to see themselves being able to study science subjects or work in this area. Beyond this, people say that science isn’t done until you’ve communicated it. For me, this doesn’t stop with other scientists. I want to live in a world where people have access to science whatever their background, age or career choice and whilst I don’t think we’re there yet, doing outreach alongside my research degree is the best way I’ve found to help contribute to that aim.

How have you benefitted from your physics outreach work, both professionally and personally?

Professionally, doing outreach work has been incredibly valuable in reminding me of the value in distilling complex ideas down to their key points. Further to this, the questions that people outside of academia ask about your work are so different to those that your peers or other academics will ask (especially true if the questions come from children or young people), and it forces you to think about what you do from a completely different angle. This has great benefits for challenging and furthering your understanding of your field. Personally, I’ve found doing outreach can really complement my day-to-day role as a research student. It adds a real variety to the challenges of research and I’ve met a much wider variety of people by getting involved with it.

What hints or tips would you give to other students who are thinking of getting involved in outreach?

I firmly believe that you don’t need to reach a huge audience to be doing good outreach. It is equally valuable to connect well with a smaller group or to simply be visible and approachable at a small-scale event. There are many ways to do outreach and asking people within your department is a great way to find an approach that works for you.

“Emma has been an absolute joy to work with over the past three years. She combines enthusiasm and initiative with a real talent for engaging people. She has developed new activities, supported a wide range of events and made a lasting difference to many of the young people we work with. We are incredibly lucky to have her as part of our ambassador team.”
Sian Tedaldi, University of Oxford