Laura Stephenson

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

I was invited to join a great team of outreach staff in the School of Physics to prepare for the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition. This was to be a dissemination of the research performed by our group at the University of York, including my PhD work. I could offer expertise to ensure that the physics being communicated was both accurate and accessible. There is a fun challenge in simplifying complex concepts without losing their truth and nuance. I love talking about my research and feel it’s important to share the joyful and often surprising aspects of recent scientific discoveries and the relevance of this work to modern life. I also strongly believe that representation matters; the jaw-dropping surprise on a young schoolgirl’s face when I introduced myself as a quantum physics researcher remains a highlight of my outreach work to date.

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

My work in outreach has made me a better communicator. I now think much more carefully about how a non-specialist would approach my work and what they might take away from a conversation. The thought behind and process of creating explanations, activities, demonstration equipment and videos has deeply ingrained the key concepts of my work, and I find I have a better understanding of my own research. Many outreach events also provided excellent opportunities to network and meet people from diverse backgrounds, which can inspire new applications of your research. I had the privilege of presenting our research to Fellows of the Royal Society of Science and Sir Patrick Vallance, the Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation!

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

I would definitely promote the benefits of outreach work for your personal development, and I see it as part of the duty of scientists to explain what we do and why we do it. My biggest tip would be to consider who you are communicating to and what might be the most exciting and novel part of your research to them- honestly, it shocked me how concepts I overlooked as mundane (due to regular familiarity with them) were greeted with genuine surprise! Really good outreach will have layers to it, so that, at its most basic, it can be understood by a fascinated child, but it also has a path to deeper technicality and engagement for the expert audience.