IOP Groups

Women Physicists' Careers

Some of our members comment on their careers.

Victoria Hodges, AOCS Engineer, Astrium Ltd and winner of 2009 Very Early Career Woman Physicist of the Year Award

I graduated from the University of Surrey with a BSc First class honours in Physics with Satellite Technology in June 2006 and joined Astrium Ltd in Stevenage shortly afterward as part of the Graduate development programme. During my degree I also spent a year in industry at VEGA GmbH in Darmstadt, Germany, an IT company specialising in software solutions for space based applications. I spent the year working as a junior simulations engineer within the RADARSAT-2 Satellite Simulations team.

I joined Astrium Ltd as part of the AOCS, GNC and Flight Dynamics Group (Attitude and Orbit Control Systems, Guidance Navigation and Control). As part of the graduate programme at Astrium I was able to spend two years moving throughout the company gaining a variety of experiences of the wider Satellite Engineering business. As part of this I spent three months working in the contracts and commercial group and I was also able to spend three months on secondment at the Astrium site in Toulouse, France.

After the completion of the graduate programme I re-joined the AOCS group as part of the GAIA Spacecraft Project team. I am now responsible for one of the five spacecraft “operational modes” designed to control the attitude and orbit of the spacecraft throughout its 6.5 year lifetime.

During my time at Astrium I have also become involved in outreach activities to promote Physics and careers in the Space industry to children of all ages. I was fortunate enough to be able to spend part of my time on the graduate programme developing and implementing a school visit programme for school groups visiting the Astrium site. This programme involves a series of activities designed to help students understand the importance of Space technology in their daily lives and to show them how the Physics and Maths they are learning at school can be used to design and build spacecraft. The half day visit includes a hands on “Satellite Engineering Workshop” where students are able to touch real space hardware. They are asked to complete a worksheet based around this hardware which is linked to the Physics and Maths curriculum, with three different worksheets to cover the Key stage 3, 4 and AS/A2 curricula. The programme has been a huge success, inspiring the next generation of satellite engineers and space scientists.

In May 2009 I was awarded the IOP and Shell Very Early Career Woman Physicist of the Year Award. Winning the award was a huge honour for me, especially being the first woman physicist based in industry to be bestowed with the award.

Manda Banerji, PhD Astrophysicist and runner up of the 2009 Very Early Career Woman Physicist of the Year Award

I obtained my undergraduate degree in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge with 1st class honours in 2005. After this, I spent a year working as a research scientist within the Analytical Sciences group at the National Physical Laboratory. In 2006, I started my PhD at University College London within the Astrophysics group under the supervision of Prof. Ofer Lahav and Dr. Serena Viti. My research involves studying distant galaxies in our Universe in order to understand how they form and evolve as well as using them as probes of the mysterious dark energy that is causing most of the galaxies in our Universe to accelerate away from us. As part of my research project, I have helped design and plan several future astronomical surveys.

In October 2009, I will be starting a post-doctoral research position at the Institute of Astronomy in Cambridge working on data from one of these surveys. I will be using this data to study some of the most distant objects in our Universe known as quasars which are bright emissions originating at the super-massive black holes thought to reside in the centres of most galaxies.

Suzanne Sheehy, particle physicist and runner up of the 2009 Very Early Career Woman Physicist of the Year Award

I’m originally from Melbourne, Australia but moved to the UK in 2007 for my DPhil at The University of Oxford. I started out at university studying both engineering and science, but quickly realised, with the help of some inspiring lecturers, my passion for physics. I am currently in the 2nd year of my DPhil, researching a new type of particle accelerator for cancer treatment using protons and light ions such as carbon. The project I work on is called PAMELA (Particle Accelerator for MEdicaL Applications) and I work in the John Adams Institute for Accelerator Science under the supervision of Prof. Ken Peach. In addition to research, I believe that communicating science to schools and the public is one of the most worthwhile things a scientist can do. Having spent a fair amount of time during my undergraduate doing science shows, I continued this in Oxford, starting the ‘Accelerate!’ program, for which I managed to gain funding for through the STFC Small Award scheme for public engagement. I hope that my career in physics will prove to inspire some of the younger generation as those before me have inspired me!

Natalie Garrett - biomedical physicist and runner up of the 2009 Very Early Career Woman Physicist of the Year Award

I started my career in Physics by taking a Masters in Physics with Medical Physics (MPhys) at Exeter University. I have always been particularly interested in the biological applications of physics, so I really enjoyed my dissertation project on touch perception. To investigate the way we perceive touch I developed a vibro-tactile stimulator and MRI imaging protocols for use on the fingertip.

After graduating in 2006 with first class honours, I decided to stay on at Exeter for a PhD in Biophotonics working in the Biomedical Physics group. I have investigated several interesting applications of nano-scale metallic objects for use in spectroscopy and imaging of proteins and live cells. For instance, I developed a novel spectroscopic protein assay using gold-coated butterfly wings. More recently I have been culturing cancer cells for use in multiphoton imaging and photothermal ablation experiments using gold-coated nanoshells.

As a Science, Engineering, Mathematics and Technology (STEM) ambassador, I’ve taken great pleasure in spreading my enthusiasm for Physics among school students. In March I also discussed my research with MPs at the House of Commons when I was selected to present my work at the SET for Britain event. My outreach and research work was recently acknowledged when I was awarded a runner-up place for the Early Career Women Physicist of the Year award from the IOP. I have also been awarded a runner-up prize for the Higher Education Academy’s student competition this year. As a shortlisted candidate for the British Federation of Women Graduates’ Academic Award, I will soon be presenting my research for the judges – fingers crossed!

After my PhD, I will work in the exciting field of drug delivery across the blood brain barrier. I am particularly excited to work on this project since it has the potential to revolutionise the way we medicate diseases and disorders of the brain.

Libby Heaney - Winner of the IOP and HSBC Very Early Career Woman Physicist of the Year Award, 2008

I studied for a MSci in physics with a year in Europe at Imperial College London, during which I spent a year at bthe Albert-Ludwigs Universitaet, Freiburg researching decoherence of quantum states of trapped ions. After graduating with first class honours in 2005, I moved to the University of Leeds to begin a PhD with Vlatko Vedral. The work that I did was mostly analytical - I studied how the interesting quantum correlations of entanglement manifest themselves in Bose-Einstein condensates and whether an entangled Bose gas could be used for quantum information processing.

During my PhD I was also involved with the Ogden Trust, which meant that I was able to spend time in local schools encouraging young people to become more involved with science. In February 2008 I was lucky enough to win the Early Career Women Physicist of the Year award from the IOP.

Winning the award meant a lot to me as it has given me the confidence to pursue science further. It also felt very good to have my work appreciated by physicists outside my immediate community.

Since then, I have completed my PhD and I am now working at the Centre for Quantum Technologies at the National University of Singapore. In March 2009 I will take up an EPSRC research fellowship at Oxford University in the group of Dieter Jaksch, where I will continue studying the uses of natural entanglement in ultra-cold gases for quantum information processing.

Averil Macdonald

After 10 years of teaching Physics in comprehensive schools I took a career break to look after my 2 daughters. Since then I have been fortunate to have a vast range of projects come my way. I have been promoting Physics in schools working with the Education Department of IoP to produce posters, brochures and careers leaflets. I have worked with QCA on the development of the Key Stage 3 scheme of work for science and looking at standards in Physics exams over time and across boards. I have also contributed to 15 school text books. In the meantime I have been teaching part-time at the Physics department of the University of Reading teaching on their Foundation Course. More recently I have been awarded a number of Public Awareness of Science grants by PPARC and EPSRC. Through these I have been able to produce web based resources that focus on the work going on in university Physics departments so that teachers have access to the latest ideas and research. For instance I go into local primary schools to talk to the parents of pupils about what their children are doing in school. The majority of the audience are mums. Often they tell me of the poor experience they had of science when at school and how little confidence they have of their own ability to help their children with science.

Averil was awarded the Institute of Physics Bragg Medal in 1999.

Gillian Gehring

I am a solid state theoretical physicist working mostly in the theory of magnetism.  I work rather closely with experiment and currently run an experimental project as well as theoretical ones. I have been a Professor at the University of Sheffield since 1989 and before that I was a lecturer in Oxford and a fellow of St Hugh’s College. I have been active in Women in Physics particularly in the last few years – after my daughters left school.  I have written articles for Physics world on Women’s issues and led the UK delegation to the IUPAP Conference.  I have been the Chairman of the Site Visits Committee and on the Diversity committee of the Institute of Physics.

Barbara Gallani

I am a Physics graduate from the University of Pavia in northern Italy, where I specialised in nuclear physics and its applications to medicine, working in particular on neutron scatter experiments for the cure of liver tumours.  I taught science at GCSE level and A level physics for some time before going back to university to complete a Master in Research in Advanced Instrumentation Systems at University College London, where I worked on the development of electron scattering detectors for applications in mammography.       I then worked at British Nuclear Fuels Laboratories, in the R&D Department, on radiation detectors for use in all UK Magnox power stations. The experience working for the nuclear industry allowed me to find a job in the Radiological Protection division of the Food Standards Agency where I was responsible for the assessment of gaseous and liquid discharges to the environment from nuclear establishments. While working at the Food Standards Agency I was given the opportunity to go on two separate secondments: a placement of six weeks at the Daily Telegraph, organised through the British Association for the Advancement of Science; and a placement of six month at the European Commission in Brussels working on the review of the current legislation on dioxins and PCBs in food and animal feed. I am now a food adviser at the The European Consumers' Organization, BEUC.

Ruth Lynden-Bell

Ruth Lynden-Bell retired from a chair of Condensed Matter Simulation at Queen's University, Belfast in 2003 and has returned to Cambridge where she continues to do research in the University Chemical Laboratory. In Belfast she and Professor Michael Finnis founded a flourishing Atomistic Simulation Group within the School of Mathematics and Physics which attracted scientists from many different countries. Before going to Belfast in 1995 she held an academic position at New Hall and St John's Colleges and did research in the Theoretical Chemistry Sector of the Chemistry department. Her PhD work involved measuring NMR parameters of simple molecules using the first commercial instrument in the country. She spent 7 years at the University of Sussex where she held half a lectureship while her children were young.

Ruth was made a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2006.

Allyson Reed Director, Ventures and Licensing, QinetiQ

From academic through industrial researcher and general manager to entrepreneur, I am fortunate to have a varied career path – so far. With a background in physical sciences, which underpin so many of today’s markets, I found relevant roles in electronics and communications (Plessey), in novel medical and research instruments (Oxford Instruments) and in growing start-up businesses, firstly at CCLRC and now QinetiQ, Europe’s largest technology organisation, in markets as diverse as hotel multimedia, security, environmental protection and medical diagnostics. At this science/commerce interface, the demands of meeting market need are incredibly stimulating. For me, complementary interests are also vital. Active sport, a love of the outdoors and, just in case that rare commodity - spare time - beckons, a family provide essential counterbalance to the intensity of commercial life. A two-career family requires pretty serious flexibility, support and compromise from all concerned. Children add to the juggling, and of course the richness of experience and multitasking ability. There are no easy answers. In terms of lessons learned, I emphasise the importance of communications skills and confidence. I apply the ‘So what?’ test (at least mentally) increasingly frequently. On the vexed issue of equality, while there is great improvement, subtle issues persist and determination is essential. To help progress in a competitive world, I suggest focussing on solving important problems and seeking out the action that matters, networking purposefully and extensively,  being proactive,understanding the difference between leadership and management – and having a ‘just do it’ attitude.  Physical sciences provide a strong platform for many significant roles at the forefront of innovation and economic growth.

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