IOP-funded physics careers project launches highly anticipated digital platform

Planet Possibility, the project funded by the IOP Challenge Fund designed to attract young people from under-represented groups to careers in physics in the UK, has launched its full digital platform.

Planetpossibility.co.uk carries extensive content and other resources to support students and teachers in their physics journeys and showcases ways of inspiring young people from groups who traditionally don’t gravitate towards physics.

The project is run by a consortium made up of charities, universities and business who received a total of £1.9m from the fund to run separate projects in their networks that are underpinned by the bespoke digital platform. 

The teams – from careers experts AllAboutGroup; engagement charity the Blair Project; alumni specialists Future First; and the universities of Birmingham and Southampton – expand their reach through events, webinars, content, games, guides, jobs, work experience, mentoring and other tools and channels to help create a flourishing physics community.

The activities undertaken by each consortium partner challenge some of the misconceptions and stereotypes that put some young people off physics and shake up what is currently on offer to provide compelling physics activities and engaging information about physics careers.

Planet Possibility activity

Since soft-launching in June last year, Planet Possibility partners have begun projects and activity across a range of events and locations, including:

• launching an online Physics Careers Game aimed at young students;
• rolling out a range of online continuing professional development (CPD) sessions for physics teachers on a range of different subject and careers areas;
• making more than 100 physics-based articles available on the Planet Possibility platform;
• visiting the Birmingham Quantum Physics Lab with Planet Possibility physics champions from the University of Birmingham;
• presenting at the WomenEd education conference;
• creating a series of TikTok physics videos;
• attendance by physics champions at events such as New Scientist Live:
• facilitating virtual work experience placements for undergraduates in physics-powered industries in areas of tech, air traffic management, insurance and others; and
• working with the Lightyear Foundation to deliver a programme of work aimed at disabled young people.

Find out more about the Challenge Fund.