
Culture, history and society
Women in Physics Group
This is an IOP special interest group, which is a community of IOP members focused on a particular discipline, application or area of interest.
Special interest groups allow members to connect and share knowledge and ideas. The IOP funds groups to deliver a range of activities including events, prizes and bursaries. All of our groups are driven by members.
About the group
As a special interest, member-driven group, we encourage group members to participate in the IOP’s activities and support career progress with professional development.
We reflect the varied careers of women physicists in:
- industry
- teaching
- research
- academia
- commerce
What the group does
Our current interests include:
- career breaks
- career management workshops
- networking in the UK and Europe
- education at primary, secondary and tertiary level
- women in research and academia – especially those on short-term contracts
We welcome new members and suggestions for future events. Come and join us to contribute to our discussions.
Socialise, network and find out more about our group on Facebook.
What does it mean to be a member of the group?
- part of community
- visibility and access to tailored resources and opportunities
- attend events and share relevant resources and events with your network
What does it mean to be a member of the committee?
- volunteer to organise and support committee
- represent and advocate WiP and diversity to IOP as a whole
- run tailored events throughout the year
Jocelyn Bell Burnell Medal and Prize
This award was established as a Women in Physics Group Prize in 2007 and was originally known as the Very Early Career Female Physicist Award. In 2016 Council incorporated the award into the IOP awards programme and subsequently renamed it the Jocelyn Bell Burnell Medal and Prize.
The award is for women at the start of their careers who have made a substantial contribution to physics and who support and encourage others in the field.
The prize is £1,000. The winner also receives a bronze medal and a certificate.
An annual in-person celebratory ceremony is held where finalists are invited to present their work and winners are announced.
Nominees for the award must:
- be women
- have completed their first undergraduate (bachelor’s or master’s) degree in physics less than five years ago (not including career breaks)
- be making a substantial contribution to physics
- be working to support and encourage others in the field
- be working in a physics-based role e.g. researcher, graduate trainee or teacher, or engaged in postgraduate study in physics
- have their undergraduate degree listed on myphysicscourse.iop.org. We consider nominees with non-UK degrees on a case-by-case basis
Past winners and finalists
2022
Winner: Amy Smith, Imperial College London
Finalist: Charlotte Avery, University of Bath
Finalist: Leanne Durkan, University College Dublin
2021
Winner: Sara Motaghian, Natural History Museum London
Finalist: Gemma Howarth, Sellafield Ltd
2020
Winner: Bethan Cornell, King’s College London
Finalist: Hannah Currivan, Réaltra Space Systems Engineering
Finalist: Anuradha Damale, UK Students for The Exploration and Development of Space
Finalist: Martha Hilton, University of Manchester/CERN
Finalist: Bonnie Tsim, National Graphene Institute, University of Manchester
Learn more about previous winners
Annual conference and events
Find events for the Women in Physics Group
Previous events
We have archived past events organised by the Women in Physics Group.
Learn more about previous group events
Newsletters and physics publications
- Newsletter number 23, 2023-24 (PDF, 537KB)
- Newsletter number 22, spring 2023 (PDF, 321KB)
- Newsletter number 21, summer 2022 (PDF, 363KB)
- Newsletter number 20, spring 2016 (PDF, 1.55MB)
- Newsletter number 19, September 2015 (PDF, 1.15MB)
- Newsletter number 18, February 2014 (PDF, 5.31MB)
- Newsletter number 17, 2012/2013 (PDF, 451KB)
- Newsletter number 16, 2011/2012 (PDF, 866KB)
2023 IOP Michael Faraday Medal and Prize winner
- Dr Juna Sathian, group committee member, was the only female in a team of six who won the medal and prize for outstanding and sustained contributions to experimental physics (PowerPoint, 2.69MB)
Articles
- One woman can change a lot if she is determined, Physics World, 21 July 2017
- Great dames: a tribute to the game changers at ICWiP, Physics World, 27 July 2017
- Bias, stereotyping and harassment: what women battle, Physics World, 28 July 2017
- A week in which good practice and frustrations could be shared honestly, Physics World, 31 July 2017
- Cultural Perception and Bias, Digital Science, 2 August 2017
Useful links
- 4,000 years of women in science
- Association for Science Education
- Athena Forum
- Athena Swan – Charter for Women in Science
- IOP Benevolent Fund
- IOP Carers’ Fund
- Cambridge Association for Women in Science and Engineering
- Contributions of 20th Century Women to Physics
- Daphne Jackson Trust (for returners)
- European Platform of Women Scientists (EPWS)
- IOP diversity
- IUPAP working group on Women in Physics resolution
- Médiathèque Scientifique de l'institut Pasteur
- MentorSET: National Mentoring Scheme for Women in SET
- PORTIA: Gateway for Women in SET
- Project Juno (recognises organisations taking action to address gender inequality)
- Resource Centre for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology
- Royal Institution
- Royal Society Rosalind Franklin Award
- ScienceGrrl network of mainly women scientists passing on their love of STEM
- STEM Ambassadors
- STEM Learning
- Towards gender equality in physics – what is medical physics getting right? Summary of the November 2018 discussion on Physics World
- Women Physicists on Wikipedia
- Women into Science and Engineering and Technology (WISE)
- Women's Engineering Society
Committee and contact
Category | Name | Start | End |
---|---|---|---|
Chair | Miss Dawn Watson, CPhys FInstP | 2021 | 2025 |
Secretary | Dr Josie Coltman, CPhys MInstP | 2020 | 2025 |
Treasurer | Dr Tracey Berry, FInstP | 2022 | 2026 |
Ordinary Member | Miss Katherine Chippendale, MInstP | 2022 | 2026 |
Ordinary Member | Dr Rachel Cross, MInstP | 2024 | 2028 |
Ordinary Member | Dr Katherine Kirk, CPhys FInstP | 2024 | 2028 |
Ordinary Member | Miss Carly Muldoon, MInstP | 2022 | 2026 |
Ordinary Member | Miss Jennifer Pryde, MInstP | 2024 | 2028 |
Ordinary Member | Miss Jane Rex, MInstP | 2024 | 2028 |
Ordinary Member | Dr Juna Sathian, MInstP | 2024 | 2028 |
Ordinary Member | Mrs Rizwana Shelley, CPhys FInstP | 2024 | 2028 |
Ordinary Member | Miss Charlotte Vale, MInstP | 2024 | 2028 |
- Email: [email protected]