RP2024 - The second edition

In August, The Blackett Lab Family hosted the second edition of its summer outreach programme, Representing Physics 2024 (RP2024), which comprised two events: a one-day virtual session (RP2024 Online) and a three-day in-person event held in London (RP2024 London). Building on the partnerships and successes developed in the previous year, a programme was assembled in which around 50 students from across the UK participated.

To kick off RP2024 Online, our students were given a glimpse into the cutting-edge work shaping the field of physics today, with world-leading experts presenting on topics such as electromagnetism, biophysics, and general relativity. Complementing this, they also heard from physics graduates about their experiences working in fields such as law, finance, and consultancy, where the analytical and problem-solving skills honed during a physics degree are immensely valuable. The day concluded with practical advice on navigating the transition to university. An admissions tutor provided an overview of what to expect in an undergraduate physics programme, along with tips on crafting a strong application.

The first day of RP2024 London unfolded at the Blackett Laboratory of Imperial College London, offering students an immersive glimpse into the undergraduate physics experience. The day began with engaging talks by leading academics on topics such as complexity, statistical mechanics, and space physics. Following this, current undergraduates led guided tours of the department and campus, showcasing the variety of facilities available to university students. Laboratory experience is essential to any undergraduate degree, and the students got a taste of this in a challenging lab session where they conducted experiments on topics like electronics and Faraday’s law.

On the second day, we took our students on an inspiring trip to the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) to demonstrate how science is applied to address real-world challenges. The day opened with a tour of NPL's state-of-the-art labs in research areas such as atomic clocks, underwater acoustics, force metrology, and quantum optics. Students heard from scientists and engineers about how their work benefits people and businesses across the UK. Later, our students engaged with NPL’s apprentices and graduate scheme scientists to learn about the various pathways into scientific careers. To round off the day, they participated in a fun, team-building water rocket-building challenge under sunny skies.

Our final day took place at the Institute of Physics and featured interactive workshops where students reflected on their school experiences and developed mechanisms to affirm their ''physics identities.'' Throughout these workshops, they identified role models within their communities and the qualities they aspired to emulate. To conclude the programme, they collaborated to develop innovative game-based activities to overcome barriers that hinder the engagement of underrepresented groups in maths and physics.