BUDDING PHYSICISTS GRAVITATE TO THE BLACK HOLE OF LONDON
In the third week of January, with Christmas behind them and the second round of GCSE mock exams still a little way in the distance, a group of keen Year 11 physicists took a day to raise their sights beyond the challenges of this academic year to what might lie beyond.
A day of visits beckoned, to some iconic scientific venues in London. Unfortunately, the best efforts of the British climate and some horrendous traffic on the M3 reduced the itinerary a little – and a tour of the Royal Institution will need to wait for another day – but nevertheless we soon found ourselves in the Science Museum and enjoying a fantastic 3D IMAX film about life on the International Space Station.
From there, we took the underground to the Physics and Astronomy Department at University College London where we met Dr Mark Fuller. He took us on a tour of the facilities and the department to try and give our pupils a flavour of university life. We were also fortunate that the Admissions Officer came to speak to us to explain the process of applying to university, and even luckier that two third year students gave up their time to give us their spin on physics, university living and their future careers.
All-in-all it was a thoroughly interesting day, providing a great opportunity for our pupils to put their current studies into context and significantly to inspire them to start dreaming of their future opportunities.
Mr Al Moxham, Head of Physics