GIRLS IN PHYSICS BREAKFAST

Monash University Visit

Girls in Physics Breakfast was an event held at Monash University on the 21st of August. Five of the Year 10 girls from Kew High School participated in this event.

This event was held early in the morning. We had breakfast with Year 10 students from other schools, other physicists and also those pursuing Physics-related careers. Dr Ceri Brenner, AIP Women in Physics Lecturer for 2018, gave a very engaging presentation on the topic; Pressing FIRE on the most powerful laser in the world. This presentation widens our understanding of lasers, and how they play a role in our lives. For example, they are used in medical fields. She answered our questions about lasers and explained the science of how lasers work, and how much energy the beam delivers per second. Read about the students experiences below.

The entire experience was great in allowing us to meet other physicists. Everyone had a wonderful time at the event and was very inspired by Dr Ceri Brenner’s speech. It was truly an amazing experience! I enjoyed meeting and having a chat with other Year 10 students from other schools who were interested in Physics and also two other physicists on the same table. After breakfast, Dr Ceri Brenner, a laser physicist from the UK, had a speech. She was very engaging and good at explaining complex ideas. She was explaining the different wonders of lasers and also the most powerful laser in the world. Laser light is focused in a narrow beam and creates a very high-intensity light. The things that interest me the most from the talk was how lasers are used in the medical field. The powerful beam of light from lasers can focus very accurately on tiny areas, then be used for medical surgeries. The lasers were able to spot if the tissues were healthy or cancerous. Her speech was really inspiring and truly inspired me and my peers. We were very lucky to be able to participate in this event. - JiaYi Ong.

I had a fantastic time attending the Girls’ in Physics Breakfast! I had been situated at a table, away from my regular school peers, with girls from other schools who were also interested in Physics. I also had the incredible opportunity to have two female physicists sitting at our table ready to answer our bubbling questions. We then had Dr Ceri Brenner, another passionate female physicist, talk to us about her journey to becoming a physicist and how she, alike to myself, did not yet know exactly what she wanted to be when she was at the age of 15. She inspired me to take every opportunity that arises because she showed me that I could end up doing something that I truly love as my career. She also talked to us about lasers and the Synchrotron and how they worked, although I didn’t always quite understand what she was saying! And not to mention, the food was delicious! As a whole, my experience was worthwhile, has given me insight into what it is like to be a physicist, and has inspired me to follow my passions and dreams. - Zoe Cole.

We had really good experience going to girls in physics breakfast. It was very engaging and we got to learn quite a lot of new stuff that we never knew of. At the breakfast, students from Years 10 shared a table with two or three young women who were either in the early stages of a career in physics or were at university as an undergraduate or a postgraduate. We had a chance to ask questions about their careers and what study at university is like. We were seated with students from other schools. Dr Ceri Brenner is a physicist, using the most powerful lasers in the world to develop innovative imaging technology for medical, nuclear and aerospace inspection. Dr Brenner, was invited to speak with her and her journey study Physics. She mainly talked to us about the topic 'Pressing FIRE on the most powerful laser in the world'. I found this quite interesting to hear and it was very amusing what a small beam of laser could do. - Riya Shah.

On Tuesday, August 21, I along with 4 other year 10 girls went to the annual girls physics breakfast. It was a wonderful and rewarding experience which really encourages girls in science. When we arrived at the venue, we were placed on different tables with a few other girls from other schools and 2 people who are in the physics field. This gave us the opportunity to ask questions and gain a better understanding on what you can actually accomplish using physics. It was a perfect casual setting where everyone was having good conversations. Then after an hour there was a guest presenter called Ceri Brenner, she is currently working with lasers in the UK. She told us how physics can bring broad and different paths. She also told us about how she got into physics, and ultimately what she does every day. It was really interesting learning about lasers and how beneficial lasers can potentially be to our society. Overall it was a fantastic experience which I would definitely do it again. - Gloria Kipleel.

I attended the Girls in Physics breakfast for 2018. I sat on table 12, and on the table there were 7 girls from different schools. As well as the girls on the table there were two other people. One lady was in her second year of University at Monash, studying physics. She talked to our table about the differences between high school and university, and what she is getting out of physics in university and what she wants to do with it. The other person on our table was a man who was a qualified physicist and he talked to us about what his career involves and that opened up a conversation about why were attending the breakfast and what we wanted to do with physics as a career. It was very interesting to hear what the other girls wanted to do. Then Ceri Brenner came up and talked about what she does, which is conducting the strongest laser in the world. This was interesting to hear because she didnt just talk at us, she made it interesting and told us how it works, opened the room up to questions. Overall, I found this experience very rewarding and fulfulling and would recommend it to any girl interested in STEM. - Ruby Quirke.

Barbara Mckinnon

Science Coordinator