About this day
For A-level, IB, BTEC Level 3 and T Level physics students
Join us at Physics in Action for an inspiring day that takes physics beyond the classroom. Top physicists and expert communicators will share their passion and insight across a range of exciting topics, showing students where physics can take them — in study, research, and future careers.
The day also includes a special session on exam success, giving students practical tools and tips to help them excel. With polls, quizzes, and opportunities to put questions directly to the speakers, Physics in Action is a must for all KS5 physics students. Book now to secure your places!
Host: Tim Gregory (Nuclear scientist and author) Exam Session: Lewis Matheson (Physics Online)
“Enjoyable, entertaining, interesting and thought provoking”
— Rugby School, Autumn 2025 —
Programme & speakers
Getting in a spin with the Coriolis Effect Simon Clark, Author and Science Communicator
When air flows from the Earth’s equator towards the poles, it gets deflected to the side in what we call the Coriolis effect. Why does this happen? And what does it have to do with one of the fundamental laws of the universe? In this session we’ll dive into the maths, history, and applications of the Coriolis effect, and touch on the most beautiful idea in physics.
About Dr Simon Clark
Following a PhD in atmospheric physics, Simon became a full-time science communicator, specialising in YouTube videos about topics in Earth science, such as climate change. He regularly livestreams on Twitch, lectures on science communication, and wrote a book, Firmament, as an introduction to and history of atmospheric science.
Atoms for Space: Taking Nuclear Science to the Skies Tim Gregory, Nuclear Scientist and Author
Radiation has breathed life into spacecraft for decades. From Moon landers to interstellar voyagers, many of our most beloved missions have been powered by atomic energy. Miniature fission reactors and advanced nuclear batteries will allow humanity to explore the rest of the solar system… and build habitats on the surfaces of other worlds.
About Dr Tim Gregory
Tim is a nuclear chemist whose lab work takes him to the forefront of clean energy production, nuclear medicine research, and space exploration. With a PhD in meteorite science he has also appeared on BBC4’s The Sky at Night and the BBC2 series Astronauts: Do You Have What It Takes?
Heat Pumps in Our Homes Michael de Podesta, Physicist
A heat pump can supply around three times more heating power to a home than the electrical power it consumes. In this talk I will outline how heat pumps achieve this and how they work in our homes to keep us warm in even the coldest weather!
About Dr Michael de Podesta
Michael de Podesta retired in 2020 after a career as a Physics lecturer (Birkbeck and UCL) and a measurement scientist (NPL). Since retiring he has devoted his time and life savings to reducing the amount of carbon dioxide he emits each year. As part of these efforts, his own home is heated with a heat pump which he monitors every two minutes 24/7/365. He writes a blog at http://protonsforbreakfast.org
Why we still don't understand something as basic as Gravity Lionel London, Royal Society University Research Fellow & Proleptic Lecturer, King's College London
There are few physical forces that we sense as constantly as the force of gravity: it literally keeps our feet on the ground. But as we begin to understand more of the world around us, we realise that there are many strange things about our most familiar “force”. This talk explores what gravity seems to be, why that’s definitely wrong, and what scientists are doing to grapple with the fact that we still don’t really understand it. Finding the answers could pave the way for future technologies we can scarcely imagine today.
About Dr Lionel London
Dr London is from a small state in the southern USA, has worked in Cardiff, MIT, Amsterdam and now lives in London. In adventures, he’s explored how fundamental physics can shed light on the universe’s most compact objects: black holes.
Particle Physics Kirsty Duffy, Particle Physicist, The Queen's College, University of Oxford
Particle physics aims to answer the big questions: what are we made from? Where does everything come from? Why does the universe exist? While the A-level syllabus touches on some particle physics, the field is much broader and more exciting than you may have covered. In this talk I will introduce modern particle physics, with a particular focus on my research into neutrinos and the mega-science experiments being built to study them.
(Image credit: Fermilab)
About Dr Kirsty Duffy
Kirsty Duffy is a particle physicist studying neutrinos. With colleagues in the UK and internationally, she is working to make the world’s most precise measurements of these elusive particles, and hopefully shed light on some of the most fundamental questions in physics. She also hosts the popular YouTube series “Even Bananas” about neutrino physics, in collaboration with Fermilab.