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.
Gravity is not a force, spacetime is curved Katy Clough, Senior Lecturer, Queen Mary University of London
Why do we fall towards the Earth? Our best current answer to this question involves a surprising revelation about the nature of the space and time that we exist in, and links to questions about how the universe began, and how it might end.
About Dr Katy Clough
Katy is an astrophysicist and computational cosmologist. Her research uses numerical relativity to simulate black holes and cosmological structures in the early universe.
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
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?
Optical fibres and optical networks - communicating with light through the cloud in the AI world Polina Bayvel DBE FREng FRS, Professor of Optical Communications & Networks, UCL
Huge amounts of data are moving around us at any given moment, allowing us to stream and download music, videos and games and to stay continuously connected to one another. It can be easy to take for granted the technology at our fingertips and to forget that it requires an immense network of undersea and landline optical fibre communications systems with complex sources, amplifiers and receivers, and even satellites in orbit, to make it all possible. Just how does it work and will the global infrastructure we depend on have enough capacity in the AI world?
