The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) has brought together the county’s most promising young scientists to celebrate their abilities and achievements in physics at a special awards evening.
It is the fifth time UCLan has hosted the Lancashire Schools’ Physicist of the Year Awards event which is sponsored by the Ogden Trust, a charitable trust that aims to promote the teaching and learning of physics. Schools from around the region are invited to select their highest achieving Years 10 and 12 pupils to be recognised at the prestigious event.
Forty pupils from 23 Lancashire schools attended the annual awards presentation. Recipients of the award are handed a book token and a certificate from the Ogden Trust but more importantly, are given access to a wide range of benefits including undergraduate scholarships and travel grants to undertake independent travel for voluntary work, studying abroad and taking part in research trips over the next few years.
UCLan lecturer Dr Joanne Bibby, from the Jeremiah Horrocks Institute for Mathematics, Physics & Astronomy, is an Ogden Science Officer alongside lecturing at the University.
She said: “We are proud to once again host the Lancashire Schools’ Physicist of the Year Awards. It is a great platform to acknowledge these aspiring scientists’ achievements and reward them for all of the hard work they’ve put in.”
Barbara Grundy from the Odgen Trust attended the award ceremony. She said: “The students will be given Ogden Trust opportunities such as attending the Physics Symposium at the University of Cambridge, networking events and a range of other workshops to enhance their academic and life skills.
“In addition, during their future university vacations, they will be eligible to gain valuable experience by obtaining an Ogden internship in commercial or charity sectors, as well as in schools. The Ogden Trust is very keen to encourage more talented and bright physicists to consider becoming teachers.”
The young scientists were nominated for a variety of reasons including producing outstanding coursework, a passion and enthusiasm for the subject and taking part in science-related extra-curricular activities.