Physics World Stories Podcast · Physics World

Forging a more inclusive new generation of physicists

·48 min·4 clips

Only 20% of UK physics graduates are women, but one conference flips that dynamic entirely.

This episode explores the QWIP+ conference, an initiative supporting undergraduate women and non-binary students in physics. Host Andrew Glester speaks with Dr. June McCombie, the chair of the UK national organizing committee, and two undergraduate organizers, Tanpreet Kaur and Harriet McCormick. They discuss the conference's role in addressing the persistent gender gap in physics. In the UK, women comprise only about 20-25% of undergraduate physics students despite equal performance at the GCSE level. QWIP+ began in California in 2006 and was brought to the UK in 2013 by physicist Daniela Bortolatti. The conference now travels to different universities, with upcoming events in Birmingham and Edinburgh. Speakers highlight systemic issues, like a national shortage of specialist physics teachers and the subject's presentation as masculine in schools. Harriet McCormick shares a personal anecdote about a GCSE physics teacher who openly expressed sexist views to the class. She also describes an unconventional path into physics via a foundation year after initially studying humanities. Tanpreet Kaur emphasizes the importance of supportive networks from friends and teachers for pursuing science interests. The conference intentionally seeks a diverse cohort of attendees, including mature students from institutions like the Open University. A memorable insight is that students from all-girls schools are often overrepresented in undergraduate physics, suggesting co-ed environments can be ostracizing. The hosts note that QWIP+ aims for natural inclusion, exemplified by a trans woman astrophysicist who presented her research without tokenism. Harriet argues that personal identity and experience, like growing up near a toxic waste site, fundamentally shape her research interest in radiological protection. A standout moment involved the students casually meeting and guiding astrophysicist Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell to the conference venue without initially recognizing her. Both students describe the event as dismantling professional hierarchies, making them feel like equal members of the physics community. The conference design includes quiet rooms to accommodate introverted attendees and ensure accessibility. The tone is conversational, reflective, and advocacy-oriented, blending personal narratives with structural analysis. The style is educational and informal, featuring direct quotes and anecdotes from students and organizers. This episode would deeply resonate with students in STEM, educators concerned with equity, and anyone interested in grassroots efforts to improve diversity in science. Listeners seeking a purely technical physics discussion or those opposed to identity-focused initiatives in academia might find it less relevant.

As heard by us

A careful look at how one conference tries to keep women in physics from slipping away.

Physics World Stories uses QWIP+ to look again at a familiar problem from a sharper angle: girls do as well as boys at GCSE physics, then drop away at A-level, and women still account for only around 20-25% of the UK graduate physics cohort.

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Why you'd press play

A practical listen on how QWIP+ tries to change who stays in physics.

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