The first two applications

I decided to start preparing for next years summer internship applications and found two that are already open! They are both really exciting but I'm dreading starting my covering letters... So I guess this post is an attempt to get started in a round about way and try and get some of my passion into my writing again. I mean I have written in the last 4 weeks but there is a slightly different tone when you're talking to clients about accounts... These opportunities for next year promise to be much more captivating!

The first is at IRENA which stands for International Renewable ENergy Agency. They cheated a bit with that N in there but it does sound better so I'll let them off! And I want them to like me so I definitely will! From what I've seen on their website they seem be to a type of council that works with different countries to encourage the use of renewable energy technologies more. To do this they research into new techniques, help set up systems and report on the usages in different countries. Like a network to share knowledge and resources more efficiently. So if you want to get into the renewable energy business, the centre of it all seems a pretty good place to be. There are opportunities in Abu Dahbi, United Arab Emirates and in Bonn, Germany. I would love the opportunity to go abroad and a summer is the perfect length for me. I have had such a great time on all my travels these last couple of years but the opportunity to live and work in a country would be a real chance to immerse myself in a culture. Even if I get homesick or things didn't go quite to plan, I don't think its something I could ever regret doing. I think I would prefer to be in Germany since its closer to home and therefore less scary but I can't afford to be fussy and to be honest maybe scarier is better. To further add to my excitement, they are currently relocating their head quarters to Masdar City and since discovering it in this post, I haven't forgotten my dream to visit it one day!

The second is at Sellafield which is a company that decommissions nuclear power stations. I applied last year and didn't get it but this year I am that bit older and am applying much earlier. I'm hoping that and a bit of luck will give me more of a chance to hopefully reach interview stage. The placement will either be in Manchester or West Cumbria and even though its not a new country it is still a brand new place which will hold its own surprises I'm sure. From looking at the website it seems a very structured placement and will surely lead to greater things. The Beacon Museum in Cumbria has a Sellafield  exhibition which sounds interesting! Oh and Brian Cox was at the opening ceremony... Not that I care... Just mentioning....

So... I guess I had better get started then... Wish me luck!

Geneva in London!

Around Christmas last year I went to the science museum with my Dad to visit the Hadron Collider exhibition there and it was really good! Actually probably the best exhibition I've ever been to and better than the museum in Geneva! The exhibition had the perfect balance of bits to read with bits read to you and was pitched at a really good level. I found it very interesting and my Dad could still follow it. It was exciting! We got free badges! We took selfies! And of course I got to feel all clever when I recognised an equation of two, that were mostly on the wall for decoration, and explained what they meant to my Dad!

I remember really enjoying the quote from Paul Dirac: 'In science one tries to tell people, in such a way as to be understood by everyone , something that noone ever knew before. But in the case of poetry, it's the exact opposite'. And quite ironically that sentence is poetic in itself!

It is slightly embarassing for CERN that this was so much better but then this year the group visiting from Nottingham were allowed down into the tunnels and I think that would have made the trip more worthwhile. This was my post about my visit.

At the science museum we also had time to look at the 3D printing exhibits and I was really impressed with the wide range of applications for this technology. It was something I had heard of but not really considered before, it seems so futuristic!

Career Plans (oh so serious)

There came a point this year when I had to face the whole careers decision situation and actually get serious about it. Looking for summer internships was by no means easy. The Internet is a wonderful place but the vast sea of information is also quite daunting. Especially when your starting place is as vague as 'maybe something in science would be nice'...

So I can't remember how but I stumbled upon gradcracker which helped give my searching some direction. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who's looking for a career in science. I saw how many opportunities there were in the oil and gas industry so starting researching that and terms like 'geophysicist' drew me in.

And then I got rejected from Shell and a couple of others and didn't even hear back from a couple of others. But the important thing is what I learnt for this year:
1) apply as soon as possible
2) practice as many numerical tests as possible because under the pressure of a time limit its very difficult to remember how to calculate percentage difference
3) Get 2nd and 3rd opinions on my CV and potential answers

But also I need to get my general knowledge up for interviews and not be too shy to ask my person tutor for a letter of recommendation.

I did however get accepted for a discovery day at BP which was a real eye opener. We had talks from current interns, senior staff as well as members of HR involved in the selection process. I met some interesting peers as well! I really got a feel for the company and can easily imagine a life there. I remember coming home in my free BP hoodie so excited. I felt like I finally could see life after university and it was a lovely life with MRI scanners and rock samples and graphs and numbers! I guess I'll apply this year, I'll give it my all and if I don't get it then I'm sure I'll learn some more for when I apply for the graduate scheme. And hey, if none of that works out its cool, something else will come up. Whatevers meant to be, will be but that doesn't mean I'm going to sit back and wait for it to come to me.

That said, I'm also looking at the nuclear energy industry and at research placements at universities.  Watch this space.

Royal Society Summer Exhibition 2014!

A biologist, a skeleton and the coolest person
ever and another skeleton

I put this week in my diary a few weeks ago, I was determined not to miss the exhibition this year! I didn't get as much free stuff as last time but I think I was just particularly lucky last time... I still learnt lots of things though! And I can't think of a better place to catch up with a nerdy friend. Conveniently my friend is a biologist so I could pretend we only went to the biology exhibits for her - actually being interested in biology would just be embarrassing ;)

One exhibit was about 3D photography. They're developed a flash system that you add on to a normal camera and it quickly takes a series of photos and uses the shadows to create a 3D image. Maybe in a few years I'll be taking my holiday  pictures in 3D? There's more information here, it's interesting because it's so different to 3D techniques currently used.

Next we spoke to a lady about ionic solvents. I was drawn over to the stall about it said that they could be used to reduce CO2 levels in the atmosphere. This is because they can act as a base and so readily absorb acidic CO2. Whats special about ionic solvents is that they are inflammable so we can use them in large quantities without the huge safety risks. They also work at lower temperatures and smaller timescales so have a wide range of applications replacing the many solvents currently used in industry.

We learnt about the antibiotics used by ants and the growing need to develop more antibiotics as bacteria become resistant. We got free stickers and sweets from here too! There were real ants too but just looking at them made me feel all itchy!

The last stall we had time for was the one called 'catch a comet'. An excited physicist explained to use about a 10 year mission to land a spacecraft on a comet. It will collect data about the particles in the comets tail and get a core sample. Actually this blog post should serve as a reminder to check what they've found by the end of August! I got a poster for my wall!

European space agency!

Last Christmas I went on the Physsoc trip to Amsterdam! And like the stereotypical physicist, I didn't go to Amsterdam to party or experiment with recreational drugs, no, I went to visit the European space agency!

Pretending to get my hand radiated?

Handstand on the moon!

Shuttle hat

Like my trip to Geneva I can honestly say I had the best time. The 10 hour coach journey wasn't amazing but you soon forget that!

I'd love to tell you all the things I learnt here but I'm not sure it was a particularly educational trip... I just remember having fun with the interactive stuff and being impressed by the size of it all!

Falling out of love

Every time I start a new term at university I think 'this time, I'll make time for my blog, this time I'll do it', and then it doesn't happen... You'd think doing physics most of the day every day I'd have plenty to keep this blog going but if I'm completely honest, this year has been a bit of a drag. When I was trying to think of the coolest thing I learnt this year, I honestly couldn't think of anything and that makes me really sad. I suppose maybe I feel this way mostly because my nightmare revision period has tainted my memory of the year.

My favourite module was my first optional one. It was mostly mathematical but we derived Newtonian laws and saw how they all tied together and I loved that. Not just taking things for what they are, really getting inside them and applying them in the ways I always have but in a way that seems natural this time. And then I always love learning a new mathematical technique that lets you get that bit further. It feels like getting a weapon on Zelda and moving up a level. But all that was half a year ago so I've half forgotten the excitement of it....

So yeah, next year will be better and I'm going to use this summer to fall in love with Physics again. And where better to do it than on this blog where it all started? And although I think of last year being the biggest struggle, I came out of it all with a pretty impressive 69% so it ain't all bad ;)

I'm also using this summer to work in an accountants office... I know, I know, it sounds like I'm selling out... And if I'm honest, I am. I desperately wanted a job this summer. I need experience for my CV, something to get me out the house and stop me going crazy, and sure the moneys nice. I've mentally spent it a thousand ways already. And trust me, anyone who's done audit commission work will tell you that daydreaming is the only difference between you and the computer on your desk...

Okay, I'm exaggerating a little, it's only been a week and I'm naturally an optimistic person. It's nice having the evenings and weekends free. I have learnt a lot this week and maybe it's not something that I'm particularly interested in but I do love learning. I'm a little less optimistic about the next 3 months but the people are nice and I get to see my family more than in term time. And my boyfriend is also in London, so as exciting as an internship in a German university would have been, this job does have its perks. He isn't a physicist but he's seen my blog and didn't break up with me so I reckon he's a keeper.

I did apply for many physics related internships but to no avail, I'm sure I'll talk about that some more later. I'm gonna be needing some posts to help me with all that this year.

I'm sorry that this comes across as a rather negative post but it's just the way it came out... I hadn't fully realised quite how tired of it all I had become... I suppose this summer is about fixing that! This is a good reference point I suppose...