How this doctor helps North East students tackle physics

Let’s start with a basic guide: The Institute of Physics is the professional body for physics in the UK and Ireland, within which physicists study how the universe behaves and apply that knowledge to improve lives.

So far, so good.

They study everything from the smallest particles to the whole universe. As such, physics underpins chemistry, biology, engineering, and many other scientific disciplines and has helped bring us mobile phones, the internet, medical imaging devices and electric cars as well as tackling challenges like climate change and feeding and caring for a growing global population.

The IoP’s 21,000 members work in schools, universities, national research facilities, and businesses of all sizes, and they have varied roles as researchers, apprentices, technicians, engineers, and product developers. Across the UK, more than 2.7 million people work in industries powered by physics such as energy, healthcare, telecommunication, manufacturing, transport, aerospace and defence.

The North East branch is one of 11 regional branches in England, and covers Northumberland, County Durham and Teesside, with activity centres based in Newcastle and Durham.

So – that’s probably all you need to know, isn’t it? I’ve managed to sum up physics in about 170 words.

Well, Dr Juna Sathian might disagree at this point. Her whole career has been built around physics, and she is one of the country’s most acknowledged experts, so she has a considerable amount to add to the discussion.

She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics, Physics & Electrical Engineering at Northumbria University, and her work covers applied optics and the development of technology involving laser and maser technology (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation and Microwave Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation, as if you didn’t know). Oh, and she is also a City Councillor for Blakelaw ward in Newcastle.

I’m sure (although I haven’t actually asked her) she wouldn’t mind me kicking things off by asking Microsoft’s AI project Copilot for a definition. It says physics is “the branch of science that studies the fundamental principles governing the behaviour of matter, energy, and the interactions between them. It encompasses a wide range of topics, including classical mechanics, electromagnetism, thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, and relativity. Physicists seek to understand the underlying laws of the universe and use mathematical models to describe and predict physical phenomena. Whether it’s the motion of planets, the behaviour of subatomic particles, or the properties of materials, physics provides the foundation for our understanding of the natural world.”

Over to you, Juna for the simplest of responses:

“I love the Institute of Physics because, basically, I am a physicist at heart,” she tells me.

“When I was in Australia, I was heavily involved in the Australian Institute of Physics to the extent that I was the State representative of AIP and one of the key things I saw, which is still a driving force today, is that there is very low female representation in physics - through my masters when I was doing my PhD, I was the only girl in the group.

Dr Juna Sathian

“The opportunities are massive, but I think people are not getting that and the schools are not getting that message. That's why I am very passionate about doing something to change that. So in Australia I started visiting schools just talking about my work and the opportunities in physics to bring in more people.

“What I found there was a perception that physics is hard and I that while some schools are quite confident in taking physics maybe the others don't have the same level of facilities, or they don't have the great teachers and that's why we don't have as many students taking physics – they are scared.

“The solution to that is that we all need good teachers to explain things to us and encourage us.”

Like so many first steps along a career path, those conversations need to start at home where the tone is set about what sort of region this is and what career options it presents for young people. It is then primed to continue through school, FE and HE and into work that inspires and in which that young person is completely invested and informed.

Juna’s twin eight-year-olds are blessed with a mum who discovered her own passion early on and wants her children to have the chance to experience the same joy and focus on whatever field they follow.

“They are in year three and just so inquisitive,” she tells me at the BUSINESSiQ offices in Darlington.

“They are often looking in my quantum physics textbook - I love to see things like that – and they just ask questions and then they are so fascinated. One of them already knows quite a lot about astrophysics and he asked me to bring a book home from university because he wanted to read how the universe is formed, about black holes and event horizons.

“Thankfully, the technology has been very well developed, so children today can also watch videos and see what is happening. If there is not too much text, but plenty of clear imagery, they will become interested in what is in front of them.

“Physics is all around them – in chemistry, maths, aerospace, everyone uses physics at some point. But can still be hidden to young people and we need to always find more ways to reveal it.

“For years I have been watching how many young people studied physics and what they do afterwards, to try to understand what is happening as careers are formed and as they grow. How many are staying in our region and what were the graduate outcomes?

“But it was all a little bit shocking so we decided OK – we’ve got a team so we should start going out to schools and talking simply about what we do, where we are now, and how genuinely exciting we found it all. The opportunities are there and I think organisations like the IoP have the connections and resources to make that difference through engagement with groups and communities.

Dr Juna Sathian

“As a committee member of Women in Physics at the IoP, I also get the chance to help increase female representation in physics after hearing so many times that ‘it's a boys area’ or ‘girls might struggle with the technical details’. I don’t believe that and with the IoP I will continue to get that message across however we can. I have always liked theory, but that message also needs simulation and experimentation. So in my research with my students I start with theory and then we do design and then we implement that because I always want them to see a product and then actually utilise it.

“In Australia I was lucky to be in an environment where I can do interesting things with some great people encouraging me, but as well as the educational environment I think we need to look into the family and how that affects things. My own family believed that if I enjoy something, I could excel in it, so let’s just go for that principle otherwise you will end up doing the job you won't like and that can affect your whole life.”

It was probably a worryingly short time ago that STEM became an education buzzword, packaging together skills that could propel students into careers. The simplicity of that message appeals to Juna and the Institute of Physics and she is sure of the audience it needs to reach.

“We need to communicate in simple words so that teachers and families understand it, because that is where the encouragement will come from, starting with primary school and on to Year 12 and beyond because that is where spinouts and commercialisation can happen if there is enough investment for Research and Development.

“A big part of the success of the push for STEM has been collaboration and a lot of people have pushed for it at the same time and the opportunities have become much clearer. But still the main thing students ask is ‘what are the opportunities - where I can go career-wise wise’. I think that still needs to be better explained, and role models working in an industry will help with that.

“Young people can see that they are passionate about their subject and will benefit from seeing how impactful it can be when they see and hear somebody that clicks better with younger minds.”

Juna and the IoP are on a mission - two halves of a formidable equation that students will study, query, challenge and then understand. But as she says so powerfully, it is all about the message. If we bother to get out there as she does and explain difficult subjects and let young people see things from a different perspective then the North East benefits by building a team of Junas.

Then the next conversation with the next generation about what our region has to offer is more informed and more productive - and we grow again.