Profile
Kathryn Boast
totally addicted to SCIENCE CHAT
My CV
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Education:
Wycombe High School (2001-2008), Oxford University (2009-2013, 2013-2018)
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Qualifications:
Master’s in Physics & Philosophy, PhD in particle physics
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Work History:
Wycombe High School (science technician during gap year), European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (website content creation summer project), University of Oxford (teaching undergraduates while doing my PhD), Oxford Physics & Hertford College (current jobs)
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About Me:
I live in Oxford but love to travel and I have an old VW campervan π I like: reading books π being outdoors π©βπΎ making stuff 𧡠eating π and singing πΆ – though not usually all at once.
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My pronouns are:
she/her
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My Work:
I’m a science communicator – I love finding creative ways to explain science ideas. I make videos, organise events and run loads of different programmes. Before this, I did research into dark matter, one of the greatest mysteries in the universe.
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Read more
I have two part-time jobs, both in Oxford University and both involving bringing science to life, but working for two different organisations.
I enjoy photography and making videos, as well as writing and designing. I do quite a lot of live presenting on stage, but I get enormous stage fright and have had to fight hard to learn how to control my nerves. I feel really lucky that my jobs allow me the chance to do all the things I love and be paid for them.
Before I became a science communicator, I did a PhD, which is where you learn how to do science research. As part of this, you have to write a ‘thesis’, which is a long report on your research, and if you do well, you get a qualification that means you can use the title ‘Dr.’ in front of your name. When I had my graduation ceremony, and I got to wear multi-coloured robes and a silly hat – it was great!!
I’m a big advocate for diversity in science. I’d love to see more girls and women studying subjects like physics and computer science. I think it’s also super important to recognise that diversity means so much more than this. We can do a lot to support and shout out about scientist who are black or from minority ethnic groups, or who are LGBT, or who don’t fit the stereotype in one way or another. Diverse teams do better work, and it makes everything so much more interesting when different people can bring different experiences to the table. I want to help build a world in which anyone thinks that science is for them, just the way they are.
For my PhD (my first try at scientific research), I worked on a really big experiment called LUX-ZEPLIN, which is going to search for mysterious stuff called ‘dark matter’. I got to do some amazing things for this, including visiting the experiment test centre in California (where they had someΒ really big tools!) and going a mile underground down a working mine in Yorkshire!
I also spent three months working in the Houses of Parliament in the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, as the STFC Postgraduate Research Fellow. It was an incredible experience – I learned so much and met so many amazing people.
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My Typical Day:
I’m a morning person, so I’m up early for breakfast and a sneaky bit of reading before I have to go to work. My days at work are really varied – sometimes I’m talking to big groups of people, sometimes I’m planning events, and sometimes I’m working out how to explain an exciting new idea. I have lots of different projects on. I’ll usually wrap up at about half past five and head home. I might go to the gym or do a bit of work on something creative, before something tasty for dinner at seven-ish. I’m usually dozing off by 10pm!
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Thinking, designing, creating, writing, presenting, editing
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What I'd do with the prize money:
Get a livestreaming camera so that you can ask me questions while I do live experiments and interviews
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
enthusiastic, kind, driven
What did you want to be after you left school?
I've never really had a career plan. I know one day I want to write a book, but otherwise I just want to do what I'm doing well.
Were you ever in trouble at school?
Only occasionally!
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
I'd be an author
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Porcupine Tree
What's your favourite food?
Bread
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
1) I wish I didn't get tired or didn't need as much sleep, so I could keep doing the millions of exciting things I always wish I had time for. (2) Lots of money so that I could eat out more, buy really classy dresses, go out to the theatre/cinema/opera and still have plenty left over to save for the future (3) A better memory so that I didn't forget things all the time!
Tell us a joke.
- Do you know any jokes about sodium? - Na.
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