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Episode 18

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Published on:

6th Jul 2023

An open conversation with physics students, Misha de Fockert, Ming-Shau Liu and Armaan Shaikh

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This is July and the streets of Cambridge burst with sun and excitement as students let a communal sigh of relief now that the academic year is over. This is July, and the time for future students to think about what subject they might be studying when choosing to go to university.  

As we are welcoming hundreds of potential new students today and tomorrow for the University of Cambridge Open Days, we have invited three of our current undergraduate students to join us in the studio and talk to us, honestly and without filters, about their experience at Cambridge. Hearing directly from them may help young people thinking about studying physics in Cambridge or anywhere else, to take the leap.  

Misha de Fockert and Armaan Shaikh have just finished their 2nd year – here in Cambridge we call it Part IB, and Ming-Shau Liu is graduating from Cambridge after his 4th year, which, not confusingly at all, is called Part 3! 

All three of them, and this is just a coincidence, are students at Homerton College.   With them today we talk about taking the time to reflect, imposter syndrome, building bridges and making friends for life.  

Useful links

  • if you are thinking about applying to Cambridge, visit the Undergraduate Study website.
  • Isaac Physics offer free support and activities in physics problem solving to teachers and students transitioning from GCSE (Y11), through to Sixth Form (Y12 & 13), to university. For direct support, you can also sign up to the Isaac Physics mentoring scheme.
  • To learn more about the Cavendish Laboratory, or if you are interested in joining us or studying with us, go to the Cavendish website.

Share and join the conversation

  • If you like this episode don’t forget to rate it and leave a review on your favourite podcast app. It really helps others to find us.
  • Any comment about the podcast or question you would like to ask our physicists, email us at podcast@phy.cam.ac.uk or join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #PeopleDoingPhysics.


Episode credits

Hosts: Vanessa Bismuth and Jacob Butler

Recording and Editing: Chris Brock



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About the Podcast

People doing Physics
The podcast exploring the personal side of physics
As fascinating as physics can be, it can also seem very abstract, but behind each experiment and discovery stands a real person trying to understand the universe. Join us at the Cavendish Laboratory on the first Thursday of every month as we get up close and personal with the researchers, technicians, students, teachers, and people that are the beating heart of Cambridge University’s Physics department. Each episode also covers the most exciting and up-to-date physics news coming out of our labs. If you want to know what goes on behind the doors of a Physics department, are curious to know how people get into physics, or simply wonder what physicists think and dream about, listen in!
Join us on Twitter @DeptofPhysics using the hashtag #PeopleDoingPhysics.

About your hosts

Simone Eizagirre Barker

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I'm a PhD student in experimental physics studying new materials for quantum technologies. Outside the lab, I love getting involved in science journalism initiatives that explore the relationship between science and society, as well as the stories of scientists themselves.

Vanessa Bismuth

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I'm the Cavendish's Communications Manager and I want the world to know about the extraordinary people that are working, researching and studying here.

Jacob Breward Butler

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Working in the Outreach Office of the Cavendish Laboratory, I run Cambridge University's educational Physics outreach programmes while studying a part-time Masters' in Education.