I am Head of Science and a physics teacher at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Faversham. I am a member of the Education and Outreach Committee of the Royal Microscopical Society and of the Materials Science Committee of the Worshipful Company of Armourers and Braziers.

My Fellowship was about education, specifically the use of research equipment and expertise in a high school or equivalent setting.

Moving from academia into teaching I quickly realised that the national curriculum is quite dry and even uninspiring and that students of all levels of attainment need something to spark their interest in a deep and pathway-changing way. Real science research in school brings the student experience totally up to date and allows students genuine ownership of their learning.

On the back of my Fellowship, we now have two scanning electron microscopes touring UK schools and spending time at the Natural History Museum in London. Long-term school loans allow a depth of experience far beyond that of a one-day visit or talk, and certainly offer more opportunities than many enrichment activities. We are already seeing many students benefit and choose meaningful career paths which they may not otherwise have pursued.