Our guest this month is LOUISE HIRST, Assistant Professor of Physics, and specialist of the development of advanced, high efficiency photovoltaics for space applications like powering satellites and exploring space. 

As a teenager and young adult, she contemplated a dual career in music and science, but knew she could not do both so finally decided to push her physics studies, with the idea she could get into finance or banking. Today, she’s not working in the City but continues to play the trumpet and piano when she’s not manipulating materials in the lab.

She spent several years at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory in Washington DC, where she did her postdoc. The lab brings together civilians and military staff, an environment she found both intellectually stimulating and challenging. 

Louise Hirst is not easily impressionable, andcertainly not easily discouraged. But is it a natural trait or did she have to build her confidence the hard way? We’re asking her and more in this episode.

Jump into the conversation:

[00:00] - Guest intro

[01:50] - How did it all start?

[02:56] - Music or physics? Finance or research?

[05:15] - It’s all about photovoltaics

[09:58] - Working with military staff in the U.S.

[13:13] - In the news this month - 3D printed nanomagnets unveil a world of patterns in the magnetic field

[15:10] - Being a woman in science and sticking up for oneself      

[20:50] – Interdisciplinary and translational themes at the University of Cambridge

[23:50] – Is physics changing?

[28:00] – Where next?

[29:28] - Outro

Useful links:

• Read the full news story about 3D printed nanomagnets on our website.
• To learn more about Louise Hirst, visit Space Photovoltaics (cam.ac.uk). Find her on Twitter @LouiseHirstUCam
• For more details about research and teaching at the Cavendish, or why not to join us or study with us, go to www.phy.cam.ac.uk

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.
• 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 Paolo Molignini

News presenters: Jacob Butler and Simone Eizagirre Barker

Producer: Chris Brock