By Amber Inman, MSci Physics, Department of Physics
I’m writing this piece on the way home from my last ever Women in Physics Society event. Reflecting on my year as academic events officer I realise that, alongside vast quantities of pizza, I’ve discovered one of the best groups of humans anyone could ever dream up. Strong, determined women who aren’t afraid to make things happen. Young physicists who felt underrepresented so chose to make themselves heard. Infinitely hungry students who wanted pizza, so ordered pizza. Being a part of Women in Physics gave me access to so many great events: from ‘Coffee, Cake & Self-Care’ (it’s not always pizza) to ‘Space… Where No One Can Hear You Scream’ which introduced the intriguing possibility of a career in Space Insurance. Being on a committee is something I cannot recommend enough. In fact, not content with being on one committee, I actually joined two. Maxwell, as in James Clerk, is the general physics society and as the Design Secretary I got to explore a more creative side of myself: designing t-shirts and coming up with logos. Regardless of which society organised it, at every event I met more and more lovely, like-minded people who I now feel lucky to call friends.
Now I should probably include a disclaimer here. I actually didn’t join a single society until my third year at KCL. Sure I went to the fresher’s fair, yes I signed a few mailing lists but did I go to a single social event? Nope, not one. While this is not a path I would recommended (I have learnt the error of my ways) I did somehow manage to have an excellent three years. You’re probably wondering where I was lurking during all that free time. Was I soaking up legendary view from the Waterfront Bar and Kitchen? Perhaps. Was I pretending to be all cultured in the Philosophy bar? I could have been. Maybe I was actually being cultured and exploring one of the magical exhibitions at 180 the Strand or Somerset House. Those are just the things within five minutes of the Strand Campus – when you go to King’s you’ve got the whole of London at your disposal. There’s always something going on and honestly you’ll probably find that three years just isn’t enough to explore it all.
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