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Talented mind As an engineer at Rolls-Royce in Derby, UK, Catherine Phipps tests how aircraft-engine components behave in extreme conditions. (Courtesy: Catherine Phipps)
What skills do you use every day in your job?
I originally joined Rolls-Royce to use my physics skills in an engineering environment and see them applied in the real world. My plan was to work in the materials department, thinking that would align with my degree. But after completing the graduate training scheme, I chose to join the mechanical-integrity team working on demonstrator engines. A few years later, I moved to Berlin to focus on small engines for civil aerospace before returning to Derby in the UK, where I’m now a mechanical integrity engineer working on large civil engines.
A large part of my job involves understanding how materials behave in extreme conditions, such as high temperature or extreme stress. I might, for example, run simulations to see how long a new component will last or if it will corrode.
I’ll also design programmes to test how components behave when the engine runs in a particular way. The results of these tests are then fed back into the models to validate predictions and improve the simulations. Statistical analysis skills are vital too, as is the ability to make rapid judgements. Above all, I need to consider and understand any safety implications and consider what might happen if the component fails.
It’s a team role, working alongside people from numerous other disciplines such as aerodynamics, fluid mechanics and materials, and everyone brings their own skills. We need to make sure our designs are cost-effective, meet weight targets, and can be manufactured consistently and to the right standard. It’s immensely challenging work, which means I need to collaborate, communicate and – where acceptable – compromise.
What do you like least and best about your job?
Best has to be the people. It’s inspiring and motivating to work day in, day out in an international environment with talented, innovative and dedicated colleagues from varied backgrounds and with different life experiences. Sharing knowledge and coaching younger members of the team is also rewarding. Plus, seeing an aircraft take off and knowing you contributed to the engine design is an amazing feeling.
I did have a seven-year career break to have children, after which I was shocked at how much my colleagues had progressed. I felt in awe and inadequate. It was challenging to return, but everyone assured me the laws of physics hadn’t changed and I soon got back up to speed. The hardest time for me, though, was working from home during COVID-19. Meetings continued online, but I missed the chance conversations with colleagues where we’d run ideas past each other and I’d learn useful information. I felt siloed and it was hard to share knowledge. The line between work and home was blurred and it was always tempting to leave the laptop on and “just finish something” after dinner.
What do you know today you wish you knew when you were starting your career?
First, don’t think you always have to know the answer and don’t be afraid to ask questions. You won’t look stupid and you’ll learn from the responses. When you start working, it’s easy to think you should know everything, but I’m still learning and questioning all these years later. New ideas and perspectives are always valuable, so stay curious and keep wondering “Why?” and “What if?”. You may unlock something new. Second, just because you start on one route, don’t think you can’t do something different. Your career will probably span several decades so when new opportunities arise, don’t be afraid to take them.
The work examines the termination of relativistic electron beam events that occurred during experiments on JET, which was operated at the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy until earlier this year. A better understanding of such dynamics could help the successful mitigation of plasma disruptions, which lead to energy losses in the plasma. The work could also be useful for experiments that will take place on the ITER experimental fusion tokamak, which is currently under construction in Cadarache, France.
Awarded each year, the PPCF prize aims to highlight work of the highest quality and impact published in the journal. The award was judged on originality, scientific quality and impact as well as being based on community nominations and publication metrics. The prize will be presented at the 50th European Physical Society Conference on Plasma Physics in Salamanca, Spain, on 8–12 July.
Jonathan Graves from the University of York, UK, who is PPCF editor-in-chief, calls the work is “outstanding”. “[It] explores state of the art simulations with coupled runaway electron physics, presented together with convincing comparison against disrupting JET tokamak plasmas,” he says. “The development is critically important for the safe operation of future reactor devices.”
Below, Bandaru talks to Physics World about the prize, his research and what advice he has for early-career researchers.
What does winning the 2024 PPCF Outstanding Paper Prize mean to you?
The award means a lot to me, as a recognition of the hard work that went into the research. I would like to thank my co-authors for their valuable contributions and PPCF for considering the paper.
How important is it that researchers receive recognition for their work?
Receiving recognition is encouraging for researchers and can give an extra boostand motivation in their scientific pursuits. This is more so given the nature and dynamics of contemporary research work. This new initiative from PPCF is very welcome and commendable.
What advice would you give to early-career researchers looking to pursue a career in plasma physics?
Having worked in a few different fields over the years, I can say that plasma physics is one area that entails significant complexity due to the shear range of length and timescales of the physical processes involved. This not only offers interesting and challenging problems, but also allows them to choose from a variety of problems over the course of one’s research career.
How so?
Fusion science has now reached an inflection point with enormous ongoing activity involving research labs, universities as well as start-ups all over the world. With several big and important projects underway such as ITER and the planned Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production in the UK, plasma researchers can not only make important, concrete and impactful contributions, but can also have a relatively visible long-term career path. I would say these are really exciting times to be in plasma physics.
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