Alumna shares Astronomy and Astrophysics experiences

We recently caught up with one of our alumnae, Catherine, who wanted to share her experience of studying Physics in our all-girls environment.

Catherine commented: "I enjoyed studying Physics at St Mary’s School, Cambridge. The attention that the Physics department gives to students, no matter their ability, is important in building confidence for future scientists. Having discovered I enjoyed Physics during my GCSE course I became more involved in the department and the subject until I decided to study it at university. I am now enrolled at the University of Toronto, studying Astronomy and Astrophysics. I wouldn't have discovered my love for the subject had it not been for the dedicated and enthusiastic encouragement and help from the lovely Physics teachers”.

Wanting to encourage current and future girls to study Physics, Catherine continued: “Anyone hoping to study Physics further should keep in mind a few things: Mathematics isn't essential to study Physics at A Level, but it is required to continue to study Physics at degree level, so make sure you are comfortable with it; Einstein said “'I have no special talents, I am just passionately curious”, which is a rule to live by as a Physicist; make sure when choosing your course that you understand the difference between Physics, Engineering, and Mathematics, as picking the right one will save you time, money, and stress."

There is nationally a big disparity between the numbers of girls and boys taking Physics at A Level, let alone degree level, with the figures showing many more boys selecting Physics than girls. As an all-girls school we are uniquely positioned to encourage our girls to pursue whichever subjects, and careers, they wish, free from stigma and stereotypes, and we are delighted to hear from Catherine about her success since leaving our school. Thank you to Catherine for sharing her story and advice, what an excellent role model to show younger students that girls can achieve in Physics, in fact all STEM subjects, as well as boys can.