Wednesday 23 October 2019

Gradlympics: Closing Report

Here is the story of the final days of the Gradlympics. Previously the scores stood at 6-5 to Oxford. With just two events left, both sides were still in with a chance of victory. Read on for the dramatic conclusion.

Event No. 12: Dodgeball 
The games were drawing to a close. It was time for another unusual sport, Dodgeball. A sport often disparaged, known more for the plight of a moustachioed Ben Stiller than for its Olympic pedigree.
O’Callaghan with his experience gave Oxford a tactical edge. First to five games. Dodging and catching, good. Getting hit, bad. First team to eliminate the other wins. 
Abingdon took a blow early on. Specifically, on Todd’s finger. She was ruled out from further play. Abingdon had lost their most experienced ball handler.
Oxford dominated the first game. It was a quick, clean game with a disorientated Abingdon side barely landing a hit. Cooper was left on his own, looking around with an expression that said “hey, where‘d everybody go?”. 1-0. Oxford did not let up, 2-0, 3-0. There was an obliteration on the cards.
Oxford had powerful throwers in Erskine and Measures with some quick feet from O’Callaghan and Berry. This combination of survivability and lethality was, well, lethal. 
Eventually the gears began to turn for Abingdon, and their slow-starting tactical machine began to run smooth. Two wins on the trot. Abingdon were on a roll, and managed to peg Oxford back to 4-3. 
In the next game Abingdon struck early, and held a lead of 4 players to 3. One more shot would all but secure a deciding game. One more. O’Callaghan went on the defensive, using his favourite tactic of curling up like an armadillo in the corner. Almost impossible to remove. Oxford came back to win. At 5-3, the day was won. 
Dodgeball is certainly a fun, freeing game. One imagines that it would make a fair replacement for anger management classes. Not many games allow such a deliberate and targeted assault on the body. Like boxing, but for those who value personal space and clean eyebrows. 
However behind it lays a layer of strategy. Positioning and coordination of your team is as valuable as a rocket arm. A good team will hunt as one, picking off the slowest, the weakest, like a pack of merciless wolves. Like I said, a fun game.

Event No. 13: Obstacle Course
The closing event of this inaugural games had to be something special. It had to be a crowning moment, it had to be wild. Enter the eccentric impresario Robson, who devised a unique, similarly eccentric, obstacle course. The obstacle course (which I now declare shall be named Robson’s Run) bridged the gap between childhood sports day, drunk student parties and SAS training. A gap that had been begging to be filled. 
Measures and Litherland-Smith led the teams off with the first task, spinning the head on a baseball bat, into a 20 yard dash. Across the teams we saw fast spins, slow spins, and every manner of swaying and staggering. Bookless employed the ground-breaking strategy of counter-spinning before dashing. This event demanded creativity.
The dash led into a cargo net crawl. This was not quite the muddy ‘face in the dirt’ kind of crawl you may picture. This task is a bit more bearable when snaking yourself along a well-kept Oxfordshire lawn. Out the other end the runners were led into the bean bag throw. Referee Quirk, the Nigel Owens of underarm throws, kept order; eyeing up for foot faults.
The egg and spoon walk afterwards tripped a few up - the plastic egg sailing away in the wind like it thought it was a bird. A balance beam walk, using some rough cut planks, got competitors to the end of the course. But they were not done yet.
A full paced sprint homeward led to the final challenge. A nerf gun shot. To a target strung between two trees. Hit it, and you’re done.
A highlight was D Morgan veering halfway to Wales after his spinning. As well as Bookless sinking the beanbag at the first attempt. Or Erskine, finding the bucket on his tenth. As with other events, the distance between the teams was nigh on smaller than a molecule of tritium.
The final pairing was Oxford’s O’Callaghan against Abingdon’s Robson. The fastest graduate against the creator. It had all come down to this. Both raced through the course efficiently, with O’Callaghan slightly ahead. 
The sprint gave the Oxford resident a lead enough for a free shot. A nerf gun shot to the bullseye for victory. It was a big target. Not many had had trouble. But they didn’t have the pressure.
He missed.
Robson, the creator lined up alongside him. They locked and loaded in unison like a spaghetti western duel. This was it. 
Both, missed. 
Cries of anguish from both sides as the players scrambled for another bullet. The tension could not have been higher… 
One player was quicker on the draw. One player hit the target. It was Robson. 


Aftermath
Who would have thought on that mild afternoon in March that this is where we would end.
141 days. 
15 events. 
255 appearances from 28 people. 
Gripping drama, controversy, hours of sporting triumph and painful shortcoming, with two groups that less than a year ago, had never even met one another. Try that for a team building exercise.
Anyone who has tried to arrange a trip to the pub with some old friends knows that by any measure this was a remarkable achievement of commitment and organisation. 
We could scarcely have asked for a more enthralling competition, as full of the ups and downs as any Olympics. A final score of 7-6 to Oxford. A Games well fought. A Games well won.
Given that the teams were squared up basically on their postcode we can really only credit dumb luck itself for the competitiveness of the sporting exercise we have witnessed. That, and a commitment from both teams to fight for their town week on week. No walkovers, no no-shows. 
All was closed out at the after-party with incredible Gradlympic-themed cakes courtesy of Todd. Reward for our wonderful founder and organiser Measures and most importantly the trophy. Awarded to Oxford, who managed to look so rigid in their celebration photo anyone might think the scores were reversed. 
Take a moment please to appreciate the glorious trophy, MASCOT holding the cup aloft, 3D printed. A testament to the innovation of the site, the quest for new ideas, and of course, the inspirational work of Measures.
They may think it’s all over. They may think the game is done. History has been made. But could it be that the Gradlympics has borne out of it not just an event, but a tradition? Only time will tell. Stay tuned...

Friday 4 October 2019

2019 Graduate Intake


This year we have expanded the graduate scheme a huge amount and are taking on the most graduates we have ever had, there are 32 of us! While everything is still new, over the past few weeks everyone would have been spending time getting to know their colleagues and becoming involved in various projects all over site. While I am sure you have all already met, here is a bit more information to get to know each other better.



Name: Brad Elvy
University & Course: Southampton, Electronics MEng
Department you are working in: ICRH, Plasma Heating, Heating and Fuelling
Why UKAEA? Solid Development, interesting work (fingers crossed), good atmosphere.
What are your hopes for the Graduate Scheme? Learn a lot, gain skills, have a sick time with the other grads in and out of work.
Where is your favourite place you have been and why? Playing tennis in a fancy hotel overlooked by the volcano in Lanzarote on Christmas day was nice.
What is your favourite food and why? Love and Indian, been to India, food is quality (but will make you fat).
What do you like to do in your spare time? Football, gaming, “socialising”, clubs, pubs, pool, general sport. (lmk if anyone knows anything about any 11-a-side Sunday league in oxford).
Who inspires you? Myself, my mother, my colleagues etc.
Give a fun fact about you: I have a large scar on my leg from a few operations from when a guy jumped on my leg at football and twisted it until it snapped, and I can move my ears.




Name: Ellen Wright
University & Course: University of Southampton, Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Department you are working in: Electrical Engineering
Why UKAEA? I hope we will be able to contribute towards making fusion a realistic energy source in the future, to reduce the need for damaging fossil fuel power stations.
What are your hopes for the Graduate Scheme? I hope to use the graduate scheme to learn the skills needed to become a useful member of the organisation in the future. I also hope to use it as an opportunity to meet people with similar interests and make lots of contacts and friends.
Where is your favourite place you have been and why? The Canteen.
What is your favourite food and why? My favourite food is anything unhealthy
What do you like to do in your spare time? In my spare time I enjoy playing rugby and exploring the local area
Who inspires you? I am inspired by all the people who have committed their lives to helping others
Give a fun fact about you: I live in the same building as someone who owns a Tesla

Name: Shail Desai
University & Course: Cambridge, Integrated then Aerospace Engineering
Department you are working in: Central Engineering
Why UKAEA? Saving the world is cool, it’s nearly all ground-breaking stuff, people seem super motivated and approachable and I feel well looked after
What are your hopes for the Graduate Scheme? To learn some new stuff/develop skills further, do something useful for the fusion effort
Where is your favourite place you have been and why? Spiti Valley in the Himalayas. Stunning terrain, great wildlife, good food
What is your favourite food and why? Cheesecakes, the texture and Indian dish (Pani Puri/Golguppa). Flavourbomb
What do you like to do in your spare time? Read, YouTube/City Builder video games, work out/run/something physical
Who inspires you? Nikola Tesla, did what he wanted/believed in, against pretty harsh odds
Give a fun fact about you: I’m an Arsenal fan ergo I’m used to heartbreak and my housemate’s name is James and our combined home name is The House of Shames


Name: Mourmour Man-Friel
University & Course: University of Leicester BEng General Engineering
Department you are working in: Mast-U Operations
Why UKAEA? Great working environment and great opportunity to learn, also I might be able to help save the world as fusion will change/save the world.
What are your hopes for the Graduate Scheme? Gain lots of important knowledge, skills and experiences which will help me to become a competent professional engineer in the future. Also discover new areas of interest.
Where is your favourite place you have been and why? Hometown in Manchuria where I grow up as a child, it holds a lot of happy memories and food is amazing.
What is your favourite food and why? Hotpot because it tastes good.
What do you like to do in your spare time? Gaming (LOL); gym; browsing internet; also obsessed with cosmetics (shopping); 50% time I’m probably eating.
Who inspires you? My line manager
Give a fun fact about you: I got arrested 20 times in one day, not because I’m a terrible criminal (just to clarify I’m not a criminal) but because I was volunteering in a police college.


Name: Matthew Magness
University & Course: University of Michigan – BSc Mechanical Engineering
Department you are working in: Central Engineering
Why UKAEA? I believe the potential of nuclear fusion is incredibly exciting and am looking forward to being a part of the process of getting towards commercial fusion power.
What are your hopes for the Graduate Scheme? I hope to gain valuable experience in both the technical and non-technical aspects of a large engineering project, as well as to form meaningful connections with people that will be helpful in the rest of my career.
Where is your favourite place you have been and why? Iceland – it’s such a unique country with incredible geography. I’ve been multiple times and always really enjoy exploring!
What is your favourite food and why? Asian – there is such a range of amazing flavours to explore!
What do you like to do in your spare time? Travel, read, swim, watch films, follow motorsport.
Who inspires you? Elon Musk
Give a fun fact about you: I used to be a competitive swimmer at regional/national level.

Name: Sarah Parry-Wright
University & Course: Swansea University, Electrical and electronic engineering.
Department you are working in: Electrical Engineering
Why UKAEA? There is such a wide range of things to be able to work on, plus I want to save the planet.
What are your hopes for the Graduate Scheme? I would like to gain experience from a few different areas to help me choose what I really want to specialise in and make friends with geniuses.
Where is your favourite place you have been and why? Singapore, I was just blown away by the efficiency, and beauty of such a huge city. I loved how you didn’t feel like you were surrounded by skyscrapers because of all the incorporated nature.
What is your favourite food and why? I love all food, but mashed potatoes are my fave. I can eat them all day everyday.
What do you like to do in your spare time? I love all things food, cooking and horses.
Who inspires you? All the people out there doing their little bit to try and make this world a better place.
Give a fun fact about you: I was on the Swansea equestrian team for 4 year and team captain for 2.

Name:  Mihai Hrecinuc
University & Course:  University of Oxford – Engineering Science (Control, Robotics, ML, Comms)
Department you are working in:  RACE - Cybernetics
Why UKAEA? UKAEA seemed the ideal place for me to do “proper” engineering, with a focus on science and R&D that is rarely found outside of academia. The work done at RACE and the challenges raised by remotely working within a fusion reactor are very interesting and a perfect fit for my interest in control theory and robotics. Finally, the UKAEA community is very warm and welcoming.
What are your hopes for the Graduate Scheme? I hope to learn as much as possible and further my career and to be part of a great and diverse engineering/graduate community.
Where is your favourite place you have been and why? Berlin – place is filled with a LOT of history and amazing sights
What is your favourite food and why? Not serious answer: Tesco Pizza, fuelled half of my uni years. Serious answer: my mum’s vegetable rice and pork schnitzel, the ultimate comfort food.
What do you like to do in your spare time? Hiking, cycling, running, reading magazines, watching Formula 1, spending half of my day on the internet
Who inspires you? My parents – they are amazing people and deserve infinite amounts of admiration for not going insane whilst bringing me and my older sister up.
Give a fun fact about you: I have played handball at a national level for 6 years in Romania and the UK and I have been secretary of the Oxford University Handball Club (OUHaC).

Name: Katie Taylor
University & Course: University of Southampton (big up soton crew), Physics
Department you are working in: Central Engineering
Why UKAEA? Came here on a school trip years ago and thought it was super cool and also its pretty awesome there’s a miniature sun a couple of buildings away.
What are your hopes for the Graduate Scheme? I get to keep learning exciting things.
Where is your favourite place you have been and why? Anywhere with food, books, a bed and video games – basically my room
What is your favourite food and why? Beige food
What do you like to do in your spare time? Playing video games and living a degenerate life
Who inspires you? Myself. I can always be better than I was yesterday XD
Give a fun fact about you: I consume more caffeine a day than is probably healthy


Name: Megan Leyland  
University & Course: University of Bath, Natural Sciences
Department you are working in: STEP
Why UKAEA? I wanted to work in materials engineering because I studied chemistry and physics at uni, and that’s a field which lets me apply both. There were very few grad schemes working on materials, this was definitely the most interesting.
What are your hopes for the Graduate Scheme? To gain a lot of experience quickly, meet new people and get involved in as many different activities as I can.
Where is your favourite place you have been and why? The alps in the summer, because it was my last uni canoe club trip and I’m nostalgic
What is your favourite food and why? Chocolate, and that needs no explanation.
What do you like to do in your spare time? Climbing
Who inspires you? Anyone who inspires genuine respect in others
Give a fun fact about you: I have an A level in history. It’s really helped my career progression…


Name: Jagoda Cieslik 
University & Course: MEng Chemical Engineering with Nuclear Technology at the University of Sheffield
Department you are working in: H3AT (but hiding in Central Engineering for the next 6 months)
Why UKAEA? Because the world won’t save itself
What are your hopes for the Graduate Scheme? To push a lot of buttons that open valves (honestly it’s very satisfying)
Where is your favourite place you have been and why? Pizza Express, because pizza
What is your favourite food and why? Pizza, because pizza
What do you like to do in your spare time? I think naps are very underrated
Who inspires you? Marie Curie, she’s rad
Give a fun fact about you: I think Love Island is the best show ever made, fight me



Name: Thomas Wilson
University & Course: University of Warwick, Maths and Physics
Department you are working in: Heating & Fuelling
Why UKAEA? It’s a world class research institution where I get paid to use the physics I enjoyed at uni to create a mini star. That’s a pretty cool place to work.
What are your hopes for the Graduate Scheme? Become a chartered physicist and meet lots of new people.
Where is your favourite place you have been and why? Alpe D’Huez – Beautiful place, lots of happy times skiing there
What is your favourite food and why? Tacos – they’re just amazing
What do you like to do in your spare time?  I do Athletics, Judo and play the electric guitar
Who inspires you? Mo Farah
Give a fun fact about you: I’ve skied down the longest black run in Europe - La Sarenne, Alpe D’Huez


Name: James Roberts
University & Course: University of Cambridge, Aerospace Engineering
Department you are working in: Central Engineering

Why UKAEA? I think the mission is an important one and I wanted to put my engineering skills towards a project that I think is worthwhile.
What are your hopes for the Graduate Scheme? That I will develop my skills and get the chance to learn about nuclear fusion engineering from people much more experienced than me.
Where is your favourite place you have been and why? Probably Marataba National Park in South Africa, I did some conservation volunteering there and getting to know all the animals and how they interact was really cool. If anyone wants to talk animals I’m around.
What is your favourite food and why? I only just found out how fast it is to make a stir fry, so it’s currently stir fry.
What do you like to do in your spare time? I run a D&D game every week and I also like to physically run. I am a low-grade mixed netballer and I also dabble in bouldering, tennis and squash if anyone else is down.
Who inspires you? My dog. He is living his best life
Give a fun fact about you:  Rick Astley wanted to do a secret gig at our college bar, and I helped his manager organise it. (Evidence: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-cambridgeshire-46132592/rick-astley-performs-surprise-cambridge-college-gig)


Name: Nadeera Jayasekera
University & Course: Loughborough University, Chemical Engineering.
Department you are working in: H3AT
Why UKAEA? In order to be a part of the core fusion community and contribute towards the fusion project.
What are your hopes for the Graduate Scheme? To gain as much technical knowledge as possible by moving around within the department and get a broader understanding regarding how each work stream caters towards the end goal of delivering commercial fusion power.
Where is your favourite place you have been and why? I don’t have a favourite place, but I did enjoy visiting Dubai and Singapore because of all the modern architecture.
What is your favourite food and why? Love pretty much all types of food.
What do you like to do in your spare time? Swimming, gym, baking, cooking and watching movies.
Who inspires you? The current CEO, Ian Chapman and my parents.
Give a fun fact about you: I swam at the Commonwealth Games and FINA World Championships for my country (Sri Lanka).


Name: James Paterson
University & Course: University of Southampton, Mechanical Engineering
Department you are working in: STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) and JAM (Joining and Advanced Manufacturing)
Why UKAEA? I think nuclear fusion physics and technology is fascinating to work on – it brings together so many different engineering fields and requires cutting edge technology to solve the problems.  So I’m excited to work on it.  Also, Nuclear Fusion might solve our world energy problems!
What are your hopes for the Graduate Scheme? I’d like to grow in my knowledge and understanding of engineering, solve some real problems, and along the way have some fun.
Where is your favourite place you have been and why? Knoydart Peninsular in Scotland.  It’s full of impressive peaks and is completely remote from any civilisation.
What is your favourite food and why? Pretty much anything if there’s lots of it! I’d probably better change my attitude now I’m sitting at a desk all day otherwise I’ll have to reinforce my chair.
What do you like to do in your spare time? I’m a Christian, so I spend a lot of time meeting other Christians at church to worship God. 
Who inspires you? On a similar theme to above – Jesus Christ.  He offers an eternal life of joy to all who follow him – which I have found to be a better hope than nuclear fusion.
Give a fun fact about you: I like doing impressions of pneumatic drills


Name: Callum Shanks
University & Course: University of Glasgow BEng Mechanical Engineering, University of York MSc Fusion energy
Department you are working in: Central Engineering—Diagnostics and fusion engineering group
Why UKAEA? Wanted to work in something to do with renewables to have done something positive by the end of my career. Nuclear appeared to be the best option in my opinion but with no new nuclear power stations being built in Scotland I looked elsewhere. I came across UKAEA during this search and till then I hadn’t realised nuclear fusion was actually a thing. I chose my masters degree based off this grad scheme then applied
What are your hopes for the Graduate Scheme? To learn how to be a professional engineer while also having fun along the way
Where is your favourite place you have been and why? Loch Muick/ Lochnagar. It is in the cairngorms, close to home and has amazing views from central Scotland if it is a clear day and you don’t walk off a cliff/ get lost
What is your favourite food and why? Potatoes...boil them, mash them, stick them in a stew
What do you like to do in your spare time? Read, run, canoe polo, hiking
Give a fun fact about you: When I was ~4/5 years old I got hit in the head by a ski lift and it has left a small dent in the top of my skull


Name: Jack Jones 
University & Course: University of Southampton – Electromechanical Engineering
Department you are working in: RACE - Electrical
Why UKAEA? I had a great time on my summer placement here and its nice to have a job that you can genuinely care about and hopefully make a difference with.
What are your hopes for the Graduate Scheme? To be able to see something I worked on be installed and have an impact on the development of fusion technology.
Where is your favourite place you have been and why? The Azores because of the amazing views, hikes and thermal pools. Also, it’s basically a colder Hawaii that you can fly to with Ryanair.
What is your favourite food and why? Pizza because I’m boring.
What do you like to do in your spare time? Play guitar badly or beat Brad Elvy at Smash Ultimate.
Who inspires you? The entire fusion energy community for working over the past 50+ years towards something that they probably knew they wouldn’t be able to see within their lifetimes but that they knew could change mankind for the better.
Give a fun fact about you: I won a TV quiz show on an obscure Indian TV channel when I was 14. It’s all been downhill from there.

Name: Gowri Karajgikar
University & Course: Durham University – MSci in Maths and Physics under the Natural Sciences course
Department you are working in: H3AT
Why UKAEA? I want to work somewhere that is helping to develop reliable renewable energy and fusion energy is the ultimate renewable energy source to be working on! I’d love to be a part of the group of people making fusion happen!
What are your hopes for the Graduate Scheme? To learn as much as I can and contribute as much as possible to the interesting and exciting projects UKAEA is working on! I also want to get a feel of how the company works and get to know as many people as possible!
Where is your favourite place you have been and why? ­­­­I’m not really sure to be honest. But one place I really enjoyed visiting were the wetlands in Northern Argentina. We kayaked in Laguna Iberá and came up super close to some caimans and capybara. It was the most peaceful place.
What is your favourite food and why? Pani Puri (aka Gol Guppa) – it’s this Indian snack! I love it because it’s spicy, a snack and reminds me of my family! I’m on a one woman mission to get everyone to try it once!
What do you like to do in your spare time? Play badminton, read, watch lots of TV!
Who inspires you? Sounds cheesy but probably my dad! He moved over to England from India (back when WiFi and mobile phones weren’t a thing) with a little money and managed to build a whole life over here! It must have been terrifying and involved a lot of hard work and I’ve had it so much easier because of him and the sacrifices he made.
Give a fun fact about you: I got to try wine tasting like the Romans due to altitude sickness from going up the Andes!


Name: Harrison Crowther
University & Course: University of Hull, Mechanical Engineering
Department you are working in: Central Engineering, Systems Engineering group
Why UKAEA? Making stars and then locking them in a box is really cool.
What are your hopes for the Graduate Scheme? Further my career and personal development.
Where is your favourite place you have been and why? Technik Museums Sinsheim and Speyer (technically two places, but they are next to each other). They had had a TU-144, a Buran, submarines, thousands of rare cars, trains, helicopters, tanks, and a Maybach with a bandsaw on the back.
What is your favourite food and why? I don’t have one but if I did it would because it tastes the best.
What do you like to do in your spare time? Fence.
Who inspires you? Sergei Korolev
Give a fun fact about you: A drunk lord knighted me for pranking him.

Name: Ben Cutler
University & Course: University of Sheffield, Mechanical Engineering
Department you are working in: RACE
Why UKAEA? The fusion is here, the real question is why anybody goes anywhere else
What are your hopes for the Graduate Scheme? Help drive the technology forward in any way I can, have some fun along the way.
Where is your favourite place you have been and why? Lake Garda, Italy; I enjoy a good view
What is your favourite food and why? Toast because it’s versatile and suitable for any meal.
What do you like to do in your spare time? Sleep and watching TV shows take up most of it
Who inspires you? Tony Stark, He is the main reason I chose to study Engineering
Give a fun fact about you: I can wiggle my eyebrows independently.




Name: Edward Whittaker
University & Course: Computer Science with an industrial placement BSc (Hons) at The University of Bath
Department you are working in: RACE cybernetics
Why UKAEA? I felt valued during my placement year here and enjoyed the projects I worked on and the people I meet.
What are your hopes for the Graduate Scheme? Produce some code that helps everyone else at RACE do a good job. Also, I hope to make some well structed and documented work, so I am inspired to just as good a job next time.
Where is your favourite place you have been and why? University of Bath 8W 2.24 as I have played many good games with many good friends there.
What is your favourite food and why? Cheesecake as it is better than cheese and cake combined.
What do you like to do in your spare time? Board games, Wargames, Computer games, Role playing games, most games.
Who inspires you? Past Edward Whittaker, every time I look at his code it inspires me to do a better job next time.
Give a fun fact about you: Despite being wargames officer for a year, I have about a 15% win rate in 1v1 wargames.


Name: Andrius Aleksa
University & Course: University of Sheffield, Mechanical Engineering
Department you are working in: Central Engineering
Why UKAEA? The altruistic vision of creating a better world is easy to get behind. Also you get to work on some really, really cool things.
What are your hopes for the Graduate Scheme? Do cool stuff, meet interesting people. Grow personally and professionally. Make a few good friends along the way.
Where is your favourite place you have been and why? Don’t have a constant answer. Right now I would say Norway. If you ever wanted to feel insignificant stand next to a range of mountains.
What is your favourite food and why? Pasta + Pesto. Cheap, easy and quick to make. Tastes incredible.
What do you like to do in your spare time? Dabble digital and film photography, create insane plans for travelling to places abroad cheaply, which sometimes works out, spend lots of time discovering bands and listening to music.
Who inspires you? Friends and family.
Give a fun fact about you: Spent the summer organising an international camp for kids. It was fun. Was so tired that I slept for a week straight after.


Name: Nathan Cummings
University & Course: University of Bath - MPhys
Department you are working in: Materials and Scientific Computing
Why UKAEA? Developing fusion power plants to meet our growing energy needs is absolutely required if humanity is going to continue to grow and innovate. I want to be able to say that I was a part of making that happen.
What are your hopes for the Graduate Scheme? To develop the skills and relationships to embark on a long career in fusion.
Where is your favourite place you have been and why? Isles of Scilly – The relaxed way of life over there makes it one of the most peaceful places I have ever seen.
What is your favourite food and why? Apple and blackberry crumble and custard. For the childhood memories and because its yummy!
What do you like to do in your spare time? Mostly run around after my little girl (she’s 2). On the odd occasion that she lets me I like to pick up my guitar now and again.
Who inspires you? Honestly, I have to say my wife, Tilly. Her ability to just get on with things and quietly achieve success in everything she does is really impressive.
Give a fun fact about you: I used to work in the music industry as a sound engineer before starting university in my mid-twenties



Name: Jake Virdee-Reynolds
University & Course: Lancaster University – Mechatronic Engineering
Department you are working in: RACE
Why UKAEA? I like robots and the idea of smashing atoms together.
What are your hopes for the Graduate Scheme? I am hoping to be a part of some cool projects, develop my technical capabilities and meet interesting people.
Where is your favourite place you have been and why? Small village in Spain – I was free to run around (no cars), play with dogs & learnt to swim
What is your favourite food and why? Chicken split (Fried chicken in a dumpling with homemade salad cream) – It’s delicious
What do you like to do in your spare time? Watch movies play basketball and play computer games.
Who inspires you? My father
Give a fun fact about you: I have two sisters and two nephews who lives in Africa (Botswana).

Name: Owen Franklin
University & Course: Chemical Engineering
Department you are working in: H3AT
Why UKAEA? Fusion is cool, and will help the environment.
What are your hopes for the Graduate Scheme? Gain experience, meet people, become a more rounded person.
Where is your favourite place you have been and why? Montengro – beautiful place, super nice people and very cheap!
What is your favourite food and why? A good burrito or fajitas. So satisfying to eat.
What do you like to do in your spare time? Socializing, sleeping, rock climbing and occasionally I try to go to the gym.
Who inspires you? My mother
Give a fun fact about you: Used to have one of the fastest laps at my local go karting track



Name: Will Kelly
University & Course: I have a Degree in Physics from Cardiff University
Department you are working in: H3AT
Why UKAEA? Fusion is the future, and we are in the middle of leading-edge science which is a privilege to be a part of.
What are your hopes for the Graduate Scheme? Develop strong understanding in all areas of the organisation and experience working in different environments. Also, I look forward to getting to know all the graduates and others in the organisation.
Where is your favourite place you have been and why? Probably Spain because its warm and sunny.
What is your favourite food and why? I don’t really have one, do like fast food far too much though.
What do you like to do in your spare time? I’m a Keen Snowboarder and Pool player. I also like to travel.
Who inspires you? Family
Give a fun fact about you: I’m reasonably tall.

Name: George Gibbons
University & Course: University of Birmingham Msci Physics
Department you are working in: CODAS
Why UKAEA? It’s just a really cool site with so much going on and I thought I’d definitely find something I want to do here
What are your hopes for the Graduate Scheme? To meet lots of new people and hopefully learn a few things too!
Where is your favourite place you have been and why? Las Vegas: because I actually made a gambling profit 
What is your favourite food and why? Thai Green Curry – you can buy the paste from Seoul Plaza and everyone thinks you can cook
What do you like to do in your spare time? Rugby, Squash, and a few other sports (very much a “social” player). I also like hiking  and going to pub afterwards.
Who inspires you? Jonathan Joseph
Give a fun fact about you: I can touch my nose with my tongue

Name: Akshay Dhangar
University & Course: University of Leeds, Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering
Department you are working in: Central Engineering, STEP
Why UKAEA? I wanted to work in fusion and UKAEA is not only the best place to do so in the UK but, with JET, probably the world leading authority in the field.
What are your hopes for the Graduate Scheme? To develop a broad knowledge of fusion technology, the Authority and to build a strong network of contacts around the organisation.
Where is your favourite place you have been and why? Dewsbury, because it is home.
What is your favourite food and why? Lamb chops, because the bit on the edge of the bone becomes really crispy when done well.
What do you like to do in your spare time? Drink coffee.
Who inspires you? Subhas Chandra Bose
Give a fun fact about you: Most conversations with me end up being about The North

Name: Samuel Hall
University & Course: University of Bristol - Aerospace Engineering
Department you are working in: RACE
Why UKAEA? It’s a non-profit research led facility with the aim of creating the ultimate sustainable energy source…. Why not UKAEA?
What are your hopes for the Graduate Scheme? To solve fusion!
Where is your favourite place you have been and why? Home… free food and heating!
What is your favourite food and why? Sandwiches. They include bread, which is amazing, especially when filled with olives. The fact you can put just about anything in a sandwich means you can avoid the decision of having a favourite food.
What do you like to do in your spare time? Lego trains, cycling, board games and castle hunting!
Who inspires you? Guy Martin. His sense of overwhelming optimism is something everyone should aspire to.
Give a fun fact about you: I can fall over…. whilst ice skating.


Name: Fatimah Sanni
University & Course: University of Manchester, Chemical Engineering
Department you are working in: H3AT
Why UKAEA? Loads of opportunities to get involved in different departments and experiments, Future of the world with fusion experiments
What are your hopes for the Graduate Scheme? Learning as much as I can
What is your favourite food and why? Carbs
What do you like to do in your spare time? Reading
Who inspires you? My daughter and husband
Give a fun fact about you: I am a mum