Beth Tennyson

I study the limitations of next-generation solar cells by implementing advanced optical microscopy techniques, with the overall aim to improve these technologies.

What advice would you like to give to aspiring physicists?

Try not to lose track of why you love physics/science. Maybe you have a thirst for scientific knowledge that cannot be quenched, or perhaps you are naturally curious and continuously asking ‘Why?’ to the world around you. Whatever the case may be, I’d wish I had known how easy it is in graduate school to lose sight of that foundation – there are many ongoing pressures that can quickly derail things. Keep in mind the reward is not the output - it is the discovery and all the questions that follow on from that. The output is our duty to society and the scientific community to share knowledge, but keeping your motivation centred on discovery and knowledge-seeking IS science, and I think this will help you be a better physicist.

Anything else you'd like to share with us?

I love being part of public engagement opportunities and think the dialogue about climate change and solar energy should be accessible to the masses. This is why I've co-invented a boardgame: https://2050anewworldgame.wixsite.com/home and am working on developing an educational platform focussed on sustainability: https://energymap.oe.phy.cam.ac.uk/ - if you want to discuss or learn more, don't hesitate to contact me!