When I first started my Science Communication placement here at the Central Laser Facility (CLF), several placement students from the year before told me that although a year might feel like a long time at the start, it would go by much more quickly than you would expect. This was exactly how I felt when my work experience student and I sat down to catch up with the placement students I interviewed for my “Meet the 2024-25 CLF Industrial Placement Students" piece, some nine months ago. This time, we wanted to know how the year had changed them and how they felt now that they were nearing the end of their placement.
Let's hear from Ella and Narata to see what they have to say about their year. (Thaddeus and Ellie were unfortunately unable to attend the interview due to their busy schedules.)
Ella Hatton
When Ella, a second year Physics student at Swansea University, first joined the CLF, they weren’t entirely sure where the year would take them. Like many placement students, they hoped it would help them gain a better idea of what life after university could look like. When we spoke again nine months later, they felt like they’d done exactly that.
“One of my biggest takeaways from this year is figuring out what I actually want to do,” they said. “Coming in, I really wasn’t sure — but having had access to the people, the environment, and the different areas of science here has helped me massively.”
Ella has now set their sights on a future career in lab astrophysics. From working closely with scientists and engineers on a day-to-day basis, to networking with various professionals at conferences, they have found that this placement has given them a platform to connect with, and learn from, people further along their career paths. The opportunity to pick their brains has helped Ella to gain a real understanding of what they want their own career path to look like.
Ella has also found that they have become more confident in social and professional settings. “I’ve always been quite a quiet person, so going to conferences and having to speak to people daily really pushed me out of my comfort zone - but I think that’s been one of the most valuable parts of the experience.”
Ella also spoke highly of the support they have received from their team and line manager throughout the year. “At the start, I was really worried I wouldn’t meet expectations. But everyone was so supportive — they wanted me to do well and gave me the space to try things out. That kind of encouragement really makes a difference.”
Although saying goodbye is never easy, Ella is mostly excited for what the future holds. Their experience at the CLF didn’t just hone their technical skills — it gave them confidence, direction, and a sense of belonging in the world of science.
Narata Heng
For his placement year, Narata took on a big role within the Target Fabrication team as the sole person working on the Target Area Assembly System (TAAS), which is a robot designed to automate the process of target assembly. Over the course of the year, he made various improvements to the TAAS including integrating camera vision to the glue dispensing robot, automating the calibration procedure of the robot arm cameras, improving the reliability of the robot's laser height sensor and more. He was also able to test all these improvements that he played a part in implementing by using the TAAS to help produce targets for a real experiment coming up in July.
The level of responsibility that Narata was given came with its challenges, but also with plenty of opportunities. Over time, he found himself growing both professionally and personally. “I've definitely changed a lot as a person. I'm naturally introverted, but working closely with the team, joining meetings, and running workshops helped me get more comfortable with communicating and collaborating."
Working for a year at the CLF has helped Narata to consolidate his love for robotics. It has helped him better understand how robotics can be utilised by scientists for research, broadening his perspective on the different pathways his Robotics degree could help him pursue.
Narata's biggest piece of advice for future placement students? “Set clear goals early on — and don't be afraid to ask questions. Simply watching how people around you work and plan their time can teach you a lot." Indeed, besides the opportunity to dive into various hands-on projects, there is also much to learn simply by being in a shared environment with other motivated and passionate scientists and engineers.
As his placement year draws to an end, Narata is leaving with stronger skillsand greater confidence, and he's leaving behind a robotic system that he's proud to have helped improve, He's also built plenty of momentum to tackle what comes next.
Concluding remarks from Xinyu Chen
As the Science Communication placement student for the year, I have had a different placement experience from most of my peers who took on lab-based roles. Despite this, my takeaways are similar – I now have a clearer sense of direction for my future career.
My year as a science communicator has been extremely dynamic and exciting. From writing articles about complex research breakthroughs to designing posters and videos; from hosting workshops for the public to launching a social media campaign, the sheer range of projects I got to work on meant that everyday was different.
This placement has also given me the opportunity to tap into my interests in both the arts and the sciences. I have had the opportunity to view advanced scientific instruments up close, get hands-on with parts of the scientific processes (I had the opportunity to try building laser targets!), and speak to scientists regularly about the work they do. At the same time, my role has also been extremely creative as I have been tasked with design work, been given the opportunity to conceive and launch my own social media campaign (STFC In Context | Instagram, Facebook | Linktree), as well as write about science in an engaging and accessible way.
At the end of my year, I have gained a robust understanding of what science communication entails. I now have a clearer idea of what I want to do, what I am good at, and what life after university may look like. Like my fellow placement students, this year as helped me grow in so many ways, both personally and professionally. I am very grateful for all the people I have worked with and the kindness that everyone has shown to me, and especially for this once in a lifetime opportunity to work as a science communicator for the Central Laser Facility!
Note about this article: Besides the placement opportunities here at the CLF, we also regularly take on work experience students, which is not only a fantastic opportunity for school children, but also for early career staff members like Xinyu who gained valuable management experience in the process. This article was written with the help of Xinyu's Work Experience student, Shubheksha. In the week she was here, Shubheksha helped interview the placement students, photograph them, and write this article. We are very grateful for her contributions!
➡️https://stfc-workexperience.co.uk/
➡️https://stfccareers.co.uk/students/
Biological Sciences Student at Imperial College London, Xinyu (left) and A Level Work Experience Student, Shubheksha (right)
