Physics PhD student wins prestigious scholarship

Natalie was one of 130 students to apply for a BFWG scholarship, of whom only four were selected for an award. She plans to use her £5,500 scholarship money to help fund a trip to Australia, for a research collaboration.

Natalie is based in the School of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences. Her research involves cutting-edge techniques using laser light interacting with nano-metallic particles both to image and to selectively kill cells. Nano-shells have received a lot of attention in recent years and Natalie’s research focuses on trying to understand exactly how they affect cells at the molecular level. She also uses metallic platforms inspired by butterfly wings in order to make measurements of minute quantities of chemicals that can interact with living cells. These provide a unique means of performing highly sensitive measurements of wet biological samples.

Natalie Garrett said: “I thought it was fantastic to have even been shortlisted for this award, so I was overjoyed when I won! To have my work acknowledged in this way is very gratifying. The BFWG does brilliant work supporting women graduates, which is particularly important in Physics where women are sadly still under-represented.”

BFWG (previously the British Federation of University Women - BFUW) was founded in 1907. The organisation works for the education and development of women and girls, for the promotion of women into public life and leadership positions and for friendship between educated women across the world. In 1919 BFWG was one of the three founding organisations of the International Federation of University Women with the aim that friendship and understanding between graduate women across the world should help promote international peace.

Dr Elizabeth Poskitt, president of BFWG 2005-2008, said: “BFWG gave its first award to support a woman in postgraduate research in 1913. Currently the Scholarship Fund gives out a total of around £20,000 a year in awards to women entering their third year of doctoral studies who show all round academic excellence. Competition for these awards is fierce.”