Swansea University students take their research to Parliament

Please note, this page has been archived and is no longer being updated.

Two Swansea University PhD students will be presenting their research to Parliament as part of the STEM for BRITAIN competition.

Sara Hamis (STEM for BRITAIN)Sara Hamis, a PhD Mathematics student from the College of Science, and Ffion Walters, a PhD Nanotechnology student from the College of Engineering and the Centre for Nanohealth, will be travelling to the House of Commons on Monday 12th March to present their research to a range of politicians and a panel of expert judges.

STEM for BRITAIN aims to encourage and promote early career research scientists, engineers, technologists and mathematicians (STEM) from around the UK, whilst also nurturing a conversation between researchers and Members of Parliament.

Run by the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee with support from various institutions, the annual poster competition currently attracts hundreds of entrants.‌

Sara and Ffion’s work will now be judged against dozens of others to have been shortlisted. Sara’s poster will concentrate on drug resistance in cancer, whilst Ffion’s will be focussing on highly sensitive multiplexed graphene biosensors for the simultaneous detection of multiple disease markers.

Sara Hamis

Ffion Walters (STEM for BRITAIN)Stephen Metcalfe MP, Chairman of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee, said: “This annual competition is an important date in the parliamentary calendar because it gives MPs an opportunity to speak to a wide range of the country’s best young researchers.”

“These early career engineers, mathematicians and scientists are the architects of our future and STEM for BRITAIN is politicians’ best opportunity to meet them and understand their work.”

On presenting her research to Parliament, Sara Hamis, said: “Mathematical approaches are a fantastic complement to traditional cancer research, which is something I want to convey to Parliament. Communicating our work is an important and exciting part of being a researcher.”

Each category-Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, Biosciences and Engineering-will result in a gold, silver and bronze prize-giving ceremony, receiving £2,000, and silver and bronze £1,250 and £750 respectively.

Ffion Walters

The overall winner will be presented with a Westminster Medal in memory of STEM for BRITAIN-formerly SET for BRITAIN-founder, Dr Eric Wharton.