Sourav Maiti, a postdoctoral scientist from the research group of Paul Donaldson, at the Central Laser Facility (CLF), attended Parliament to present his chemistry research to a range of politicians and a panel of expert judges, as part of STEM for BRITAIN on Monday 6th March.
Sourav's poster on research about investigating key processes that control the inner workings of a fuel cell was judged against dozens of other scientists' research in the only national competition of its kind. More about the work can be found here, and the paper can be found here.
Sourav was shortlisted from hundreds of applicants to appear in Parliament.
Left: Sourav with Stephen Metcalfe MP (Chairman, Parliamentary and Scientific Committee). Right: Sourav with Didcot/Wantage MP David Johnston. Photo credit: The Parliamentary and Scientific Committee and John Deehan Photography
On presenting his research in Parliament, Sourav said, “It was exciting as a finalist in STEM for Britain to represent STFC's CLF in the Parliament and reach a new audience. My research about the fundamental understanding of fuel cell mechanisms was interesting to a wider range of people. The program was exciting and I met academics as well as politicians. Didcot MP David Johnston came to have a look into my work. I talked with the other participants working in diverse areas of Science and discussed our work. STEM for Britain is also special as it was my first in-person conference Since 2019. I take this opportunity to thank my supervisor Paul Donaldson, the CLF and our collaborator Sean Garrett-Roe's team at the University of Pittsburgh."
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."
We at the CLF are immensely proud of Sourav for being shortlisted for such a prestigious event.
