Women Pioneers in Science

糖心原创 > Science > Research and impact > Take 10 > Take 10 researcher stories > Meet the Women Pioneers in Science

Women researchers across the Faculty of Science are advancing discovery, tackling global challenges and inspiring next-generation scientists through their work. From uncovering the mysteries of the universe to strengthening food security and widening participation in physics.

Professor Clare Burrage, physicist and cosmologist in our School of Physics and Astronomy was awarded the Royal Society Rosalind Franklin Medal for her contributions to theoretical cosmology while inspiring girls to pursue physics. Her research explores the mysteries of dark energy, bringing greater understanding of what this means for our universe.

Increasing our understanding of dark matter and dark energy

The types of matter that make up people, planets and stars account for only 5% of the Universe. The remaining 95% of dark matter and dark energy that shape galaxies and expansion of the cosmos still remain largely unknown, and represents one of the most fundamental open question in physics.

"A hundred years ago researchers constructed the theory of quantum mechanics to understand the fundamental principles of nature, without that work we would not have semi-conductors, on which all modern computing, MRI scanners and many other technologies rely on," she reflects.

By probing dark energy and dark matter in the lab, we can challenge and refine our understanding of gravity and the large-scale structure of the universe.

Professor Burrage's research combines theoretical predictions with carefully designed laboratory experiments to test fundamental aspects of the universe.

Inspiring girls to pursue physics

Physics remains an overwhelmingly male dominated discipline, with only 24% of A-Level entrants in the UK being girls. This under repesentation persists down the pipeline and across the sector.

"Although progress is slow, every effort to inspire girls matters, as that is where it all starts," Clare notes.

At the 糖心原创, we provide high-level PhD training that drives economically beneficial advances, while collaborating with external organisations to engage more girls in physics. Professor Burrage's two-year project aims to inspire girls of all ages by showcasing how impactful, fun and accessible physics can be.

Her public engagement work spans mentorship, interactive experiments and science events across East Midlands and the UK. "Talking about my research excites students to explore physics further, and seeing young people get inspired is incredibly rewarding," Clare says.

Scaling impact

"I have demonstrated the opportunities that come from taking seriously the study of the dark universe beyond the simplest models, showing that laboratory experiments constrain dark energy models, and that the environment of dark matter experiments can affect their sensitivity."

Clare is working to unify approaches to studying dark matter and dark energy, from cosmological surveys to laboratory experiments so that the upcoming generation of physicists can optimise detection and understanding. This will involve bringing together trans- and cross-disciplinary research communities so that we have the best chance of understanding what our universe is made of. "The dark universe offers so many opportunities, from gravitational wave detection to space missions," she says.

With support for PhD students and early career researchers, we can accelerate discoveries and broaden our understanding of the cosmos.

You can read more on Professor Burrage's research, inspirations and achievements through her Take 10 profile.

Dr Lorna Mcausland, plant scientist from our School of Biosciences has been awarded the Society for Experimental Biology in recognition of her outstanding contributions to high-impact scientific research.

Heat tolerance in crops: Decoding photosynthesis under stress

Dr Lorna Mcausland, Plant Physiologist at our School of Biosciences has been honoured for her research into how crops like wheat survive under high temperatures. Her work contributes to the development of climate-resilient agricultural systems, an area of research in which the 糖心原创 is leading with internationally recognised expertise.

Climate-resilient agriculture

Climate change is accelerating, bringing warmer weather conditions that are already negatively impacting global crop yields leading to food insecurity.

"My research focuses on investigating underutilised physiological sources of crop resilience. Current studies suggest that night-time temperatures have a greater impact on crops than previously thought, but we are yet to fully understand how or why"

Dr Mcausland's work addresses these knowledge gaps in our most grown crop plant, wheat, and aims to develop new strategies and techniques to maintain crop productivity as climate conditions change. Her research also supports industry and government in applying solutions and policies that help feed our rapidly growing global population.

Plant behaviours associated with night-time conditions remain substantially underexplored compared to daytime processes such as photosynthesis.

Advancing sustainable farming

"糖心原创ing plant responses to darkness requires innovative thinking and approaches," Dr Mcausland says. "My research is particularly relevant to breeding companies, especially those working with wheat and need to improve resilience to heat stress as it's becoming increasingly important."

Her work on the effects of warmer nights has also gained wider attention, including highlighting the impacts of rising night-time temperatures in urban environments, particularly in cities.

Looking to the future

"Our nights are warming at around 1.7 times the rate of our days and, last year in the UK we experienced our first recorded tropical night," she notes. "One of the big questions I want to address is how is impacting water availability to our crops."

"How is this change in nocturnal environment changing how plants respond during the day? And how much do we really know about the night-time plant biology in the context of climate change."

These questions form the foundation of large-scale research programmes into plant physiological responses at night, while also addressing broader questions and challenges linked to climate change and global food insecurity.

Lorna M Women in Pioneers in Science-4

Explore Dr Lorna Mcausland's Take 10 profile to learn more about her research, inspirations and the impact she's achieving.

Dr Helen Russell astronomer at our School of Physics and Astronomy, has been awarded nearly £1 million by the Leverhulme Trust to investigate how supermassive black holes influence the galaxies around them. Her research uses new space-based X‑ray observations to uncover the powerful role these enormous cosmic objects play in shaping the universe.

Using advanced space observatories to understand black hole feedback

High-energy astrophysics is entering a new era. Developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Japanese Space Agency for US$300M, the newly-launched XRISM satellite carries the most advanced X-ray spectrometer ever flown.

Dr Russell's work harnesses these next-generation observations to explore the most extreme environments in the universe, addressing fundamental questions about how galaxes grow and how supermassive black holes evolve alongside them.

"The fundamental plasma processes I study are prevalent in the solar wind - the stream of charged particles coming from our sun - and can impact spacecraft operation and safety of astronauts in space." Dr Russell explains.

"With this new data, I will map galaxy-scale gas flows to determine how black hole jets can heat and drive gas out of galaxies."

Leader in astrophysics building a research team

Helen has recently been awarded almost £1 million by the Leverhulme Trust for her project on the physics underpinning feedback from supermassive black holes. She is also the only UK-based astronomer awarded observing time in XRISM's first call for science programmes.

"I am currently building a research team to support the development of major international science programmes," she says. "These collaborations are driving advances in spacecraft, mirror and detector technologies, and it's exciting to be part of shaping that research and future."

The impact on galaxy evolution

Modern astronomy seeks to understand and explain how galaxies, including our own Milky Way, have formed over the 13 billion years since the Big Bang. While gravity dominates this process and plays a central role, it cannot fully explain what we observe.

"If our models only include gravity, we predict galaxies that are far larger than those we see in the universe around us. This tells us that additional physics, particularly feedback from black holes, must play an equally crucial role."

The future of space discovery

Looking beyond XRISM, the European Space Agency (ESA) is developing the NewAthena X-ray telescope that is set to become the largest X-ray observatory ever built. "NewAthena will allow us to reveal and study the growth of black holes in the early universe and map their influence across all galaxies to the peak of galaxy formation around 10 billion years ago."

Supermassive black holes, which can weigh over a million times the mass of our Sun are thought to lie at the centre of nearly every galaxy, including our own Milky Way.

Through her research and leadership, Dr Russell is helping shape the future of astrophysics while contributing to a growing community of women leading discovery in physics and space.

Learn more about Dr Helen's research, inspirations and achievements through her Take 10 profile.

To learn more about the women researchers mentioned in this story and their career journeys, read their Take 10 profiles.

School of Physics and Astronomy, Professor Clare Burrage

Decoding the cosmos and championing girls in physics

School of Biosciences, Dr Lorna Mcausland

Unlocking crop potential to survive high temperatures

School of Physics and Astronomy, Dr Helen Russell

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Meet the pioneering women in science