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Dr Becky Smethurst (Department of Physics) has been awarded the Mary Somerville Medal for exceptional early career contributions to public engagement within physics in recognition of the success of her YouTube channel, Dr Becky.

Dr Becky Smethurst from the Department of Physics has been awarded the Mary Somerville Medal. The medal, awarded for exceptional early career contributions to public engagement within physics, is in recognition of the success of her YouTube channel, Dr Becky.

According to the IOP, the Dr Becky channel engages ‘a diverse, global audience with complex astrophysical ideas presented at an accessible level with a large dose of enthusiasm.’ The channel has some 175,000 subscribers and her weekly videos have clocked up more than 9 million views. Covering topics from dark matter to what it actually means to be an astrophysicist, Becky researches, produces and edits videos on a weekly basis alongside her research.

‘I started the channel so I could share my enthusiasm for what I do as an astrophysicist,’ she explains. ‘I want to inspire young people to think about following a career in science and I want to make the science that I study accessible to all. I am incredibly honoured to be awarded the Mary Somerville medal; my YouTube channel is a real labour of love for me and it is fantastic to have it recognised in this way.’

Read this year's other MPLS winners here.