Last night (29th Jan) we were joined by distinguished astrophysicist Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, whose groundbreaking work in the field of radio astronomy has left an enduring mark on the scientific community. We were honoured to have her visit St Peter’s and officially reveal the re-named physics laboratory “Bell Burnell Laboratory”, which we hope will be an inspiration to aspiring physicists, especially female ones, for years to come.
Our Head Master, Mr Walker introduced Dame Bell Burnell to the small crowd gathered to witness the reveal, which included members of staff, pupils, members of the local scientific community and pupils from the ISSP (Independent and State School Partnership) who study astronomy as part of the programme. After photographs, pupils came to speak to Dame Bell Burnell, who chatted to them about the extra Astronomy GCSEs they were taking through the ISSP, and she encouraged them to continue to pursue their passion of science.
Later, we opened the Pascal building up to members of the public who came to see exhibitions from York University, the York Astronomical society, the Institute of Physics, and our own teachers. Each room had its own activities and puzzles to solve, which made for a very interesting and engaging experience for all. The York Astronomical Society also brought along their amazing telescopes, for people to try and ask questions about.
At 8pm, Dame Bell Burnell delivered a truly fantastic talk, entitled “You are made of Star Stuff”, to our school community and members of the public. All 400 free tickets were claimed for the talk, which was a testament to the excitement at having such an esteemed guest to the school.
Dame Bell Burnell opened her talk by asking us “how do you think atoms came into your body?” She then took us through the elements that are essential for life on earth and took us all the way back to The Big Bang and the beginning of particles. After the Big Bang and the rapid cooling, we were left with Hydrogen (H) and Helium (He), but life would not be possible with just those two elements. We needed the birth, life and death of stars. As a young star is born, it creates the environment needed for nuclear fusion or “nuclear burning”, where the H and He react to produce starlight and energy. As the star goes through its life cycle, the particles fuse to create more elements, such as carbon, neon, sodium, and magnesium which in turn convert to silicon, sulphur, iron and nickel. The star now contains all that is needed for life, locked inside, until it explodes and launches the elements into space.
Dame Bell Burnell concluded by explaining that all these elements that are inside our bodies had come into being either through The Big Bang or through star death, which makes us quite literally “made of star stuff.”
Mr Parr said "It was great to see so many people here on Monday evening, from all generations, enjoying the wonders of Science, Technology and Astronomy. Dame Jocelyn was very generous with her time, chatting with many of our visitors and giving a real boost of inspiration to us all. My thanks go to the St Peter's science colleagues and pupil ambassadors, the IoP Yorkshire, University of York and York Astronomical Society volunteers, who put on an excellent exhibition on the night as well."
Mr Parr and Mr Walker wrapped up the evening by thanking Dame Bell Burnell for giving up her time to speak to our community. The Head Master also said a huge thank you to Mr Parr for organising the event and for inviting the wider school community to be there.
Mr Walker said “It is an honour to meet Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, and we are very grateful that she has allowed us to give her name to our laboratory. It has been a wonderful opportunity to bring the exceptional, sparky pupils from the ISSP and across the York area together to meet a true star in the field of astrophysics. It is a gift to be able to communicate something so complicated and make it easy for everyone to understand, and even more so when it is weaved with humour. This evening has been both humbling and inspiring, and we hope Dame Bell Burnell’s story continues to inspire budding physicists across the generations.”
About Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell
Dame Bell Burnell is perhaps best known for her pivotal role in the discovery of pulsars, highly-magnetized, rotating neutron stars that emit beams of electromagnetic radiation. In 1967, during her doctoral research at the University of Cambridge, she made the momentous observation of regularly pulsing radio signals, a phenomenon that would later be identified as pulsars.
Despite the significance of her discovery, Dame Bell Burnell's contributions were initially overlooked when the Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded in 1974. Nevertheless, her dedication to advancing our understanding of the universe has earned her numerous accolades and honours over the years. In recognition of her outstanding contributions to science, she was knighted in 2007 and later became a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
Beyond her scientific achievements, Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell has been a prominent advocate for women in science and has actively worked to promote diversity and inclusivity within the field. Her illustrious career and advocacy efforts continue to inspire aspiring scientists and contribute to the ongoing progress of astronomy and astrophysics.
.JPG&command_2=resize&height_2=85 "Historian Greg Jenner Visits St Peter's School")
