Hi my name is Luuk Earl I'm a PhD student in the Quantum Technology Hub for
Sensors and Metrology. My research involves developing a gravity sensor
based on cold atoms technology. I chose to study in the Quantum Technology Hub
because I really enjoy the hands-on and diverse nature of the research, I really
enjoy having an experiment I can physically interact with. I also wanted
to develop my skills not just in physics but electrical engineering and systems
engineering, the quantum hub really provided a unique opportunity to follow
research that provided this. A great part of the research is that every day is
different, I could be at my desk designing an experiment using a computer,
or it could be in the lab doing an experiment with optics or something else.
It's really nice that every day is really different and I can really drive
that the direction of the research myself. I really enjoy studying in the
Quantum Technology Hub, we have excellent facilities and access to
equipment, but more than that is also great to be connected with lots of
passionate and motivated people. Those connections
don't just extend to other universities, but also to company partners and industrial
placements, which is really nice. As part of my MRes (Master of Research) course I did
an industry placement at a industry partner, and that was Gooch & Housego, who are a
world leading manufacturer of fiber optics. They have a research and
development division based in Torquay, I was working with them for about five
months over summer. With them I was helping develop some custom electronics
for a space mission to put some cold atoms on a CubeSat. It was really good
experience learning some new techniques from industry experts, a really
fun experience. I would definitely like to pursue further research after my
degree, whether that be an academic institution or in industry I haven't yet
decided. Either way though, I think the hub has really provided a good basis to
go into either sector, just through networking with people and
understanding how research works in both settings. The facilities at the
University are really excellent, the labs we have in the hub really
state-of-the-art, and we have really great equipment. This extends to the
university as well, there's a library that's just opened and that has a space
just for postgraduates to work in, which is really nice. If I was going to give
advice to someone contemplating whether to study with the hub, I'd say the most
important factor is passion for the research. When you are doing PhD the main
driving force of the research has to come from yourself, so a strong
motivation is really key. The community among students in the hub is really
great, I've made some really great friends and we often have social
activities like going to the pub or going out for meals, and this is also
true for the the wider physics postgraduate community. We've had
poster sessions with wine and cheese, and also gone out for postgraduate meals and
such which is a really nice atmosphere. The big part being a postgraduate
researcher at Birmingham is the opportunity to really drive cutting-edge
research, and learning the skills to be able to drive that research in a
direction I choose. I've been involved in teaching of
third-year group studies and also some supervision of fourth-year masters students,
which is a really great experience. You get to broaden your knowledge of the
subject and is it's a good way to cement your learning. I've also been working on
some papers, so I've been doing some experiments recently that will develop
into papers and they are at various stages of development. My PhD is fully funded by
the school, and I also receive a stipend to cover living costs which is
equivalent to a wage. All travel expenses, for example for conferences, are covered
as well and this is true for all PhDs in the hub