OPGEN committee

Hi! I'm a 2nd year DPhil student in particle physics and I work on neutrino physics. This is my 6th year on the OPGEN committee, and I've really enjoyed meeting so many amazing people through OPGEN. I’m excited to continue working with the committee to ensure our department is a supportive and open space for everyone. Outside of physics, I enjoy cheerleading and painting.

Jasmine is our president.

I am a fifth year DPhil student working in the Condensed Matter Physics Department. My research focuses on investigating exchange coupled trilayer materials for use in novel computing application. I also have a passion for renewable energy technologies and am working on an Innovate UK funded project to build and install a wind turbine in Somalia with Save the Children International and EireComposites. I decided to get involved with OPGEN as I wanted to create a social space for women and gender minorities within the deparment to meet and get to know each other. Previously I acted as the President of OPGEN and during my time in that role I helped to organise OPGEN picnic lunches, and OPGEN formal dinner and even some ice cream trips to G&Ds.

Sally is one of our graduate representatives and our former co-president.

Hi! I’m Elizabeth, a third year physics undergraduate at Brasenose College and I’m OPGEN’s mentoring coordinator this year. I wanted to get involved with the mentoring program as I have found it so useful in my first few years at Oxford, enabling me to connect with other physics students. I look forward to hopefully seeing lots of undergrads at the mentoring meet ups! 

Elizabeth is our mentoring coordinator.

Hi there! I’m a fourth-year MPhys student at University College. I'm incredibly passionate about atmospheric and climate physics -- after graduation I really hope to pursue research in one of these fields. Effective scientific communication and it's importance also particularly interests me, and I have gotten involved with a few student newspapers over the last few years. I’d love to get the chance to chat with you at one of our OPGEN events!

Molly is one of our undergrad representatives.

Hi! I’m Yaprak, a second year physics undergraduate at Lincoln College and I’m be OPGEN’s mentoring coordinator. I was really excited to find out about the mentoring program when I first arrived at Oxford, so I wanted to get involved with connecting physics students together. I look forward to working with the rest of the committee and organising mentoring events next year.

Yaprak is our mentoring co-ordinator.

Hi! I’m Maisie and I’m a second year physics undergrad at St Peter’s College. I’m excited to be part of the OPGEN committee - improving the gender gap in physics is really important to me, and I hope our events can help make everyone feel more welcome here at Oxford.

Maisie is one of our undergrad representatives.

I'm Imogen and I'm a postdoc in the Astrophysics sub-department. I research galaxy evolution, and I'm particularly interested in radio galaxies - galaxies which shoot powerful jets from the supermassive black hole at their centre. I did my undergraduate studies and PhD at the University of Cambridge, then spent five years working as a postdoc at the University of the Western Cape in South Africa, before moving to Oxford in 2019. I'm passionate about science communication and spreading my love for all things space-related to as many people as possible. In particular, I want to get more girls and people from minorities interested in physics and astronomy. In my spare time I enjoy sailing, running and generally staying active.

Find Imogen's profile here

Imogen is one of our postdoctoral representatives.

I'm Chloe and I'm a postdoc in the Astrophysics sub-department. My research focuses on exoplanet atmospheres, trying to determine their chemical composition, temperature, and dynamics, and if they could be habitable. I analyse data from JWST and ground-based instruments. I am passionate about encouraging more girls to study physics, and making the academic environment better for women in general. At OPGEN I help to organise events where women and non-binary physicists can meet each other in a safe space, as I think these events make the department a more welcoming and supportive place for everyone. 

Find Chloe's profile here

Chloe is one of our postdoctoral representatives.

Hi! I'm Hannah, a postdoc in the John Adams Institute for Accelerator Science in the Particle Physics sub-department. I research particle accelerator environmentally sustainability. Before coming to Oxford in 2023, I did my Ph.D. at McGill University in Montréal in High Energy Physics and at the Belle II Experiment in Japan. In my free time I love to explore (hiking, camping, and backpacking) and, sports-wise, I love to surf-, skate-, long- and snow- board.

I strongly believe that much effort still needs to be made to provide an equitable and safe space for people who identify with a minority group in the field of Physics. I personally will continue to advocate for it and aim to provide that space. Previously I've been a member of the McGill Physics and Belle II gender equity groups and was one of the organisers for the Women in Physics Canada Conference 2019. 

I look forward to being a part of the OPGEN Committee and hope to see you at some of our events!

Find Hannah's profile here

Hannah is one of our postdoctoral representatives.

Hola! I am Julieta.  I am originally from Lima, Peru and worked there for eight years in a NGO dedicated to women's rights as a legal advisor/project manager.  I came to UK to study a Masters and a PhD in Law at Warwick University.  In UK, I worked as a legal researcher in a large law firm, as a senior admin in Oxfordshire County Council and since three years ago in the University of Oxford.  I am currently Executive Assistant to Professor Daniela Bortoletto, Head of Particle Physics.

Find Julieta's profile here

Julieta is one of our staff representatives.

Daniela Bortoletto is a professor of experimental particle physics who uses powerful accelerators for exploring the energy frontier and investigating the most fundamental constituents of the Universe. She is a co-discoverer of the Higgs boson and the top quark. She is currently studying the properties of the Higgs boson and searching for new physics at the LHC. In addition she plays an important role in the development of instrumentation for particle detection. Daniela was the E. M. Purcell distinguished Professor of Physics at Purdue University before joining the University of Oxford in 2013. She has received numerous awards including an U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Early Career Award and an Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship. She is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She is the author of over 700 physics papers. Daniela is a sought-after lecturer and advisor about particle physics. She has been a member of the U.S. Particle Physics Projects Prioritization Panel (P5), the High Energy Physics Advisory Panel (HEPAP) to the U.S. Department Of Energy (DOE) and NSF, and the Mathematical and Physical Science Advisory Committee (MPSAC) to the NSF. She is currently the Chair of the Fermilab Program Advisory Committee. Daniela is passionate about gender issues in physics and increasing female participation in physics and other sciences.
Find Daniela's profile here.

Daniela is our Faculty Representative.

Hi! I'm Kathryn and I'm the Access Officer for the Physics Department, so I work with the Outreach team on supporting and encouraging people from under-represented and traditionally disadvantaged backgrounds to apply to Oxford.

Outside of physics, I enjoy spending time in my garden and getting away in my 1972 VW Campervan. 

Kathryn is our former co-president.

Co-presidents

The Co-presidents are the main contact for OPGEN. They handle the executive functions of the society, such as keeping minutes of meetings, handling the finances, keeping the webpages up to date, and managing committee membership. They support the committee members to run events, programmes and campaigns.

Events Coordinator(s)

Social events are an important aspect of the society, providing people with the opportunity to network and create a welcoming community. In general, the events coordinator(s) works closely with the physics staff to arrange catering, advertises events through email & social media, and organises sign-up documents for lunch/dinner events.

Mentoring Progamme Coordinator(s)

The OPGEN Mentoring Programme runs for undergraduates and is headed by the Coordinator(s) who facilitate the success of the programme by managing pairings and running mentoring events. 

Social Media Officer

The social media officer shares events and campaigns through our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

The following committee positions do not entail specific duties but provide an opportunity for people to get more involved with the network as representatives:

• Faculty Representative
• Staff Representative
• Undergraduate Representative
• Graduate Representative
• Postdoctoral Representative