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Researchers compete for recognition in Houses of Parliament

Natalie Wood

Press release issued: 13 March 2014

Three PhD students from the University of Bristol have beaten hundreds of other hopefuls and won a place to showcase their work to leading politicians and academics from across the UK on Monday 17 March.

The SET for Britain competition features 210 early career researchers who are engaged in scientific, engineering, technological or medical research. The competition is the only national event of this kind and gives students the opportunity to showcase their work outside of the scientific sphere. 

The Bristol researchers, who will visit the Houses of Parliament in person to exhibit and discuss their work, are members of the University’s School of Chemistry.

Charlotte Beddoes’ entry questions whether nanoparticles found in everyday products such as sunscreen, sports equipment and food additives can enter our bodies and produce a detrimental effect on human cells.

She is joined by Natalie Wood, who investigates how antimicrobial nanoparticles can improve dental health through creating implants that are resistant to bacterial infection.

James Davis will exhibit his work on how aerosol particles in the atmosphere affect clouds and climate.

The competition is divided into different sessions and each session is judged by leading academics from that field. The gold medallist of each session will receive £3,000, while silver and bronze receive £2,000 and £1,000 respectively.

Andrew Miller MP, Chairman of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee, said: “This annual competition is an important date in the parliamentary calendar because it gives MPs an opportunity to speak to a wide range of the country’s best young researchers. 

 “These early career engineers, mathematician and scientists are the architects of our future and SET for Britain is politicians’ best opportunity to meet them and understand their work.”

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