In June 2026, ASTeC hosted its group work experience week welcoming 12 A-level students to Daresbury Laboratory. The students worked with several specialist groups across ASTeC to learn about particle accelerator science, and the work that goes into designing, building and operating accelerators.
Throughout the week, they learned about particle physics concepts involved in designing beamlines, simulated magnetic fields, assembled vacuum chambers and experimented with laser walks.
The group gelled together exceptionally well and enthusiastically threw themselves into all the tasks they were given. By the end of the week, they had greatly improved their knowledge of a range of accelerator topics and had demonstrated their ability to use a variety of simulation software.
Final feedback for the week was overwhelmingly positive, with comments such as;
“Everyone we spoke to / worked with were really friendly and clearly passionate about their projects- I felt comfortable meeting everyone and asking questions.”
“I thoroughly enjoyed this week and appreciate everyone for the great job they did thank you all for your time!”
“I had SO much fun, thank you for this amazing opportunity!”
A big thank you to the ASTeC staff, who always put an amazing amount of effort into this week. Their dedication is shown in the positive feedback from the students about feeling welcomed and having their questions answered so fully.
Applications for next year will open on 1st January 2027 and we look forward to welcoming a new cohort, with even more improvements to the week.