Archive of posts by Laurie Winkless
What are thermoelectric materials?
Monday, February 27th, 2012
Ask a Scientist, Naked Scientist and NPL scientist (…phew!) Laurie Winkless discusses what thermoelectric materials are, and how her work at the National Physical Laboratory can capture wasted heat in industry and turn it into useful electricity, and measuring these materials at the nanoscale.
Tags: energy, green, materials, nanoscale, thermoelectric
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Science isn’t just a subject, it’s a career
Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010
Laurie Winkless, a Higher Research Scientist at the National Physical Laboratory, answers questions on her career into science and her inspiration of why she chose to become a scientist. Laurie has a BA (Hons) in Physics with Astrophysics, a MSc in Space Science and has just started a PhD in Nanostructured Thermoelectrics!
What inspired you to study physics?
I’ve loved science since before I knew what the term meant! I was constantly asking questions as a child, and loved anything mechanical. Once I realised that I wanted to have a science-based career, my entire family thought I was crazy, but they encouraged it!
At the age of about twelve, I first read the book that has most shaped me. Its called “Yeager” and it’s about General Chuck Yeager, an amazing combat pilot and the first human to break the sound barrier in a jet called the Bell X-1. His story is an inspirational one. The son of a poor farming family, he joined the US Air Force at 18 and worked his way up through the ranks. He understood the importance and function of every component in all of the planes he flew (and still flies). He never accepted a “rough approximation”, he learned as much as possible about the “hows”, “whys” and “what ifs”.
Tags: career
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