In recognition of International Women’s Day, Life throws the spotlight on women working in exciting STEM jobs in the North East. We caught up with Chloe Leung, a physics supervisor at industrial technology company Tracerco, in Billingham, who also takes part in Life’s ‘I’m a Scientist’ programme, which gives schoolchildren the opportunity to talk to scientists, share their personal stories of their love of science and how it created career opportunities for them in the field.
I have always been a curious person; I used to ask my mum a lot of questions about how the world works like “how do we know everyone sees colour in the same way?”
That curiosity led me to start searching for answers which I suppose is how my love of science started.
I was more of a mathematician as a child, but there came a point towards the end of A-levels where I realised that physics allows you to solve those difficult mathematical problems but in a real-world context which became much more satisfying.
I was always aware that there was a gender gap in physics (I was one of two young women in my physics A-level class) but I never understood why it was thought of as a boy’s subject. I see physics as immensely logical and detailed and these are qualities which suit me.
I had a brilliant maths teacher who helped me to believe in myself and really encouraged me to pursue what I enjoy which meant I went on to study physics.
I owe a lot of my early career success to her because she filled me with so much confidence going into my university studies and that carried me through the early years of my career.
I studied for GCSEs which included separate sciences then went on to achieve A-levels in Physics, Maths, Further Maths and Chemistry. I then graduated from University of Edinburgh with MPhys in Mathematical Physics. From university I went on to complete teacher training and achieved a PGCE from the University of Sunderland.
I’m now a Physics Supervisor at Tracerco within the Product Development and Innovation department. Primarily my team’s research is focused on the use of radiation-based measurement instrumentation intended to optimise processes within the oil and gas industry.
I love that every day is different and there are always new challenges.
I am currently expecting my first baby so my goal for the next few years will be to focus on maintaining a healthy work-life balance and finding a way to integrate my life as a new parent with my life at work.
I think it’s important to encourage more girls and women into science. I try to participate in outreach events as much as I can because I think it’s really important for young people to spend time around passionate and approachable scientists.