Fellowship and Intern schemes

The Institute is active in providing work experience in a policy setting to physics students of all levels.

Policy Intern Scheme
The Institute of Physics has established a scheme to enable physics undergraduate students, or those that have recently graduated, to work at the IOP, in order to gain invaluable experience of working in a policy environment.

The IOP is currently looking to appoint an intern to work in each of the following areas for a period of two to three months over the summer of 2012:

  • Science policy
  • Business and innovation policy
  • Diversity projects

Please read the guidance (PDF, 73 KB) and submit the following to sophie.robinson@iop.org

  • a completed application form (DOC, 45 KB)
  • a concise appropriately formatted cover letter outlining reasons for wishing to work for the Institute
  • a report highlighting a particular area of physics and/or astronomy, aimed at enthusing the general public. The report should be no longer than 750 words and can include figures/diagrams.

Closing date: 28 May 2012

Interviews are likely to be held in the week commencing 11 June 2012.

Previous interns:

  • 2011 Science Policy Intern - Joanna Carthy, University of Nottingham
  • 2011 Business & Innovation Policy Intern - Hazel Garvie-Cook, Durham University
  • 2011 Diversity Policy Intern - Beth Rice, University of East Anglia
  • 2011 Education Policy Intern - Dominik Golinski, University of Nottingham
  • 2010 Science Policy Intern - Emma Woodfield, Durham University
ESRC logo (Economic and Social Research Council)
IOP/ESRC Fellowships
Research into the teaching of physics in Universities

The Institute of Physics (IOP) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) have agreed to support two research fellows, one based in a physics department, and one based in a social sciences department on a one year joint project to investigate the achievements and future potential of this area in more detail. 

The project will be co-funded by the two organisations and will aim to draw together experts from physics and the social sciences to bring their different perspectives to the issue. The project will be supported with up to £100 000 of funding.

Although it is expected that the outcomes will be of relevance to a broad range of subjects, this project will focus on physics.

Call specification:

The deadline for applications has now passed.

IOP/POST Fellowship
The Institute of Physics (IOP) and the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) have established a scheme to enable a physics postgraduate student to be seconded to POST on a three-month placement to write a POSTnote, a four-page briefing paper on a physics-related topic.

The 2012 IOP/POST Fellowship is now closed for applications.

Previous Fellows included: