kes quantum physics award winners present at royal institution you summit
On the eve of Michael Faraday's birthday, earlier this week, three Year 13 physicists were invited to present their award-winning quantum physics videos at the Royal Institution of Great Britain's 2026 Youth Summit.
Annabel, Hafsa and Wendy, whose entries won both the Most Engaging Video award and a Highly Commended distinction in the Institute of Physics' Quantum on the Clock competition, joined other students to explore this year's Royal Institution Christmas Lectures theme, What is Time?
Held in the Royal Institution's famous lecture theatre, the summit took place in the very space where Humphry Davy announced the existence of sodium, Michael Faraday shared his pioneering work on electromagnetism and J.J. Thomson revealed the discovery of the electron.
Presenting in this historic setting, the talented trio explained how they developed, refined and communicated their understanding of quantum physics through accessible and engaging three-minute films. Guided by the belief that "the best teachers are those who show you where to look, but don't show you what to see", the videos used everyday analogies to explain complex quantum phenomena before considering their wider implications and the Nobel Prize-winning findings in greater depth.
The invitation to the Youth Summit provided an opportunity to share both their award-winning work and their passion for communicating science to wider audiences.
Alongside our students' presentations, delegates heard from science writer Jo Marchant, who explored the question What is now?, Emily Akkermans, Curator of Time at the Royal Museums Greenwich, and quantum physicist Maria Violaris, creator of the Quantum on the Clock competition. Annabel, Hafsa and Wendy were the only student presenters invited to contribute to the programme, sharing their award-winning work alongside leading figures from the worlds of science and research. The summit also featured an introduction to this year's Royal Institution Christmas Lectures theme from physicist, broadcaster and author Professor Jim Al-Khalili, who announced that the science of time would be explored.
