We talk to Professor Marika Taylor, Professor in Theoretical Physics and Head of Applied Mathematics at the University of Southampton, and Research Fellow at the Turing Institute.

​

Marika talks about her PhD on the theory of black holes at the University of Cambridge with the eminent, late physicist, Professor Stephen Hawking. Her major work focusses on using the holographic principle to explain quantum effects in black holes.

​

She is now collaborating with data scientists and AI experts at the Turing Institute in London, using machine learning and sophisticated data science techniques to explain theories in black holes.

​

Marika also gave some excellent advice to women and minorities wanting to go into STEM fields, but we had to cut it because of some terrible noise interference from a meeting next door! But here's a summary:

​

• Access free courses online or taster courses at university to get a feel of the subject area and whether it interests you

​

• Proactively ask people for advice or support. For example, if you cannot attend a summer school because it's far away, contact the organiser and ask whether there are other summer schools in your area that you can attend.