Profile

Photo:

Mike Booth

My CV

  • Education:

    School: Higher Lane Primary School – Manchester
    High School: Philips High – Manchester
    College: Holy Cross – Manchester
    University: The University of Manchester

  • Qualifications:

    13 GCSE’s A-C including Maths, English, Science
    4 AS levels in Psychology, Maths, Physics, and Further Maths
    3 A levels in Maths, Physics and Further Maths

    First Class Master’s Degree (with honours) in Mechanical Engineering

  • Work History:

    TK Maxx – Part time during University

    Science and Technology Facilities Council – Since I graduated!

  • Current Job:

    Mechanical Design Engineer at the Science and Technology Facilities Council. Based at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Harwell.

  • About Me:

    I’m a design engineer! I design and build the hardware that makes large scale physics experiments possible. I also like a bit of adventure (climbing, snowboarding, surfing) and a few video games on the side!

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    I’m originally from Manchester, but moved down South so I could contribute to the massive research scene down in Oxfordshire.

    I really enjoy (some) outdoor pursuits. Basically anything which keeps me interested no matter how long I do it for (i.e. not running). Things like snowboarding, surfing, and most importantly – climbing! I also spend a decent chunk of time playing video games, despite being really bad at them on average… All these things mean I enjoy getting out and travelling – the attached picture was taken at Lake Ashinoko in Japan; can you name the mountain in the background?

    My next life goal is to get a rescue dog!

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    I’m a design engineer, which means a good chunk of my time is spent in the office, but when the project hits the assembly stage, I get to travel to all sorts of locations to install it! Usually it’s at CERN in Geneva, but I have also been to laboratories in New York, Calgary, and Vancouver.

    I have worked on an experiment that wants to see if antimatter floats up or down! I am currently working on an experiment that looks at Cherenkov Radiation – That’s where light can make a “shockwave” if it goes faster than the speed of light, like a jet’s sonic boom.

    I’ve worked on huge, 5 m tall experiments. I’ve worked on tiny heatsinks for super complicated computers. I’ve seen all of my designs made, and had the chance to visit facilities across the globe. The picture below is me working inside one of CERN’s largest experiments 103m underground in Geneva.

     

     

     

  • My Typical Day:

    I get to work and make a coffee, I check my emails and plan the day. Then I design, plan, calculate, assemble, test – you name it! My work is really varied. One day I can be in the office, the next I could be upside down tightening screws into a liquid helium vessel!

  • My Interview

    • How would you describe yourself in 3 words?

      Adventurous, Dedicated, Approachable

      What did you want to be after you left school?

      I didn't know!

      Were you ever in trouble at school?

      A little...

      Who is your favourite singer or band?

      Counting Crows

      What's your favourite food?

      Chocolate.

      If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!

      1) Ability to teleport. 2) All world leaders working openly and together. 3) A button I could press that would give me exactly what I was thinking of instantly

      Tell us a joke.

      So there's two fish in a tank. One looks to the other and says "How do you drive this thing?"

Questions answered by Mike

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