Profile
Richard Fielder
My CV
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Education:
Olchfa school, Swansea.
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Qualifications:
MSci Physics, University of Birmingham
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Current Job:
Accelerator Physicist
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About Me:
I spend a lot of time falling down mountains for fun.
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I live in Abingdon, near Oxford. I cycle to work no matter the weather, and spend as much of my spare time as possible kayaking, mountain biking and climbing. When I’m at home, I play too many video games and read a lot of bad science fiction and fantasy. I also play piano and guitar. I probably eat too much chocolate.
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Diamond Light Source is a synchrotron light source which produces very bright x-rays by accelerating electrons around a ring. There are 35 beamlines which use these x-rays to study the atomic structure inside all kinds of matter, from jet engines to ice-cream to viruses. My job is keep the electrons as stable as possible, since it’s difficult to look at such small things if the light is wobbling around or changing brightness.
I also study any new parts or upgrades that people want to add into the ring. These are usually things people have come up with to improve the brightness or focus of the light they’re using, but I have to make sure that they won’t cause problems with keeping the electron ring working. Since there are lots of scientists using the facility at the same time, it would be easy to make things better for some while spoiling it for others.
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My Typical Day:
I cycle to work a bit late to avoid traffic. I’ll check everything is running OK when I arrive, then spend most of the day running simulations either on a model of the accelerator, or on engineering designs for new parts.
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Like most scientists these days, most of my work is actually programming. One of my main jobs is running simulations on designs for new parts that people want to install in the accelerator. I have to make sure they will work properly and not cause any problems for the electron beam or the scientists. These simulations can vary hugely in how long they take. With smaller parts, I can run them quickly and then try making changes and seeing what effects that has. I can spend a whole day just looking at one part in various different ways.
Other times, a single simulation can take several days to run. While I have one computer running that simulation, I can work on the software used to actually run the accelerator. This often involves trying to add new features that have been requested by the operators, or which other people in my group have suggested as an interesting idea. However, a lot of it is similar to most programming jobs, and involves updating my software to be compatible with new versions of operating systems or other software that it needs to interface with.
One day a week we get time when there are no users and we get to work on the accelerator itself. This might mean doing experiments to test that my simulations are giving accurate results, or setting up newly installed parts to make sure they work properly.
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What I'd do with the prize money:
Develop a VR model of the accelerator so visitors can explore the inside even when the machine is running.
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
A bit mad.
What did you want to be after you left school?
I still haven't decided what I want to be when I grow up.
Were you ever in trouble at school?
Only for not paying enough attention.
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Alestorm.
What's your favourite food?
Chocolate
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
Chocolate, a new bike, more chocolate.
Tell us a joke.
What do you call a dinosaur with one eye? Dyouthinkhesaurus.
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