Profile
David Armstrong
congratulations Wei!
My CV
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Education:
Adams’ Grammar School, Newport, Shropshire, 1994-2001
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Qualifications:
University of Oxford, 2001-2009, Materials Science
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Work History:
WHSmiths, Goodrich Aerospace, Schlumberger Oil Field Services and Bouncy castle builder and tester.
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Current Job:
Junior Research Fellow in Materials For Fusion Reactors
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Nuclear fusion is the nuclear reaction which powers the sun and other stars, it produces little carbon emissions and less radioactive waste than normal nuclear fission. Scientists have been working for a long time to try and be able to control this type of reaction on earth. However the reactions only occur in plasmas at very high temperatures and we need advanced materials to build the reactor vessel out of. I work on tungsten alloys which have very high melting points, which will be used in the most challenging part of the reactor, called the divertor.
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My Typical Day:
Everyday is different and everyday is busy
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My typical day could be anything from analysing data at my desk, carrying out a new experiment in our lab, or giving a talk at a conference. Most of my work is in Oxford but some of the facilities I use are based in Paris so I spend sometime there and conferences have taken me all over the world from San Fransisco to Munich. I also teach undergraduate students courses on mechanical properties of materials and processing of advanced engineering materials.
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What I'd do with the prize money:
I’d use the money to build some new interactive experiments for school visits to our department.
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Inquisitive, sporty, hard-working
Were you ever in trouble at school?
Not very often, once for arguing with my physics teacher.
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Foo Fighters
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
To be an international rugby player, to never have to mark anymore students’ work, to have a sailing boat.
Tell us a joke.
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
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