Dr. Ning Liu and PhD student Kristine O’Dwyer represented the SOPHia project at the 2026 Education Awards, held at the Johnstown Estate in County Meath on April 16, 2026. The project was shortlisted in the category of Best Education Outreach Award – Learner, Schools & Academic Engagement, recognising its commitment to inspiring the next generation of physicists.
True to the project’s mission of promoting physics as a fun, exciting, and accessible subject, SOPHia’s outreach initiatives bring hands-on experiments and interactive workshops directly into classrooms, encouraging students, especially girls, by showing young learners that the field is varied and welcoming to all with a passion for curiosity .
Being shortlisted for this award highlights the impact of SOPHia team’s work in fostering meaningful academic and school-based collaborations that make science come alive for learners at all levels.