#FaradayPathways Megan Groom, University of Cambridge

Megan’s passion for sustainability has led her from an MSci degree in Natural Sciences at the University of Nottingham to pursuing a PhD in Physics at the University of Cambridge’s Cavendish Laboratory. She tells us how she enjoys investigating multidisciplinary problems and the importance of remaining curious.

Megan’s passion for science started when she was very young, inspired by her parents and teachers.

“My parents both come from science backgrounds: my dad is an engineer, and my mum is a nurse. I was also lucky to have had the most amazing Maths teachers at school. Of course, Maths is the language of science, so that really helped.”

In 2016, Megan began an MSci degree in Natural Sciences at the University of Nottingham.

“The slogan of Nottingham Natural Sciences was ‘indecision is a decision too’. This was very true for me at the start of my degree, as I liked all the sciences and was unsure how to choose. We were given multidisciplinary projects throughout the course, which I really enjoyed as it gave me the chance to do research and solve problems that didn’t necessarily have answers.”

Alongside her studies, Megan also got involved with many sustainability initiatives, which became a strong passion of hers. She took up the role as Sustainability, Communications and Engagement Assistant for the University of Nottingham’s Sustainability Team.

“I got into sustainability for the same reason I got into Natural Sciences – you’re seeing the interconnection between different things and that problems need to be solved in a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary way.”

“I became keen to get my career more aligned with sustainability, because at the time there wasn’t an integration of climate change into my studies.”

Megan then moved to Darwin College Cambridge in 2020 to begin her PhD, which was funded by EPSRC and affiliated with the Winton Programme for the Physics of Sustainability. This is a programme funded by David Harding, founder and CEO of Winton Capital, and aims to develop new technologies needed for future renewable energy systems.

“I really enjoyed research projects and felt like there was more stretch that I wanted academically. Towards the end of my undergraduate degree, I had started to go down more of an applied maths route, but I wanted something more tangible. That is why I was drawn to experimental physics and battery research. I was keen to learn more about it.

“I also enjoy the battery problem because it’s so multidisciplinary. You can zoom in to the specifics of the crystal structure of the cathode or you can zoom out and think holistically about the whole lifecycle of the battery and the social and environmental impacts.”

Megan’s PhD investigates using Raman spectroscopy in operando to better understand lithium-ion battery degradation.

“One way to look at it is as a ‘battery blood test’. I think the cool thing about my research is that it is a technique that isn’t specific to lithium-ion chemistry. It is a future-proof method and as we evolve the chemistries used for battery technology it will still apply. It is great to feel that it has longevity and scope.”

One challenge that Megan had to overcome was starting her PhD in 2020 during the pandemic.

“In the lab there were rotas with only two people allowed in at one time, and everyone wore masks. I was grateful to have Cambridge’s college system when moving cities during this time, as it made it much easier to meet people.”

Megan is also involved with sustainability initiatives at the University of Cambridge. She was elected as the Environmental and Ethical Affairs Officer for the Darwin College Students Association, and now works as Sustainability Engagement Coordinator.

“I did lots of different things, including careers panels aimed at STEM postgraduates about how to transfer your scientific career into a sustainability career. These looked at behavioural changes and empowering people to take action. As academics we are working on large scale long-term projects, but there are other smaller changes that we can make that are not just good for the planet, but good for us and our communities.”

Megan won the prestigious University of Cambridge Vice Chancellor’s Social Impact Award for her improvement of sustainability at Darwin College. What other sustainability work is she proud of?

“On a smaller scale I also really value the connections you make with people through these initiatives. ‘Project Second Life’ is where we collect items from students who are moving out of college, and then offer them to new students during Fresher’s week in a ‘pay what you feel’ system. It’s really special to see the emotion that people have towards these objects, and how something like a rice cooker can help to make someone feel less homesick. In 2022 we collected 500kg of items and raised over £200 to cover the costs of storage!

“When a PhD largely involves incremental progress over a few years, it is great to have something on the side that is so rewarding and means I can go back into the lab feeling energised and motivated.”

Megan is affiliated to the Faraday Institution’s Degradation project.

“I have been lucky enough to have received lots of support from the Faraday Institution. I attended the battery school, which helped me become much more literate in the broader energy sector.

“I think that something that the Faraday Institution does well is encouraging people to see the bigger picture of why we are doing battery research and how it fits into quite a messy sustainability landscape.

“I also enjoy the social enrichment I gain from the Faraday Institution. It was so helpful to meet other PhD students who are in a similar phase to me, and we never would have found each other if we weren’t part of that broader Faraday community.”

What advice would Megan give her younger self?

“Be curious. You can’t know all the different options available to you. When I was at school and university, I had a narrow view of what was possible and what my available next steps were. I could have taken more time to think about my decisions and reached out to people who had taken different career paths. I would say don’t feel rushed, take your time and go broad in your questions and your searching.”

In 2022, Megan did a three-month policy internship with the Centre of Science and Policy (CSaP) at the University of Cambridge, which aims to bring public policy professionals and academics together. This remains something that she wants to pursue in her future career.

“I learnt so much about what you can do with science beyond the lab and research. I would love to go into policy, looking at energy decarbonisation and sustainability. I think my literacy in battery technology and the basic science of batteries will be very beneficial for this goal.”

#FaradayPathways story written by Nancy Stitt, Science Communications Intern, published September 2023

Vice-Chancellor’s Social Impact Award | Darwin College (cam.ac.uk)

Click here to read a paper written by a colleague that Megan works closely with.