During her high school years, Kyna Schirck (Duncraig Class of 2021) took as many maths and science courses as she could, a choice that set her on a path from Curtin University all the way to the world’s most famous research centre: CERN in Geneva. “Through my degree I had the opportunity to complete several research projects in the summers and through my course, which led me to the Computational Quantum Physics group at Curtin, where I am now working on my honours. I was investigating internships when I found the CERN Summer Student program.”
The work at CERN was not what many outsiders might imagine. As Kyna explains: “I feel that for huge experiments, like the ones at CERN, there is a temptation to think of the Clever Science People, who clock-in to levitate particles and discover new science every day with shiny new machines. In reality, most experiments that are running have been in development for decades, and science is a slow process.”
Her biggest takeaway was a new appreciation for the complexity of physical experiments. “Even for the smaller experiments the number of moving parts is phenomenal, and if something breaks or goes wrong it can have huge consequences. The physics I normally do is mostly reliant on maths and computers, so I will definitely remember what it was like having to work with these physical limitations and dependencies.”
Another highlight was the international environment at CERN. “It was fantastic! In every work or social environment, I was around people from all over the world. I found it interesting to see how everyone navigated working across cultures… Despite the differences, everyone was there with a similar appreciation for physics.”
Reflecting on her time there, one moment stood out as a reminder of why she loves science. “I was working with one of the antimatter experiments, and to get to the apparatus you had to walk over the Antiproton Decelerator… It was surreal to me how in less than a century, this volatile type of matter went from theorised, to understood and controlled well enough to safely exist within meters of where I was working. Physics is about understanding the world that we live in, and being in such a technologically and scientifically advanced place reminded me of how phenomenal that world really is.”
Looking ahead, Kyna is focused on completing her honours year. “Next year I am hoping to start a PhD in atomic collision physics at Curtin, looking into different ways that we can calculate what could happen when a proton or antiproton collides with an atom.”
Kyna’s story shows that following your curiosity, even when the road is long and challenging, can lead to extraordinary opportunities. For St Stephen’s School students with a love of science, her journey is proof that the world is waiting to be explored, one experiment at a time.