The sun was shining yesterday as I graduated from Aberystwyth with my friends and classmates in a lovely ceremony and celebration. Following the formalities, the Physics department hosted a reception where we had a department photograph and some prizes were awarded. I was very surprised and humbled to be awarded the Breen Prize for best 4th year dissertation in physics.

This prize is named in memory of a former lecturer at Aberystwyth, Dr Andy Breen, who sadly passed away in 2011 at the age of 47. By all accounts he was a brilliant physicist, a great teacher and a good friend to many, many people and I am sad that I didn’t have the chance to know him.