Vendela Kennemyr, upper secondary school student taking courses at Fysikum

"Since November 2022, I have taken six courses, all of which have been awesome. Two courses in the Master's programme in Physics: Quantum Trap Theory and General Relativity where I learned a lot of mathematical and theoretical physics. Four courses on the bachelor's programme in physics: Mechanics 1, Mechanics 2, Electromagnetism and Wave Motion and Optics where I got the basics of physics in place. Physics and maths are incredibly fun and studying it at university is fantastic! Sometimes it can be intense, you study a lot. There are lectures, tutorials, calculations, assignments and of course exams, but I'm challenged in a way I haven't been before and it's worth it. There is a lot of maths in the advanced courses which I love because I have learned a lot of new maths and my confidence has been boosted by completing the challenges. I have learned everything from how to solve the geodesic equation to obtain geodesics to the quantisation of relativistic free fields, but I have also been helped with private sessions at SU so I can catch up with the others and get all the basics. The teachers are very good and helpful. You get good feedback on what you do with challenges and encouragement in the right mix so you constantly continue to develop", says Vendela Kennemyr.

Anything else you have participated in at Fysikum?

"Last autumn, at Christmas, I attended a seminar where some Nobel Laureates from 2020 and 2021 talked about their paths to the Nobel Prize and I met Nobel Laureates Reinhard Genzel, Andrea Ghez and Giorgio Parisi, which was great fun.

Then of course the fellowship with the other students that you get to know on the courses and getting to experience a bit of student life at the candidate, which is nice and the other students have no problem with me being a little younger", says Vendela.

What are your plans for the future?

"This summer I'm going to study maths at Oxford, where I'll be studying some topology, among other things, and after that I'll be taking an upper secondary school exam. Above all, I plan to take the exams for the upper secondary school courses, since that freedom is available at the upper secondary school, and to continue studying at Fysikum at the same time. Then, of course, I intend to take a bachelor's degree in physics at SU as well! I want to be a theoretical physicist who works with a lot of maths. Therefore, I want to study theoretical physics and do research in quantum field theory, string theory and gravitation. I've also been inspired and engaged in the STEM field, especially in how to get more girls into it. I think there are quite simple things that can be done that can bring about quite big changes and I hope to contribute to that as well," says Vendela.

We wish Vendela all the best and welcome back to Fysikum!
 
More information

Vendela Kennemyr spent her autumn break at Fysikum (in Swedish)

At Fysikum, we offer teaching covering a wide range of topics within the field of physics all the way up to postgraduate level. We offer a broad selection of specialized courses held in English that can be taken both as freestanding courses or as part of one of our Master's programmes in Physics, Theoretical Physics, Computational Physics or Medical Radiation Physics.

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