The Blackett Lab Family C.I.C.

During the year ending 31 August 2025, the Blackett Lab Family C.I.C. (BLF) continued its activity to promote the representation and percentage of Black, UK-based individuals in physics. Our membership increased by 28% to reach a total of 96 members. The Representing Physics programme was carried out again in August 2025, following the success of previous years. As in 2024, the in-person and online strands of the programme were both well-received by the (over 50) student attendees; the results of surveys which they completed before and after the programme showed significant increases in the proportions of students 'identifying as a physicist' (57% -> 70% for online, 38% -> 68% for in-person). Furthermore, 90% of online attendees 'found it valuable to hear from Black physicists about their careers', and 90% of in-person attendees said that the programme 'increased their interest in physics'. Representing Physics continues to encourage promising students to imagine their futures within physics. In September 2024, the BLF debuted Amplify at The University of Manchester, a one-day event for Black undergraduate physicists across the UK. Due to the underrepresentation of Black students in UK university physics departments, connecting with other such physicists can be difficult for those students. Indeed, students scored 1.8/5 on average to the question: 'how connected to other physicists do you feel' in the survey which was carried out before the programme. This new annual programme aims to address this problem by connecting Black undergraduates in physics across the UK with each other, academics and industry professionals for unique networking opportunities. Around 20 undergraduates were exposed to talks from a range of professional physicists about their research, and experienced insights about the PhD process and research careers. 100% of the attendees said they 'would recommend the event to other Black physicists'. During the year, the BLF provided experts and contributors to support the success of various conferences, e.g. the Black Undergraduate Careers Conference at Imperial College London (ICL) and the Conference for Undergraduate Women and Non-Binary Physicists (CUWiP) at the University of Warwick. Finally, in February 2025, the BLF organised a series of talks by Prof. Sylvester 'Jim' Gates, the renowned US-based theoretical physicist, at ICL; the Royal Institution; and RCA BLK, which were very well-received by all who attended. This event provided new opportunities to expand our global reach and strengthen the US-UK network of Black physicists and scientists.