Bringing the universe closer
#CelebratingEngagement
with Simon Foster
“One of the people that really inspired me to go into space was Helen Sharman, who I now work with.”
Not many people can say they work with their idol. But for Simon, this is his reality as Outreach Manager for the Faculty of Natural Sciences.
Simon’s excitement for space physics is immediately infectious. “I love space, it’s just amazing.” Although it’s his day-to-day job, he explained “when you actually start to think about the concepts, it's just unbelievable.” This enthusiasm is clearly reflected in the outreach and engagement work that led to his nomination for the President’s Awards for Excellence in Societal Engagement, where Simon won the prestigious President’s Medal.
“I grew up in London and used to visit the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum, but never knew that Imperial was next door. It wasn't on my radar because I wasn't going to go there. My grades weren't good enough, it just didn't exist.” It wasn’t until his PhD supervisor introduced him to the space research at Imperial that Simon realised “it’s pretty much the best place in the UK for Space Research. So, it became the place to go.”
After completing a PhD in solar physics at the University of Southampton, Simon first joined Imperial in 2005, drawn by a split research and teaching role with the Outreach team. “If I'm being blunt with you, I took it mainly for the research,” said Simon. “The carrot was the research, and without being rude, the stick was the teaching.
“Everyone thinks because you've got a PhD, you know every part of physics and you know how to teach it” – where in reality “you're learning on the job."
“It was sink or swim. I started with a group of ten and built up from that.” We laughed about his early teaching experiences and the sheer discomfort he felt, which later turned out to be where his passion for outreach and widening participation really took shape.
“Teaching eventually branched into outreach" nodded Simon.
Moving on to work as an environmental consultant and then teaching at a sixth form college for a few years, Simon re-joined Imperial in 2012 where he took up a role in the Doctoral Training Centre. “They wanted to embed public engagement and outreach training into PhD courses, which is funny because as I said, when I was doing my own PhD I avoided it like the plague!”
It is clear Simon learnt the hard way about what does and doesn’t work in outreach. But it is his commitment to passing on these insights that truly sets him apart. Simon is generous about sharing the mistakes he feels he has made, and encouraging others to learn from them, and even has a way of making the toughest lessons feel simple.
So, why is societal engagement so important to Simon? “Education is very transformative” he responds.
Simon explained his goal to support students from all backgrounds by showing what opportunities are available in higher education. “If you're not aware of them, you can't take advantage.” For him, is about making university more accessible and “bringing through the next generation of young people, just as others did for me when I was younger.”
Reflecting on how it felt winning the President’s Award, Simon confessed that it is “quite weird that I'm seen as a person that people come to for advice.” While “very happy and very proud” to be recognised, Simon humbly said “I’m just doing my job” – a statement that perfectly captures his character. For Simon, the outreach and the students are always the priority.
What is Simon’s advice for those wanting to start engaging? “Be yourself. People will respond well to that because no matter how you come across, as long as you're authentic, they know you're not trying to con them in any way.” For those who may be nervous, “you don’t get over the nerves, you just get better at channelling them” smiles Simon encouragingly.
I ask Simon what projects he has been working on since winning the award in 2025, and unsurprisingly, he is not slowing done any time soon. Currently he is collaborating with schools to pilot a different approach to STEM engagement through drama. “I think it's going to be a very powerful method of teaching STEM, in two ways. One, it will teach kids that are into STEM that soft skills such as communication are incredibly important.” The second being “the opportunity to engage humanities’ students who may have never seen that they're interested in STEM.” The project takes a unique approach and the team are already anticipating it to have a nationwide impact.
Simon’s enthusiasm is contagious and shines through in every aspect of his work. At the heart of it all is the young boy who had an undiluted love of space, even in the face of doubt. His journey is a reminder that boundless passion and curiosity are often the keys to discovering, and following, your true path – and to bringing others along with you.
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