Dr Merritt Moore

Quantum Physicist and Ballerina

Light is incredible. It is a combination of electric and magnetic waves that sometimes acts as a particle and sometimes a wave. For my research I built a source to produce massless single particles of light, known as photons. I did this by shining a laser through a crystal, which produced pairs of photons. I then collected the photons in fibers and I split the pairs with a beamsplitter. This produces really neat results because I could then explore the cool effects of quantum mechanics.

If you want to see my research in action, click this link and watch me ‘Dance my PhD’!

I’ve constantly been told that I can’t pursue my two passions at the same time, but I’ve worked hard to prove that wrong by continuing both physics and dance. I’ve danced professionally with Zurich Ballet, Boston Ballet and English National Ballet while graduating in physics at Harvard and pursuing a PhD in atomic and laser physics at Oxford. Keep following your dreams!