jmp@queenelizabeths.kent.sch.uk's public profile

Hi everyone, I'm James Perkins, head of science faculty at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Faversham. I've worked in secondary education for over a decade in both private and state sectors in the selective schools environment.

My previous life was a science researcher at Imperial College London although I have also worked as a musician, cartoonist, lifeguard, swim teacher, bank clerk and barman. At Imperial I was responsible for an ‘aberration corrected monochromated scanning transmission electron microscope’ studying all sorts of different materials from 2D nanosheets of boron nitride to fuel cells via amyloid fibrils from rat brains!

I am also actively engaged with various outreach and materials science forums sitting on the Royal Microscopical Society's education and outreach committee as well as the Worshipful Company of Armourers and Brasiers' materials science committee. I co-run the Institute of Materials' "magic of materials" residential summer school.

I have an active interest in science research in schools and have travelled extensively to study how advanced science equipment is used in schools as part of my Churchill fellowship. I’m proud to be involved in a UK electron-microscope-in-schools project with Hitachi high technologies and the Natural History Museum.

I deliver talks on outreach as well as delivering CPD programs for STEM learning.

I coach (and still play) water polo, can’t get enough of skiing and mountain biking (qualified mountain bike guide) and play various saxophones.