A POSTGRADUATE researcher at the University of York is “over the moon” at scooping a top science competition prize, writes Nicola Hebden.

Nuclear physicist, Adam Tuff, 26, came under the scrutiny of school pupils all over the country who voted him the winner of the space zone section of a competition called I’m A Scientist, Get me out of Here! The X Factor style competition, set up by the Wellcome Trust to make science more accessible to school children, saw Adam, and four other competitors, chat to children in an online forum about science.

The children then voted who they thought was the best scientist during the online discussions.

Adam, who dressed up as an astronaut as part of the competition, works with the University of York’s physics department, said: “It’s been fantastic to get a flavour of what pupils think about science and research.

“I’ve had questions probing everything from the biggest quandaries in science and the ethics of nuclear power, to what I do in my spare time and whether I like Michael Bublé!”

Adam won £500 which he plans to put towards funding the university’s school outreach pantomime Ellie The Electron, in which he plays Einstein, a school visit and developing a book for young children about the evolution of stars.