We were delighted to welcome partners and guests to this year’s SEPnet Public Engagement Awards, an evening dedicated to celebrating the creativity, dedication, and impact of physics outreach across the network. The event showcased an inspiring range of projects that bring research to life for schools, families, and communities, and highlighted the vital role of collaboration in widening participation in STEM.

Awards on the night recognised innovative hands-on engagement with complex physics, inclusive approaches to reaching new audiences, and outstanding strategic commitment to public engagement.

Our winners were:

• Dr Andrew Gow and Dr Wolfgang Enzi from the University of Portsmouth for their interactive gravitational lensing workshops

• Dr Ed Macaulay from Queen Mary University London for his wonderfully creative “A Bite of Space-Time” relativity outreach activity

• The Particle Physics Research Centre at Queen Mary University London for their excellent culture and support for participating in physics outreach

• The Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation at the University of Portsmouth for their long-standing leadership in embedding engagement across research culture.

• Curiosity Sussex, whose volunteer-led partnerships continue to deliver free, accessible STEM festivals and events for thousands of families in Brighton, Lewes and beyond.

The evening was a reminder of the passion, generosity, and imagination within the SEPnet community. We extend our warmest congratulations to all the award winners and nominees, and thank everyone who contributes year-round to making physics and astronomy accessible, inclusive, and inspiring.