This episode of the  Physics World Weekly  podcast features an interview with Paul Howarth, who became president of the  Institute of Physics  (IOP) in February. The IOP is the professional body and learned society for physics in the UK and Ireland. Representing 21,000 members, it supports physicists at all stages of their careers and seeks to make physics accessible to people from all backgrounds. With a PhD in nuclear physics, Howarth has had a long career in the nuclear sector working on the European Fusion Programme and at British Nuclear Fuels, as well as co-founding the Dalton Nuclear Institute at the University of Manchester and serving as chief executive officer of the National Nuclear Laboratory. He talks to  Physics World ’s Michael Banks about his career in nuclear energy and his priorities now as president of the IOP. These include improving physics education and raising the profile of physics and physicists across society.…