Mary Paula Chadwick FRAS FInstP is a British physicist who is professor and head of the Department of Physics at Durham University.

[2] She moved to Durham University for her doctoral research, where she studied high energy cosmic gamma rays from pulsars.

[2] When gamma rays (the most energetic form of electromagnetic radiation) hit the atmosphere, they produce a cascade of high energy matter that travels faster than the speed of light in air.

[2] This produces a brief flash of high energy light (Cherenkov radiation), which Chadwick tries to detect with large telescopes.

[2][6][7] In 2015, Chadwick was awarded the Lawrence Bragg Medal and Prize for her efforts to engage undergraduates with industry.