The Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire has made her first visit to a science facility in Harwell.

Marjorie Glasgow, who is the King’s personal representative for the county, visited the national synchrotron, Diamond Light Source - a particle accelerator.

In her role as Lord Lieutenant, she conducts royal duties and champions the county's businesses and charitable organisations.

Oxford Mail: (L-R) Chidinma Okolo, Ivy Wang, Archana Jadhav, principal beamline scientist Maria Harkiolaki, Marjorie Glasgow and Kamal Nahas(L-R) Chidinma Okolo, Ivy Wang, Archana Jadhav, principal beamline scientist Maria Harkiolaki, Marjorie Glasgow and Kamal Nahas (Image: Diamond Light Source Ltd)

Ms Glasgow said: “It has been truly insightful to see behind the covers at the facility and talk to some of the scientists about their work.

"I’ve already been impressed by Diamond’s role cementing the UK’s place as a science superpower.

"The facility also provides significant jobs for our country’s most talented researchers, giving them the best opportunities to make major breakthroughs across a wide range of disciplines from structural biology to advanced materials and battery technologies."

The Lord Lieutenant, founder and CEO of a clean energy company, was welcomed by Diamond’s CEO, Gianluigi Botton, and visited several of the facility’s 34 beamlines.

Mr Botton said: "We are so proud of what our scientists and users are achieving at Diamond and delighted to have the opportunity to show the Lord Lieutenant some of what is being achieved.

"This is a major investment drive in cutting-edge facilities funded by the government through UK Research and Innovation’s Science and Technology Research Council together with Wellcome, one of the world’s largest biomedical charities."