The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has granted Grade I listed status to Thomas Whitmore, 26, the only person currently enrolled in a physics PhD programme in the United Kingdom.
Whitmore, who began his doctorate at Imperial College London in October 2023, will now receive round-the-clock protection from English Heritage. A blue plaque has been installed outside his studio flat in Hammersmith. It cost more than his annual stipend.
The designation comes after the latest UKRI figures revealed that physics PhD applications have fallen by 94% since 2020. The remaining 6% were subsequently identified as spam.
“Thomas represents an irreplaceable link to Britain’s scientific heritage,” said Dr Jennifer Coates, Minister for Research and Forgotten Sectors. “We simply cannot allow him to emigrate, burn out, or discover he could earn £80,000 writing code for a betting app.”
Under the new protection measures, Whitmore is prohibited from checking LinkedIn, attending any university careers fairs, or speaking to former colleagues who now work in consulting. He must also remain within a 40-mile radius of his laboratory unless granted special dispensation by the National Trust.
The PhD student will be issued with a ceremonial Blue Peter badge in a ceremony at the Science Museum next month. Attendance is expected to be low. The museum’s physics gallery closed in 2019 and now houses a soft play area sponsored by a cryptocurrency firm that no longer exists.
Whitmore’s thesis investigates quantum coherence in superconducting circuits. It is funded by a grant of £18,500 per year, which works out at approximately £4.20 per hour if he works a standard week. He does not work a standard week.
“I’m honoured, I think,” Whitmore said from his laboratory, where he has been alone since his supervisor left for Princeton in January. “Though I’m not sure how this helps with the fact that my research group now consists entirely of me and a broken dilution refrigerator that nobody knows how to fix.”
The refrigerator, manufactured in 2003, is itself being considered for heritage protection.
Professor Michael Thornbury, vice-chancellor of Imperial College, praised the government’s swift action. “This sends a clear message that Britain values fundamental research,” he said. “We’re currently in discussions about converting our physics department into luxury student accommodation, but Thomas will definitely be allowed to stay in one of the utility cupboards.”
The government has pledged £200,000 toward Whitmore’s ongoing preservation. This includes a living wage top-up, mental health support, and a dedicated team to intercept recruitment emails from ETH Zurich.
When asked about plans to recruit additional physics PhD students, Dr Coates said the department would be launching a consultation. The consultation will conclude in 2027, by which point Whitmore will have either finished or given up.
Applications to visit the PhD student will open to the public in March. Tickets cost £24. Whitmore will not receive any of this money.