What is the topic of your research?
What are you aiming to do and how does it relate to other work in your field?

I study the atmospheres of exoplanets, using space-based telescopes such as Hubble. My goal is to analyse planets at multiple wavelengths to help further our understanding of how atmospheres work and how the properties of different telescopes can affect the precision of our observations.  I’m also helping to prepare for the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) by developing the tools that will be needed for the exoplanet research community to hit the ground running when JWST beings taking data in 2022.

How far along the journey are you? First year, second year, writing-up etc.?
What has the journey been like so far?

I’m just beginning my second year of my PhD. So far my time has mostly been split between working with Hubble data and writing observing proposals, as well as working as a demonstrator in undergraduate astronomy modules.

Even though I already had experience in exoplanet research before I started my PhD, I’ve learnt a lot within my first year, especially when it comes to my coding skills. Tasks that used to take me a long time to figure out now feel like second nature, and I’m sure in a year’s time the same will be true of many of the things I find difficult now! 

What attracted you to the research opportunities at Bristol?

When I was applying to do a PhD, the projects on offer at Bristol were the ones that excited me the most, particularly as the supervisors leading the projects were all very passionate about them. I also liked that the astrophysics group at Bristol had a fairly diverse range of research interests while still being quite a tight-knit community - there’s lots of expertise when you need advice, but no one is intimidating to ask for help.

What is Bristol like as a place to live?

Bristol is a great city to live in, with everything you might need but still small enough to be easy to explore. There are plenty of shops, cafes, museums and the landmarks that define the city, such as the Clifton Suspension Bridge, but plenty of hidden gems too.

What was it like starting a research degree as a new student? What advice would you give to someone thinking about doing a research degree in Bristol Physics?

For me, starting a research degree was a mixture of excitement and anxiety. There are so many paths your research can go down, and your end goals can change a lot over time, which can be overwhelming, but having the opportunity to be the first person to see a brand new result and being able to look back on the skills you have learnt is a great feeling. Not many people can say they were the first person to know what the atmosphere of a planet looks like!

For anyone thinking about beginning a research degree, I would say don’t be afraid to get in contact with anyone offering a project - you’ll get a much better impression of what you might be doing and you can get an idea of what a working relationship with that person might be like before you begin.