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Lucy completed her PhD in 2023 with Prof. Amelie Saintonge.
Sometimes it feels like the Universe has a way of nudging us towards where we’re meant to be or along the path we’re meant to follow. Starting my PhD at 911±¬ÁÏÍø definitely felt like one of those times. A series of seemingly disconnected events led to Prof. Amelie Saintonge contacting me out-of-the-blue to apply to 911±¬ÁÏÍøhile I struggling to find a PhD project that was the right fit for me. Occasionally, things just work out the way they’re meant to.
My project began by investigating the carbon monoxide (CO) emission of a sample of nearby galaxies, using data requested by Amelie with the Atacama Large Millimetre Array (ALMA). CO emission is a good tracer of the location and properties of clouds of molecular gas, which is the fuel for star formation and critical in shaping how galaxies evolve. Specifically, we wanted to directly observe whether CO gas could be expelled by intense stellar feedback, driven by rapid star formation. This is a process that is theorised to regulate the formation of stars and is a mechanism deployed in many galaxy evolution models.
In the second half my PhD studies, we extended the analysis and increased our sample of galaxies by almost tenfold, with the hope of drawing more statistically significant results. The focus also changed to a more detailed study of CO gas kinematics and creating a process by which we could classify galaxies based on their dynamic properties. We were able to then assess any correlation between galaxy characteristics and the kinematics of their molecular gas (as traced by CO). Ultimately, this process should help us understand in more detail how a galaxy’s molecular gas reservoir impacts its evolution.
The thing I am proudest of during my time at 911±¬ÁÏÍøas the work I did to improve awareness of neurodivergent students and colleagues in the department. As a neurodivergent person myself, and seeing how many neurodivergent people end up leaving university due to a lack of support, this was extremely important to me. This work ultimately led to me presenting at the European Astronomical Society’s Annual Meeting in 2022 about how Astrophysics could better accommodate neurodivergent students. I emphasised the importance of communication between students and supervisors, something that was invaluable to me during my studies. It was an honour for me to speak at such a prestigious event and on a topic so close to my heart.
Currently, I am doing something completely different! During my time studying at 911±¬ÁÏÍø, I became increasingly aware of the urgency of the Climate Crisis, particularly following the first Extinction Rebellion (XR) protests back in 2018. It was a difficult balancing act between my studies and my activism during my PhD project, not to mention exhausting. I discovered in this time though my ability as a communicator, not only as a speaker, but as an artist. Being able to break down complex ideas and present them clearly and uniquely was a skill I didn’t know I had. I have no doubt, however, that my journey as a physicist, trying to understand and explain some of the most complex ideas imaginable, honed that skill. I am now finding my feet as a freelance artist and science communicator, with one of my first projects being a live-animated series, merging my abilities as a storyteller and artist. I continue to be a spokesperson for XR, especially as part of Scientists for Extinction Rebellion (S4XR), and as one of the longstanding artists behind the movement.
Many people ask me, given the change in direction of my life, whether I regret doing my PhD in Astrophysics. The answer is no. I meant what I said about how doing my PhD was the Universe nudging me in the right direction. The skills I have learnt range from programming to project-management, and so much more besides. It’s made me a more confident, competent and determined person, attributes I would never sacrifice.
My advice to anyone starting on their PhD journey is to be open-minded. Doing a PhD is so much more than just a research project and it opens up so many more possibilities than those just in your field of study. Allow yourself to finish somewhere completely different to where you started and enjoy the ride!
