National Astronomy Week 2020

Would you like to have a career in space or astronomy? Are you curious to discuss some of the biggest questions about the Earth, stars, space and beyond? Where did it all come from? How will it end? Is there life out there? Join Steve Wilkins (University of Sussex) as he hosts "Ask an Astronomer" with a leading panel of UK space researchers and astronomers including Jo Barstow, Jane Greaves, Naomi Rowe-Gurney, Clara Sousa-Silva and Elizabeth Stanway

** This event has run.  You can view a recording on our YouTube channel by clicking here.

About the speakers:

Stephen Wilkins is Head of Astronomy at the University of Sussex where he is also Director of Outreach and Public Engagement and an STFC Public Engagement Fellow. Previously he was researcher at the University of Oxford and before that received his PhD from the University of Cambridge. He was born and grew up in Yorkshire and since Lockdown 1.0 has developed a dubious choice in hairstyles.

Clara Sousa-Silva is a molecular astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. She investigates how molecules interact with light so that they can be detected on faraway worlds. Clara spends most of her time studying molecules that life can produce so that, one day, she can detect an alien biosphere. Her favorite molecular biosignature is phosphine: a terrifying gas associated with mostly unpleasant life. When she is not deciphering exoplanet atmospheres, Clara works hard to persuade the next generation of scientists to become an active part of the astronomical community.

Dr Elizabeth Stanway is an Associate Professor at the University of Warwick. Her research focusses on the properties of stellar populations across cosmic time, including the potential impact of stellar explosions and star formation events on galactic habitability.  She is a member of the Centre for Exoplanets and Habitability at Warwick, and also researches representations of astronomical phenomena and planetary habitability in science fiction.

Hosts:  Lucinda Offer (RAS) & Steve Wilkins (University of Sussex)