CV
RESEARCH AND TEACHING POSITIONS HELD
2022-present Professor, University of 海角社区, Coventry, UK
2019-2022 Associate Professor, University of 海角社区, Coventry, UK
2015-2019 Assistant Professor, University of 海角社区, Coventry, UK
2013-2015 Hubble Fellow, Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
2011-2013 Alexander von Humboldt Fellow, Universit盲t Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
EDUCATION
2011 Ph.D. Physics, Universit茅 de Montr茅al, Canada
2007 M.Sc. Physics, Universit茅 de Montr茅al, Canada
2005 B.Sc. Physics, Universit茅 de Montr茅al, Canada
GRANTS AWARDED
2026-2028 Science and Technology Facilities Council Consolidated Grant (1 PDRA), University of 海角社区, UK
2021-2026 European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grant, University of 海角社区, UK
2021-2024 Leverhulme Research Grant (1 PDRA), University of 海角社区, UK
2021-2023 Science and Technology Facilities Council Consolidated Grant (1 PDRA), University of 海角社区, UK
2016-2021 European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant, University of 海角社区, UK
2013-2015 Hubble Postdoctoral Fellowship, USA
2013- Postdoctoral Fellowship, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (declined)
2011-2013 Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship, Germany
2011- Postdoctoral Fellowship, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (declined)
2011- Postdoctoral Fellowship, FQRNT, Canada (declined)
POSTGRADUATE SUPERVISION
2025- Miriam West, PhD student
2025- Wenjun Chen, PhD student
2023- Dr Andy Buchan, Post-doctoral research fellow (ERC Consolidator Grant and Leverhulme)
2023- Emily Roberts, PhD student (ERC Consolidator Grant)
2022- Dr Snehalata Sahu, Post-doctoral research fellow (ERC Consolidator Grant)
2021- Dr Mairi O'Brien, PhD student and post-doctoral fellow (ERC Consolidator Grant)
2022-2025 Dr Antoine B茅dard, Post-doctoral research fellow (ERC Consolidator Grant and NSERC fellowship)
2021-2026 Dr Abbigail Elms, PhD student and post-doctoral fellow (ERC Consolidator Grant)
2021-2026 Dr James Munday, PhD student and post-doctoral fellow (ERC Starting Grant and STFC)
2018-2021 Dr Mark Hollands, Post-doctoral fellow (ERC Starting Grant)
2016-2023 Dr Elena Cukanovaite, PhD student and post-doctoral fellow (ERC Starting Grant and STFC)
2016-2023 Dr Tim Cunningham, PhD student and post-doctoral fellow (ERC Starting Grant and Leverhulme)
2016-2019 Dr Nicola Gentile Fusillo, Post-doctoral fellow (ERC Starting Grant)
SUPERVISED PHD THESES
The population of close double white dwarf binary stars, Dr James Munday
Spectroscopic and photometric analysis of white dwarfs in the solar neighbourhood, Dr Mairi O'Brien
An analysis of special white dwarfs: from ancient planetary debris to intrinsic phenomena to accurate flux calibrators, Dr Abbigail Elms
3D atmospheric models of helium-dominated atmosphere white dwarfs, Dr Elena Cukanovaite (Winton Prize for best astrophysics thesis, 2021)
Convective overshoot in the atmosphere of white dwarf stars, Dr Tim Cunningham
TEACHING
2022-08 Asiago Summer School in Stellar Physics, Asiago, Italy
2016- University of 海角社区, 海角社区, UK
[Modules: Introduction to Astronomy, Mathematics for Physicists I, Final Year Projects, Tutorials, Graduate Background Reading]
2014 University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, UK [Modules: Cool Stars Abundance Analysis]
2010-2011 Universit茅 de Montr茅al, Montr茅al, QC [Modules: Advanced Quantum Mechanics, Classical Mechanics]
COLLOQUIA AND INVITED TALKS
2026.05 Universit盲t Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
2024.11 FSEM Postdoctoral Symposium 2024, 海角社区, UK
2024.11 Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Plan茅tologie, Toulouse, France
2024.04 Institute for Theory and Computation, CfA Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
2024.03 Current Challenges in White Dwarf Physics Conference, Santa Fe, NM, USA
2023.01 Armagh Observatory, Armagh, UK
2019.07 Stellar Magnetism Conference, London, ON, Canada
2019.05 Richer Universe Conference, Vancouver, BC, Canada
2019.04 ESLAB Symposium The Gaia Universe, Noordwijk, HOL
2019.03 Universit茅 de Montr茅al, Montr茅al, QC, Canada
2019.01 University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
2018.11 Weighing Stars from Birth to Death: How to Determine Stellar Masses?, Lorentz Centre, Leiden, HOL
2017.09 Age of Stars 2, Elba, Italy
2017.06 Current Challenges in the Physics of White Dwarf Stars, Sante Fe, NM, USA
2017.05 University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK
2017.05 Queen's University, Belfast, UK
2017.05 University College London, London, UK
2016.11 University of Lancaster, Lancaster, UK
2016.09 Physics Theory Seminar Series, University of 海角社区, Coventry, UK
2016.07 CFSA Solar and Stellar Physics Workshop, University of 海角社区, Coventry, UK
2016.04 Universit茅 de Montr茅al, Montr茅al, Canada
2015.11 University of 海角社区, Coventry, UK
2015.09 European Research Council, Brussels, Belgium
2015.05 Leibniz Inst. for Astrophysics, Potsdam, Germany
2015.05 Frontiers of Spectroscopy, Max-Planck-Institut f眉r Astronomie, Heidelberg, Germany
2015.03 Goddard Space Flight Center, Washington, DC, USA
2015.01 Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
2014.12 Landessternwarte, Heidelberg, Germany
2014.12 University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden
2014.10 University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
2014.07 University of 海角社区, Coventry, UK
2014.03 University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
2014.01 University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
2013.11 University of California in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
2013.06 Observatoire de Paris, Paris, France
2013.05 Kiepenheuer-Inst. f眉r Sonnenphysik, Freiburg, Germany
2013.05 University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
2013.04 Astronomisches Rechen-Institut, Heidelberg, Germany
2012.11 Institut f眉r Theoretische Astrophysik, Heidelberg, Germany
2012.10 Universit茅 de Montr茅al, Montr茅al, Canada
2012.10 University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
2012.10 University of 海角社区, Coventry, UK
2012.07 Eberhard Karls Universit盲t, T眉bingen, Germany
2012.06 Plaskett Award Lecture, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
2012.03 Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
2012.01 Landessternwarte, Heidelberg, Germany
2011.12 Leibniz Inst. for Astrophysics, Potsdam, Germany
2011.10 Max-Planck-Inst. f眉r Astronomie, Heidelberg, Germany
2010.09 Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
CONTRIBUTED TALKS
2026.08 24th European Workshop on White Dwarfs, ISTA, Vienna, AU
2023.07 Research and Impact Services Webinar, University of 海角社区, UK
2022.07 Gaia Symposium, National Astronomy Meeting, University of 海角社区, UK
2018.09 4MOST All-Hands Meeting, Heidelberg, GER
2018.07 21th European Workshop on White Dwarfs, University of Austin, TX, USA
2017.04 IAUS 330: Astrometry and Astrophysics in the Gaia Sky, Nice, FR
2016.09 RAS specialist discussion "Industrial revolution in Galactic astronomy", London, UK
2016.07 20th European Workshop on White Dwarfs, University of 海角社区, Coventry, UK
2016.03 3rd CO5BOLD Workshop, Napoli, Italy
2015.12 Euclid UK Meeting, Edinburgh, UK
2015.08 29th IAU General Assembly (FM 17), Honolulu, HI, USA
2015.03 Hubble Fellow Symposium, Space Telescope Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
2014.08 19th European Workshop on White Dwarfs, Montr茅al, QC, Canada
2014.03 Hubble Fellow Symposium, Space Telescope Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
2014.01 223rd American Astronomy Association Meeting, National Harbor, MD, USA
2013.11 Astro W&C, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
2012.10 2nd CO5BOLD Workshop, Heidelberg, Germany
2012.08 18th European Workshop on White Dwarfs, Krakow, Poland
2012.07 40th Li猫ge International Astrophysical Colloquium, Li猫ge, Belgium
2012.05 SFB Seminar, Astronomisches Rechen-Institut, Heidelberg, Germany
2011.05 Canadian Astronomical Society Conference, London, Canada
2010.08 17th European Workshop on White Dwarfs, T眉bingen, Germany
2009.10 Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiation Hydrodynamics Conference, Boulder, USA
2008.08 16th European Workshop on White Dwarfs, Barcelona, Spain
2006.07 15th European Workshop on White Dwarfs, Leicester, UK
PUBLIC LECTURES
2023.10 Astronomy Student Society, University of 海角社区, UK
2023.07 Redditch Astronomical Society, Redditch, UK
2023.04 Knowle Astronomical Society, Dorridge, UK
2022.12 海角社区 Institute of Advanced Studies, University of 海角社区, UK
2022.04 Heart of England Astronomical Society, Leicestershire, UK
2021.11 Rugby Astronomy Society, Rugby, UK
2021.11 Astronomy Student Society, University of 海角社区, UK
2021.06 Accolade – ERC Starting Grant Webinar, University of 海角社区, UK
2020.07 New Times Radio Interview, London, UK
2019.11 Birmingham Astronomical Society, Birmingham, UK
2019.11 F茅d茅ration des astronomes amateurs du Qu茅bec, Montr茅al, Canada
2019.01 Radio Suisse 1 Interview, Lausanne, SWI
2014.02 Public Lecture Series, Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, USA
2011.05 C茅gep Marie-Victorin College, Montr茅al, Canada
2009.11 Open day of the graduate students, Universit茅 de Montr茅al, Canada
2008.07 High school students scientific camp, Montr茅al, Canada
2008.05 Montreal Astronomical Society, Montr茅al, Canada
PRESS RELEASES
2026.07 Dead stars in our cosmic backyard: scientists spot four white dwarfs hiding under our noses
2025.10 海角社区 astronomers celebrate first light from 4MOST
2025.08 Ultraviolet light reveals the aftermath of rare star collision
2025.04 海角社区 astronomers discover doomed pair of spiralling stars on our cosmic doorstep
2023.07 Two-faced star in first for astronomy
2022.11 Oldest planetary debris in our galaxy found from new study
2022.02 Final moments of planetary remnants seen for first time
2021.01 Vaporised crusts of Earth-like planets found in dying stars
2020.07 White dwarfs reveal new insights into the origin of carbon in the universe
2020.03 Two stars merged to form massive white dwarf
2019.01
TELESCOPE TIME (PI and team)
2026.04 James Webb Space Telescope program 10131 (75.6 hours, PI team member M O'Brien)
"White dwarfs from the ultraviolet to the infrared: atmospheric physics, flux calibration, and planet occurrence"
2025.07 ESO Very Large Telescope 116.28LF (9 hours, PI team member A Elms)
"Highly variable ultra-cool white dwarf polluted by evolved planetary debris"
2025.07 Hubble Space Telescope program 18100 (6 orbits, PI team member A Elms)
"Characterisation of a new class of white dwarfs with line emission"
2024.07 Hubble Space Telescope program 17778 (5 orbits, PI team member M O'Brien)
"Revealing the closest hidden white dwarfs in post-common envelope binaries"
2024.01 ESO Very Large Telescope 113.27QU (5 hours, PI team member J. Munday)
"Radial velocities of the first compact, super-Chandrasekhar mass double white dwarf"
2024.01 ESO Very Large Telescope 113.26ES (6 hours, PI team member A. Elms) "Spectropolarimetry for a white dwarf with line emission"
2023.09 ESO Very Large Telescope 112.25QC (5 hours, PI team member J. Munday)
"Precise system masses of an ultra-compact, eclipsing and double-lined double white dwarf binary"
2023.01 ESO Very Large Telescope 111.24FZ (5 hours, PI team member M. O'Brien) "Ultra-cool White Dwarf Candidates Within 40 pc"
2023.01 ESO Very Large Telescope 111.24PM (17 hours), "Stellar age calibration with wide white dwarf binaries"
2022.08 Chandra X-Ray Observatory program 24200446 (35 hours; PI team member T. Cunningham)
"Constraining the time-dependent accretion rate of a novel class of X-ray source "
2021.12 ESO Very Large Telescope 109.2321 (26 hours), "Stellar age calibration with wide white dwarf binaries"
2020.06 Chandra X-Ray Observatory program 22200039 (32 hours; PI team member T. Cunningham)
"First X-rays from white dwarf planet accretion: a definitive test of convective overshoot"
2020.03 Hubble Space Telescope program 16249 (42 orbits),
"A Cool White Dwarf Network as a Precise Flux Reference for Dark Energy Surveys"
2018/2019 Large International Time Program, Observatorios de Canarias (10h on GTC, 48 nights on WHT, INT, TNG, Mercator, and LT)
"Galactic Archaeology with White Dwarfs"
2016.08 William Herschel Telescope W/2016B/08 (1 night), "Photometrically Constant White Dwarfs within the ZZ Ceti Instability Strip"
2016.03 ESO Very Large Telescope 097.D-0424(A) (8 hours), "Defining bright white dwarfs as near-IR spectroscopic standards"
2015.06 Hubble Space Telescope program 14214 (3 orbits),"The Suppression of Convection in Magnetic White Dwarfs"
2015.06 Hubble Space Telescope program 14213 (4 orbits), "Defining New IR-Bright Flux Standards for Cosmology Applications"
2010.08 Keck Telescope program A294Hr, Hawaii, USA (1 night), "Probing the high-mass problem in DA white dwarfs"
2007-2008 Multiple runs at Bok Telescope, Arizona, USA
ACADEMIC PRIZES
2012 Plaskett Award from the Canadian Astronomical Society (Ph.D. thesis)
2012 Best Ph.D. thesis in natural science, Universit茅 de Montr茅al, Canada
2008 Gold academic medal of Governor General of Canada (M.Sc. thesis)
SERVICE AND PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
2024 LOC (Local Organising Committee) member: 21th Anniversary of the 海角社区 Astronomy Group, 海角社区, UK
2022 SOC (Scientific Organising Committee) member: COST Stellar evolution along the HR diagram with Gaia, Napoli, Italy
2022 LOC member: RAS National Astronomy Meeting, University of 海角社区, Coventry, UK
2021 Chair of the LOC and SOC, Physics Days: White dwarf stars and related objects, 5-6 July 2011, University of 海角社区, UK
2018 SOC member: Gaia: The billion-star galaxy census: at the threshold of Gaia data release, EWASS, Liverpool, UK
2017 Editor of the 20th European White Dwarf Workshop Proceedings, ASP Conference Series, Vol. 509
2016 Chair of the LOC, , July 25-29 2016, University of 海角社区
2015 Member of the Scientific Organizing Committee (SOC), Mocking the Universe Workshop, Space Telescope Institute, Baltimore, USA
2013-2015 Hot/Cool Sci Talk Series Committee (Chair), Joint Space Telescope Institute and John Hopkins University Colloquia, Baltimore, USA
(Panel review and referee activities omitted from online CV)
MEMBERSHIPS
4MOST multi-fiber spectroscopic survey team member and leader of white dwarf and 100 pc sub-surveys.
WEAVE multi-fiber spectroscopic survey team member.
LSST UK member.
2013-2015 Member of the American Astronomical Society (AAS)
2011-2013 Member of the German Astronomical Society (AG)
2011-2013 Member of SFB 881: The Milky Way System, German DFG collaborative center
2005-2011 Member of the Canadian Astronomical Society (CASCA)