Person

Profile

I am a freelance journalist, science writer and editor with a background in space and atmospheric physics research, space mission engineering, science education and public outreach.

Experience

Freelance journalist, science writer and editor

Since May 2003 I have been working as a freelance writer and editor specialising in science and technology, public outreach, education and policy. I also write occasionally about current affairs and the arts.

I have experience in diverse fields including academic science publishing, B2B magazines, newsletters and websites, national and local general news media, and corporate public relations.

I am always on the lookout for new opportunities to use my journalistic skills, and would like very much to write more professionally about Earth sciences and the environment.

Research Scientist

Danish National Space Centre, Copenhagen, 2001–2003

In Copenhagen my principal role was to lead Denmark’s science contribution to the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Cluster mission to the Earth’s magnetosphere.

I carried out research in space and atmospheric physics, wrote and contributed to peer-reviewed papers, engaged in science public outreach activities including website development, assisted in PhD student supervision, contributed to research funding applications, represented Denmark in the Cluster and LOFAR/LOIS science communities, and co-authored the LOIS Science Case.

Spacecraft Flight Dynamics Engineer

European Space Operations Centre, Darmstadt, 2000

Under contract to ESA I developed spacecraft flight dynamics software for interplanetary missions such as Mars Express, Rosetta and Smart-1.

I completed a suite of ISO9001-compliant flight dynamics programs for interplanetary missions, refined celestial mechanics calculations, and adapted Earth satellite ground station and tracking routines for interplanetary missions.

Research Fellow

University of Southampton, 1997–2000

In Southampton I carried out research into the physics of the aurora and ionospheric climatology, and developed a mathematical model describing ionospheric chemistry and energetics changes in response to dynamic and energetic auroral electron precipitation.

Through radar, optics and satellite observations, and mathematical modelling I studied auroral structure and dynamics, and instabilities in space plasmas. Other responsibilities included public outreach work, undergraduate tutorial group leadership, research project and laboratory supervision, communication skills development, PhD student supervision, contributing to research funding applications and Science Faculty Board membership.

Academic

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

“EISCAT and Dynasonde observations of the auroral ionosphere”, University of Wales and British Antarctic Survey, 1996.

I designed and implemented radar experiments, and developed radar data reduction, analysis and interpretation techniques in order to study plasma dynamics in the high-latitude ionosphere. Fieldwork was carried out in Arctic Scandinavia. Some of my time was devoted to undergraduate teaching, including tutorial group leadership and laboratory supervision. I also served on the Executive Committee of the Mature Students’ Union.

BSc (Hons)

“Physics with Planetary and Space Physics”, University of Wales, 1993.

Alongside a standard physics curriculum I completed in the second and third years optional courses in astronomy, planetary, space and atmospheric physics. My Honours thesis was based on a study of atmospheric gravity waves in the sub-auroral zone. Throughout my time as an undergraduate student in Aberystwyth, I served on the Staff-Student Liaison Committee of the Physics Department and the Executive Committee of the Mature Students’ Union.

Affiliations

National Union of Journalists
American Geophysical Union

Skills

Scientific research

Space and atmospheric radar systems; atmospheric optics; magnetometry; plasma wave and particle detection; signal processing; geophysical time-series and spectral analysis; inverse problem solving and Bayesian statistics; radiative transfer; auroral chemistry and energetics; interplanetary spacecraft orbital analysis and celestial mechanics

Teaching and communication

Undergraduate tutorials and laboratories; communications skills seminars and research project supervision; assistance in PhD supervision; research peer review; space science and technology public outreach; student pastoral support and staff-student liaison

Project support and management

ESA mission Co-Investigator; lead scientist in Denmark for the Cluster mission; member of the Low Frequency Array/LOIS Science Consortium; research funding proposal writer; radar campaign manager; university faculty board member

Computer programming and applications

Fortran (77–95); C; C++; Matlab; IDL; Unix shell scripts (e.g., bash; csh); perl; CDF/HDF data formats; MySQL and Oracle databases; CVS/SCCS configuration control; HTML; XML; CSS; PHP; WordPress; JavaScript; Unix, GNU/Linux; Apple OS X; Microsoft Windows; systems and network administration; Microsoft Office; OpenOffice; TeX/LaTeX; FrameMaker

Languages

English; Welsh; Danish; German; Norwegian; Swedish; French (in decreasing order of fluency)