Tuesday, November 29, 2011

An Interview with an Astronomer



Over the past few weeks, Daniel, Monica, Eric, and myself have collected questions to ask a number of astronomers at different stages in the career. I had the opportunity to ask my SURF co-mentor, Dr. Kieran Cleary, these questions. The following are his responses:

What is the difference between an astronomer and an astrophysicist at this point in time? Which, if you have a preference, are you?
Practically very little, I would say. However I think that the term 'astronomer' still carries with it an emphasis on the practicalities of observation. For this reason I would describe myself as an astronomer as I am quite interested in the observational/experimental aspects but in practice I try to get involved in all parts of my field, from the instrumentation development, through observation to the science itself.
What are your primary areas of research as an astronomer/astrophysicist? How did you get interested in them?
My primary area of research is observational cosmology. I spend most of my time working on a project to measure the B-mode polarization of the cosmic microwave background. Right now, this is focussed on instrumentation - trying to develop more sensitive detectors. If we are successful in securing funding, then I will be involved in developing the receiver, commissioning it at the observing site (Atacama, Chile), troubleshooting the data and helping with the analysis.
I entered astronomy with the aim of getting involved in observational cosmology as I have always been interested in the origin of the universe. The chance to obtain data from the early universe attracted me to my thesis project, which was on the Very Small Array - a CMB interferometer. I am also interested in infrared properties of active galaxies as I spent two years working on this area as a postdoc. I am interested in the problem of the "anomalous" microwave emission. This is an unexpected component of Galactic emission thought to come from spinning dust grains, peaking in the 10-100 GHz region. This is interesting in its own right, but is also important as it could be a contaminant of CMB polarization measurements.
How did you get into astronomy/astrophysics? What did you study as an undergrad? Where did you go to graduate school and why?
My route to astronomy was slightly convoluted. I was quite sure that I wanted to study physics and astronomy at university, but this was considered an unrealistically exotic pursuit (there was a severe economic recession at the time). Instead, my parents convinced me to take engineering (which was considered to have better employment prospects). I spent 6 years getting a Bachelors and then a Masters in electronic engineering, then worked in industry for another 6 years. At that point I decided to return to university to do a PhD in radio astronomy at the University of Manchester (Jodrell Bank Observatory) in the UK. The CMB group at Jodrell Bank was involved in the "Very Small Array". This was a 30 GHz CMB interferometer which was competing with other experiments to measure the large-scale acoustic peaks of the CMB temperature fluctuations. This was a perfect fit for me as it combined radio astronomy (which overlapped well with my engineering training) and my interest in the early universe.
What precisely is a postdoctoral fellowship? How does it fit in to a career in astronomy/astrophysics?
I'm not sure I can precisely define a postdoctoral fellowship. The term seems have different meanings in the US and the UK, for example. In the US context, it can refer to a prize postdoc position, or a kind of long-term postdoc position. In terms of one's career, the latter kind of fellowship can smooth out the bumps of the postdoc cycle in which one might otherwise have to jump from position to position before getting longer-term employment.
How has your career played out? Is it what you expected? What is the typical career arc of an astronomer/astrophysicist?
I've been fortunate to be able to still work in the area that first attracted me to astronomy. I didn't expect to get so involved in instrumentation - I was surprised how much I liked the process of helping to build, then observe with, an instrument. Because I didn't do my undergraduate studies in astronomy, I didn't develop a well-defined set of preconceptions from having observed astronomy faculty at work. I think that has been an advantage and has made me more flexible, but it is also good to have well-defined goals.
How have your goals evolved over the course of your career, if they have at all?
My scientific goals are still the same: to work on observational cosmology.
If you hadn't gone into academia, what would you be doing with your education in astronomy/astrophysics?
I'm not sure what practical use I would make of my astronomy education (besides volunteering to teach pre-college students) in those circumstances.
What is the best part of being an astronomer/astrophysicist? The worst?
For me, the best part is observing with an instrument you have helped to build. I have been lucky enough to have spent time observing in Atacama, Chile. For me there is nothing quite like fielding an instrument in a remote, beautiful location and using it to wrest information from the early universe. The worst is enduring the years of uncertainty it can take to secure funding for a project (and writing the proposals!).
What can aspiring astronomers/astrophysicists do to make things easier for themselves? i.e., what do you wish you'd known as an undergrad?
I wish I'd known the importance of getting involved in real research projects. This is something which is available to Caltech undergrads through the SURF program. It's absolutely essential to dive into a project and use the opportunity to learn from and observe the experienced researchers around you, in a friendly setting.
What has been the most difficult stage of your career so far? What have been some notable inspirations along the way?
The most difficult part was my first postdoc - making the transition from working on a project with many other people (i.e. the Very Small Array, my grad school project), to working on my own isolated project in a location which had few others working in the same area.
Any final thoughts for the undergraduate astronomy student?
In research, if you're not making mistakes, you're not doing it properly! (I'm quoting someone, but can't remember who).

No comments:

Post a Comment