Charlotte Simmonds: Chasing Stars

Today on People Doing Physics, we’re delighted to welcome Charlotte Simmonds, an astronomer with an incredible journey and a woman on a quest. Of all the guests we had the pleasure to welcome here, Charlotte stands out as one of the most determined, driven by an unshakable fascination for the universe, and our place within it. If astronomy was always her end goal, she first studied and started her career as a music teacher. But when the time was right, she finally embraced her first love and passion and navigated her way through the various challenges that academia invariably presents. Now a postdoc in the Galaxy Formation and Evolution Group at the Cavendish, it looks like she’s found her rightful place in the universe and is already preparing for her next move. With Charlotte, we’ll talk about taking chances, the importance of representations in science and her efforts to demonstrate that no matter who you are and how different you may be, there’s a place for you in science if you want it…Useful linksDetails on Charlotte's research are on the Galaxy Formation and Evolution Group website.Watch one of Charlotte's talk: "Unveiling the Mysteries of the Early Universe with JWST", part of the Cambridge Physics Centre lecture seriesTo learn more about the Cavendish Laboratory, or if you are interested in joining us or studying with us, go to the Cavendish website.Share and join the conversationHelp us get better by taking our quick survey. Your feedback will help us understand how we can improve in the future. Thank you!If you like this episode don’t forget to rate it and leave a review on your favourite podcast app. It really helps others to find us.Any comment about the podcast or question you would like to ask our physicists, email us at podcast@phy.cam.ac.uk or join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #PeopleDoingPhysics.Episode creditsHosts: Charlie Walker and Vanessa BismuthRecording and editing: Chris BrockThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy