Researcher biography

I work on integral field spectroscopic data, in particular using the MUSE instrument on the VLT, as lead of The Close AGN Reference Survey (CARS) team. CARS looks at local active galaxies to better understand how supermassive black holes and their host galaxies co-evolve. I also work with the galaxy pair merger FIRE simulations to study how galaxy kinematics evolve as galaxies collide.

Previously, I was a postdoc at at the Sydney Institute for Astronomy in the School of Physics of the University of Sydney and The Max Plank Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany - where I worked with Dr. Eva Schinnerer's group on observing and reducing the MUSE-PHANGS large programme data and low luminosity AGN. I completed my PhD at The University of Sydney on integral field spectroscopic observations of active galactic nuclei. The aim of my thesis was to investigate how supermassive black holes and the galaxies they live in interact and coevolve. I was supervised by Professor Scott Croom and worked with The SAMI Galaxy Survey and The Close AGN Reference Survey teams. Part of my thesis was focused on a serendipitously discovered two-time changing look active galaxy, 'The Close AGN Reference Survey: Mrk 1018 returns to the shadows after 30 years as a Seyfert 1'. ESO and CAASTRO press releases about this discovery are linked below, along with links to my other pulications and CV.

I am passionate about astronomy and love to participate in teaching and outreach. I have 5 years teaching experience in first year Astronomy and Physics at The University of Sydney. Over this time I have been involved in course coordination, course material creation, lecturing and tutoring, and exam creation and marking.

Outside of academia I love to hang out with my cats, paint, and explore new places and cuisines!

Areas of research