Astrosurf

Event Reports...

Young Researchers Meeting organized by RSC Astrophysical Chemistry Group and Astrosurf network, UCL, 21st September 2006. Bursaries were awarded to;

• • Róisín Ní Chuimín, University of Manchester

    Róisín Ní Chuimín, University of Manchester

    This year's Young Researchers Meeting has introduced me to many new areas and applications of astrochemistry being investigated throughout the UK and Europe. I have had the chance to meet with other young researchers and learn about their research as well as introducing them to my own work. Presenting my work to an audience of astrochemists has improved my confidence and will help me improve presentations that I hope to give in the future.

• • Matthew Dover, University of Leicester

    Matthew Dover, University of Leicester

    This meeting was really eye-opening for me. My area of research is laboratory spectroscopic study of transient intermediates with a particular interest in potential astronomical species. Until this meeting I really had no idea about the scope and depth of astronomical study, but attending the meeting and talking to people from a wide variety of research areas has made me realise what an interdisciplinary area the field of astrochemistry is.

• • Kelly Gannon, University of Leeds

    Kelly Gannon, University of Leeds

    I found the Astrosurf young researchers meeting both pertinent and relevant to my area of research providing inspiration for my final year. This provided the opportunity for me to present the work I have already carried out in an intimate and friendly environment. I also took the opportunity to discuss future directions for my work. It was a refreshing change to attend a meeting where astro thematic content pervade the day’s proceedings, and returned to work re-energised, re-focussed and with a fresh perspective on my work and its relevance to wider astro-science community.
    
    I especially enjoyed presentations from Douglas Blackie and Sarah Gordon which enlightened me to an approach to the astronomical challenges we face from a different tack.
    
    The multi-disciplinary background of the, well selected, speakers provided complementary yet distinct outlook and content, which when considered from a holistic viewpoint highlighted progress we have made and the challenges we still face. I think this type of meeting is very valuable for ideas and networking, especially for those of us just beginning our careers and I wish this style of one day meeting was used in other area I work in.

• • Andrew Goddard, University of Leeds

    Andrew Goddard, University of Leeds

    I found the Astrosurf young researchers meeting useful on several fronts. I used the meeting to talk about ideas for new directions of my research outside my current area with Martin McCoustra who has given me several leads to follow. I also enjoyed the wide scope of the meeting taking all the facets of astrochemistry, with talks from geologists, physicists and astronomers as well as the usual physical chemistry suspects. I think this type of meeting is very valuable for ideas and networking, especially for those of us just beginning our careers and I wish this style of one day meeting was used in other area I work in.

• • Simon Green, Heriot-Watt University

    Simon Green, Heriot-Watt University

    I attended the Young Researchers Meeting held at UCL on 21st September 2006 and gave an oral presentation entitled ‘Laboratory studies of H₂O/CH₃OH/CO ices’. The meeting was very useful with a number of interesting and informative presentations covering a wide range of topics within astrochemistry. The breadth of topics covered allowed me to obtain greater understanding of areas related to my studies. The nature of the meeting made it easier for me to give my first oral presentation. The bursary was useful in covering transport costs to and from the meeting making it easier for me to attend.

• • Karin Öberg

    Karin Öberg

    It is rare in astrophysics to be completely surrounded by people who thoroughly appreciate the importance of chemistry in all aspects of space related research. This meeting offered plenty of it, however. Whether the talks/posters was about gas, ice or rocks – models, experiments or observations – they showed that astrochemistry is much more than providing numbers to the “real” astrophysicists, that it is actually about understanding the fundamentals of star and planet formation itself. Though especially the ice talks provided me with several exciting ideas, it was still getting to know the other young astrochemists that made this meeting really worthwhile.

• • Dr. H. Roberts, Queens University Belfast

    Dr. H. Roberts, Queens University Belfast

    I would like to thank the organisers of the recent "Young Researchers Meeting", organised by the Astrosurf network, for a very enjoyable and educational day. The standard of oral presentations, given mainly by PhD students, was excellent. The format of the meeting, with a buffet lunch and a reception in the evening was particularly useful in allowing people to meet and discuss their work further and added to the friendly atmosphere.
    
    Astrophysical chemistry is an interdisciplinary field, and this was demonstrated by the wide range of topics covered. As a theoretician, I enjoyed hearing about the latest experimental work being carried out in different institutions. I was also interested to learn more about topics further outside my own field, e.g. a new space mission planning to land a probe on a comet, and how studies of meteorites can shed light on the chemical processing of the very early solar system.

• • John Thrower, Heriot-Watt University

    John Thrower, Heriot-Watt University

    I attended the 2006 Young Researchers Meeting and gave an oral presentation entitled ‘Preliminary Laboratory Studies of the Photoprocessing of PAH/H₂O Mixtures in the Interstellar Medium’. The range of presentations was broad, covering a wide range of current topics in astrochemistry research. I was particularly interested in presentations covering surface chemistry, though those of a more astrophysical nature enabled me to gain an insight into this area. The nature of this meeting meant that it was extremely useful in terms of giving a first oral presentation. The bursary was helpful in covering transport costs making is easier for me to attend.

• • David Tideswell, University of Manchester

    David Tideswell, University of Manchester

    I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience provided by the Young Researchers Meeting in astrochemistry. It afforded me the opportunity to see what fellow researchers were doing and demonstrated how broad the field of astrochemistry really is. It was also a valuable opportunity for me to gain experience in presenting my own work to an audience from a similar background. It was also nice putting "faces to names" and meeting new people.