Sara – profile
Role: Fourth year PhD student, Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London
Subject area: Martian planetary science and space missions
Nationality: Scottish–Iranian
I am studying for my PhD at both the Natural History Museum London and the Department of Earth Science and Engineering at Imperial. I'm currently in my third year of my PhD, focusing on Martian planetary science and space missions. I am working on some of the instruments on board the ExoMars 2022 mission, designed to find signs of past or present life on the red planet.
Interview with Sara
Hear from Sara, who is studying Martian planetary science, about why she wanted to work on these topics.
Education
GCSE (or equivalent): Scottish Standard Grades – Maths, Physics, Biology, English, French, Art, Modern Studies
A-Level (or equivalent): Scottish Highers – Maths, Physics, Biology, English, Modern Studies, Art. Scottish Advanced Highers – Maths and Physics
Degrees:
• MSci in Physics with Astrophysics, University of Glasgow
• PhD in Martian planetary science and space (ongoing), Imperial College London
Detail about Sara
My research
I am working on instrumentation that will be used to understand the surface of Mars, search for signs of life, and select drill sites in the search for life. I'm building analysis tools and protocols to improve our chances of finding evidence of life on Mars – if it exists!
My inspiration
I love the stars, planets, and the stories of astronauts – I used to climb out onto my roof to stare at the night sky. Throughout my education I've been fortunate to be taught by incredible teachers who have always inspired and encouraged me to pursue my interest in astrophysics and a career in space.
Who is your STEM hero?
Professor Lyndsay Fletcher, a lecturer and supervisor I had the pleasure to work with during my undergraduate degree – she is incredible! Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Katherine Johnson and Sally Ride are also people I’ve really looked up to in STEM.
Most significant discovery/invention?
I think I’d have to go with semiconductor electronics – they form the basis of most of our technology. They got us to the moon, enable satellite monitoring for climate change, and just about everything else we do.
Career options after study
- Mission research in academia
- Working in a space agency on mission or instrument development
- Working with a commercial company on exploration technology
My hobbies
I love to dance and fly planes. I have competed in the States at the world dance championships as part of the Scottish Dance team – in Disney.
Sara talks about her research
Sara talks about exploring our solar system, the ExoMars 2022 mission, and exploring the surface of Mars.
