Emma Davies
Role: Final year PhD student at Imperial
Subject area: Space physics
Nationality: British
I’m a final year PhD student at Imperial from the UK. I started my PhD in space physics in 2017 and have recently submitted my thesis.
Education
GCSE (or equivalent): 14 GCSEs including Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Biology
A-level (or equivalent): A-levels in Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Geography, and General Studies
Degrees
• MSci in Physics, Imperial College London
• PhD on the evolution of coronal mass ejections (ongoing)
Detail about Emma
![Research](https://pxl-imperialacuk.terminalfour.net/fit-in/720x462/prod01/channel_2/media/migration/be-inspired/poster-icons-big2_1623954183386_x4-17.jpg)
My research
My PhD research is on the evolution of coronal mass ejections – large expulsions of plasma and magnetic field from the Sun. They are the main cause of severe space weather on Earth, so I study them to help improve prediction/modelling for future mitigation of their adverse effects.
![My inspiration](https://pxl-imperialacuk.terminalfour.net/fit-in/720x462/prod01/channel_2/media/migration/be-inspired/poster-icons-big3_1623954465101_x4-17.jpg)
My inspiration
I was inspired by reading space books when I was very little.
![My STEM hero](https://pxl-imperialacuk.terminalfour.net/fit-in/720x462/prod01/channel_2/media/migration/be-inspired/poster-icons-big4_1624275733685_x4-12.jpg)
Who is your STEM hero?
Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, the astrophysicist known for the discovery of radio pulsars. Her career is a huge inspiration to other female physicists – perhaps even more so because she was overlooked for the Nobel Prize awarded for the discovery.
![a compass](https://pxl-imperialacuk.terminalfour.net/fit-in/720x462/prod01/channel_2/media/migration/be-inspired/shutterstock-761756491-compass_1625065993155_x4.jpg)
Most significant discovery/invention?
The compass.
![A space shuttle taking off](https://pxl-imperialacuk.terminalfour.net/fit-in/720x462/prod01/channel_2/media/migration/be-inspired/shutterstock-1388093951-spacecraft_1625310810469_x4.jpg)
Career options after study
I’ve just started a post-doctoral research position, but there are plenty of other options both in space (spacecraft instrument engineer, spacecraft operations) or outside of academia (data scientist, teacher, science communicator etc).
![Houseplants on a window sill](https://pxl-imperialacuk.terminalfour.net/fit-in/720x462/prod01/channel_2/media/migration/be-inspired/shutterstock-1734484550-houseplant_1625311436973_x4.jpg)
My hobbies
I can’t stop propagating plants – I no longer buy plants, I just steal cuttings from my friends.