Profile
Ms Megan Maunder
Postgraduate
Background:
I am a final year PhD Student in the Centre for Geophysical and Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics, Solar-Terrestrial Plasmas and Space Weather. Under the supervision of Dr Claire Foullon, I am in receipt of an STFC funded Studentship for a 'Multi-Spacecraft Investigation of Solar and Heliospheric Plasmas'. My second supervisor is Professor Andrew Hillier.
I graduated from the University of Exeter in 2018 with an MSci Mathematics (Geophysical and Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics) and a College Commendation. My master's project was titled 'STEREO Investigation of High-Latitude Coronal Mass Ejections', which applied stereoscopic triangulation methods to remote-sensing data from NASA's twin-STEREO spacecraft.
My research interests include solar and heliospheric plasmas and Space Weather, with a particular interest in Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs). I work with both in-situ and remote sensing data using multi-spacecraft observations and methods to examine CMEs, their properties, and evolution.
Awards & News:
MIST UK RIshbeth Prize 2022: Awarded for Best Student Talk at the National Astronomy Meeting 2022.
British Interplanetary Society Next Generation Award for Rising Stars in Space: The award recognised five women under thirty five for their contributions to the British Space Sector. Judges comments: “Megan is an exceptional PhD student, who’s public outreach activities and commitment to inclusivity and accessibility across the space sector through multiple roles and activities makes her an incredibly well deserving recipient of the BIS NextGen Rising Women in Space award. Congratulations!"
(https://www.exeter.ac.uk/news/student/title_882492_en.html)
Royal Astronomical Society:
I became a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society in October 2018. I am the Chair of the RAS Early Career Network Committee, providing support, networking, and advice for early career Fellows. Our
events and projects have included:
- RAS ECN Poster Competition
- RAS ECN Finding Your First Post-Doctoral Role
- RAS ECN Careers Lunch at the National Astronomy Meeting 2021
- RAS ECN COVID Survey
- RAS ECN Getting the Most Out of Your PhD
- RAS ECN Special Issue of Astronomy and Geophysics
- RAS ECN Collaborative Professional Practice Sessions at the National Astronomy Meeting 2022
- RAS ECN Careers Lunch at the National Astronomy Meeting 2022
The ECN's latest publication: Generation COVID.
I am also a member of the Royal Astronomical Society's Membership Committee.