• Dr Hendrik Van Eerten (Research Group Leader)
  I study relativistic jets in high-energy astrophysics. Using a combination of theoretical and numerical methods, I mostly work on blazars, gamma-ray bursts and gamma-ray bursts afterglows. In our group we use relativistic hydrodynamics simulations and emission modelling software developed in-house to predict the (multi-messenger) emission and physics from these phenomena.

• Dr Philippe Blondel
  I am developing new approaches to remote sensing, in particular acoustics, radar and satellite imaging. I also work on processing very large data sets using machine learning and image processing. My work on ocean exploration and climate change (on Earth) ties in with my work studying space mining and radar imaging of space debris. I participated to UK Parliament POSTnote 654 "Defence of space-based assets" and I am representing Bath's space activities for Space West, a regional consortium of academic and industry partners designed to accelerate growth and innovation in the space sector within the region and nationally.

• Dr Steven Davies
  I am involved in the design and construction of front-end instrumentation for millimetre-wave molecular line astronomy. I am also interested in the use of microfabrication and micromachining methods to make high frequency devices and the circuits in which they are mounted.

• Dr Martin Rey
  I am a theoretical astrophysicist expert in modelling the formation and co-evolution of stars, galaxies and cosmic structures. I make use of the biggest supercomputers to undertake extremely detailed fluid dynamics models of either very small galaxies, or very young galaxies. My models aim to answer questions such as "what is the nature of dark matter?", "how and where did the first stars formed?", or "how did the chemical elements like carbon and oxygen came to permeate our Universe?” by interpreting the data from new astronomical telescopes such as the James Webb Space Telescope or the Vera Rubin Observatory.

• Dr Victoria Scowcroft
  I use multi-wavelength observations of variable stars to make high precision distance measurements. My current research focuses on mid-infrared observations of Cepheids and RR Lyrae variables, incorporating data from the Gaia mission, to calibrate their Period-Luminosity relations with the aim of improving the extragalactic distance scale. My research group studies the structure of the Milky Way and the Magellanic System to measure the Hubble constant with mid-infrared standard candles to a precision better than 2%.

• Dr Patricia Schady
  My primary field of research is the multi-wavelength follow-up of long gamma ray bursts, which are phenomenally luminous stellar explosions that are visible out to the very distant universe. I use their afterglow to probe the interstellar medium and star-formation in distant galaxies, which when combined with host galaxy observations, provides a more complete view of the chemical enrichment of the multi-phase gas. I am also interested in other kinds of stellar transient phenomena, such as super luminous supernovae and kilonovae, and their use as tracers of massive stellar evolution.

• Dr David Tsang
  I study the relativistic astrophysics of neutron stars and black holes. I am interested in neutron binary systems as sources of possible electromagnetic counterparts to gravitational wave signals, and as a probe of physics within the neutron star crust. I also study the formation and evolution of planetary systems, in particular looking how dynamical processes and interactions could explain emerging features of the exoplanet population.​

• Dr Carolin Villforth
  I study supermassive black holes and their connection to galaxy evolution as well as the physics of rapidly accreting supermassive black holes, known as Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN). I am an observational astronomer working with a broad range of very large datasets to understand what processes drive black hole growth, how machine learning can be used to analyse galaxy morphologies, how the physics of black hole accretion on small scales is related to the large-scale environment and what variability can teach us about the physics of black hole accretion.

• Professor Stijn Wuyts
  Hiroko Sherwin Chair in Extragalactic Astronomy
  I study the formation and evolution of galaxies, from the early stages to the peak of cosmic star formation and down to the present day. To this end, I combine tracers of direct starlight, dust-reprocessed emission, ionized and molecular gas, at high resolution whenever possible. Together, they shed light on the growth of galactic disks, the emergence of bulges, and the connection to the dark matter halos in which galaxies reside.

• Dr Anne Inkenhaag
  I study the host galaxies and local environments of transients to gain knowledge about the transients themselves. I am also interested in peculiar transients and using their host galaxies to uncover their nature. Currently, I am studying the composition of gamma-ray burst host galaxies.

• Dr Duncan Neill
  I am studying how neutron star asteroseismology can be used to probe dense nuclear matter, with my main focus being on exploring the composition of the neutron star crust through resonant shattering flares. I am also interested in how we model dense matter inside neutron stars, and how choices made in modelling nuclear matter affect calculated neutron star observables.

• Dr Sayan Kundu
  I study highly energetic astrophysical phenomena using analytical and numerical tools. My primary focus is to understand different microphysical processes that occur in weakly magnetized astrophysical plasma. Currently, I am studying the dynamical and radiative behaviour of Gamma-Ray bursts. I am also interested in plasma turbulence and its manifestations on the radiative signatures from different astrophysical sources.

• Steve Ardern (Supervisor: Dr Vicky Scowcroft)
  Stellar Cartography: Mapping Local Group Galaxies using Variable Stars
  I am using mid-infrared observations of RR Lyrae variable stars in old clusters in the Magellanic System to calibrate their Period-Luminosity-Metallicity relations. This will be used to obtain accurate distances to field RR Lyrae across these galaxies and map the old stellar population in 3D to explore star-formation and merger histories. Additionally, these relations will assist in improving the extragalactic distance scale. I am also working with collaborators to make near-infrared and radio observations of Cepheid variable stars in the milky way in order to demonstrate that the formation and destruction of carbon monoxide is behind the variation in mid-infrared colour for these stars, a fact that could lead to a low-cost route to metallicities for Cepheids in galaxies at distances important to the measurement of the Hubble Constant.

• Mathilda Avirett-Mackenzie (Supervisor: Dr Carolin Villforth)
  The role of mergers and disc instabilities in fuelling AGN
  I study the mechanisms that trigger enhanced accretion onto galactic supermassive black holes. I use machine learning to look for galaxy mergers with the goal of understanding their role compared to internal processes in fuelling different types of active galactic nuclei.

• Jonathan Cleverly (Supervisor: Dr Philippe Blondel)
  The Acoustics of Climate Change - Long-term Observations in the Arctic Oceans
  I am studying Arctic underwater soundscapes to support the assessment of localised impacts of climate change. I utilise acoustic variability metrics and machine learning to detect specific sounds (marine mammal calls, anthropogenic activity etc.) within data from long-term deployments. With these methods, temporospatial trends of individual soundscape components can be obtained.

• John Hope (Supervisor: Dr Hendrik van Eerten)
  Gamma-Ray Burst Afterglows in the Multi-Messenger Era I use a combination of hydrodynamical and kinetic simulations to model the afterglow of structured jets in Gamma-Ray Bursts. These models are then compared to observational data to better understand the processes that are taking place in these jets.

• Lowri Mathias (Supervisor: Dr David Tsang)
  Nuclear pasta and neutron star dynamics
  I study the crust-core transition region in neutron stars, focusing on the behaviour of mesoscopic structures known as ‘nuclear pasta’ that form as a result of the extreme densities in this environment. Understanding these structures is essential for interpreting many neutron star observables, including gravitational waves (i-modes), resonant shattering flares and superfluid glitches.

• Blanca Moncada Cuadri (Supervisor: Dr Philippe Blondel)
  Tidal Dwarf Galaxies as Laboratories for Understanding the Origins of Star Formation.
  I study star formation in Tidal Dwarf Galaxies, with the goal of understanding the mechanisms that trigger and regulate this process in extreme environments. To achieve this, I use radio continuum and molecular gas observations from the VLA and ALMA interferometers.

• Steven Ramnichal (Supervisor: Prof Stijn Wuyts)
  Where stars form: a small-scale and large-scale view on the sites of stellar build-up
  I study the spatial make-up of galaxies, in terms of their stellar population, star formation and dust content. To this end, I am exploiting machine learning techniques to emulate 3D dust radiative transfer, enabling a simultaneous modelling -in 3D- of galaxies' panchromatic and spatially resolved information. As a next step, I will zoom out and consider galaxies' 3D position within the cosmic web, and its relation to their star formation activity.

• Berk Topcu (Supervisor: Dr Patricia Schady)
  Demographics of stellar explosions with VRO, 4MOST and JWST
  I study the local and host galaxy properties of long gamma-ray bursts using JWST to better understand the stellar and galaxy populations linked with these events. I will also use observations from 4MOST and VRO to perform a similar study on a large sample of core-collapse supernovae(ccSNe) to be able to understand more about different progenitor properties of various ccSNe.

• Jianghui Yuan (Supervisor: Dr Hendrik Van Eerten)
  Simulation-based modelling of GRB afterglows from SKA to CTA
  My project involves the simulation of gamma ray burst afterglows. I will incorporate features of gamma ray bursts that have not been simulated before, and compare to observational data.

Dr Charlotte Avery (Supervisor: Professor Stijn Wuyts and Professor Carole Mundell)
A 3D View of Gas in Galaxies

Dr Eliot Ayache (Supervisor: Dr Hendrik Van Eerten)
Numerics and Theory of Gamma-Ray Burst afterglows

Dr Caroline Bertemes (Supervisor: Professor Stijn Wuyts)
Weighing star-forming galaxies, component by component

Dr Abigail Chown (Supervisor: Dr Victoria Scowcroft)
Investigating the Variable Star Populations of the Magellanic Clouds

Dr Bethan Easeman (Supervisor: Dr Patricia Schady)
Investigating the build-up of metals in star forming galaxies

Dr Anastasia Efthymiadou (Supervisor: Dr Carolin Villforth)
The connection between star formation and black hole growth in Active Galactic Nuclei

Shaula Garibbo (Supervisor: Dr Philippe Blondel)
Low-Frequency Ocean Acoustic Phenomena

Dr Bruno Jimenez Fernandez (Supervisor: Dr Hendrik Van Eerten)
Multi-Zone Blazar Modelling

Dr Nuria Jordana (Supervisor: Professor Carole Mundell)
Real-time multiwavelength studies of gamma-ray bursts

Dr Stephen Hamer
Period-Luminosity relations of variable stars, AGN

Dr Tanmoy Laskar
Energetic astrophysical transients

Dr Jun Toshikawa
Protoclusters and galaxy evolution

Raman Sharma (Supervisor: Professor Stijn Wuyts)
Star formation distributions across cosmic time

Dr Junkai Zhang (Supervisor: Professor Stijn Wuyts)
The relation between galaxy structure, kinematics and environment