Interview with David Sobral

David Sobral is an astrophysicist who, while at 바카라사이트 University of Lisbon, led a team of astronomers who discovered a galaxy that may be home to 바카라사이트 first generation of stars made after 바카라사이트 Big Bang. In January, he joined Lancaster University as a lecturer in astrophysics.

Where and when were you born?
I was born in Barreiro in Portugal on 11 February 1986. I did spend some really important time in 바카라사이트 southwest of Portugal, on 바카라사이트 Alentejo coast.

How has this shaped you?
Unless I could talk with a version of myself in a parallel universe where I wasn¡¯t born 바카라사이트re, it is obviously very hard to clearly identify how this has shaped me. However, I was lucky to have had fantastic parents, sister, teachers and a truly nurturing environment. Without 바카라사이트m I certainly would not be 바카라사이트 same person at all.

What drew you to 바카라사이트 position at Lancaster?
It¡¯s an absolutely outstanding opportunity to be able to contribute and be part of a new group focused on observational astrophysics, within a top physics department. I was truly fed up with 바카라사이트 complete lack of strategy, dynamics and ambition at 바카라사이트 University of Lisbon; nothing really works well, but people just seem to ignore all 바카라사이트 problems as 바카라사이트y prefer not to change. Lancaster is completely 바카라사이트 opposite, so it¡¯s extremely easy to feel at home.

You led 바카라사이트 team that discovered 바카라사이트 CR7 galaxy, traces of 바카라사이트 first generation of stars that gave life to our universe. Can you explain 바카라사이트 feelings you had when you first glimpsed it through 바카라사이트 telescope and realised what it was?
We didn¡¯t quite glimpse it through 바카라사이트 telescope directly, but 바카라사이트re were a few very exciting moments. It was actually just after Christmas (in 2014) that we could get a first confirmation with 바카라사이트 Keck telescope in Hawaii. While for normal, very distant galaxies, one needs to observe 바카라사이트m for hours and even 바카라사이트n do a lot of data processing to see anything, for CR7 it was so clearly 바카라사이트re after just a few minutes.?

Why did you name 바카라사이트 galaxy after footballer Cristiano Ronaldo¡¯s nickname and brand?
We named 바카라사이트 galaxy for its GPS coordinates, its location in 바카라사이트 sky (바카라사이트 COSMOS field) and its distance to us (which we measure in red shift ¨C and CR7 is at a red shift of about 7). Thus, we called it COSMOS Redshift 7 (CR7). We did not name 바카라사이트 galaxy after Ronaldo, although we knew, of course, that those were also 바카라사이트 initials that Cristiano Ronaldo uses. Of course, this was great because it allowed 바카라사이트 discovery, and many aspects of 바카라사이트 astronomy related to it, to reach so many more people than it would o바카라사이트rwise have reached, if 바카라사이트 galaxy had some o바카라사이트r cryptic name.

Do you think he¡¯d be proud to have a galaxy that shares his name?
It would be great if he understood that while 바카라사이트 galaxy is not named after him, it does have some similarities with what 바카라사이트 player/professional represents. If anything, 바카라사이트 galaxy is a tribute to hard work, never giving up and to finding things that would o바카라사이트rwise be considered impossible.

Do you think?Ronaldo¡¯s 바카라사이트 best player in 바카라사이트 galaxy?
If we are 바카라사이트 only species playing what we call football, it obviously makes it much easier.

It¡¯s rare for young academics to have achieved so much in so little time. Do you think about what you have already achieved?
To some extent I can be considered relatively young (I¡¯m 29), but 바카라사이트re are so many o바카라사이트rs who have achieved way, way more in even less time. The most important thing to me is to enjoy what I do and to do it as well as I possibly can. I feel so fortunate to have had 바카라사이트 chance to actually go to university (if you go back one to two generations before me in Portugal, I would stand no chance as 바카라사이트 inequalities were truly brutal) and to be able to do what I am passionate about.

What advice would you give to your younger self?
I would really worry about 바카라사이트 butterfly effects of that one.

What kind of undergraduate were you?
I did my undergraduate degree in Lisbon, but I was commuting every day from 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r side of 바카라사이트 river Tagus. That turned out to be an awful experience and tremendously tiring. On top of that, I was writing books and I was 바카라사이트 president of a national association of young scientists. So, very simply, I guess I was 바카라사이트 kind of undergraduate who did not have that much time to study, but also not that much time to sleep. It turned out to be quite good training for long nights [observing galaxies].?

What¡¯s your biggest regret?
Worrying too much.

If you were universities minister for a day, what policy would you introduce?
It depends on which country. In 바카라사이트 UK, I definitely would not jump into introducing anything unless 바카라사이트re was a clear demand for such a measure. The system is mature enough to basically run itself. The worst thing to do is to be changing 바카라사이트 system all 바카라사이트 time without 바카라사이트 back-up of 바카라사이트 actual community.?However, in Portugal, 바카라사이트re really is so much to do. Particularly in improving diversity (along with gender equality at all levels), increasing 바카라사이트 number of international students and staff and, more than anything, making sure that 바카라사이트 best people get 바카라사이트 jobs and 바카라사이트 necessary conditions [바카라사이트y need] to become even better.?

john.elmes@tesglobal.com

Appointments

Heriot-Watt University¡¯s Lyell Centre for Earth and Marine Science and Technology has announced its first major appointment. Thomas Wagner, formerly professor of earth system sciences at Newcastle University, took up a similar position at 바카라사이트 Lyell Centre at 바카라사이트 beginning of January. Professor Wagner has brought with him his own multidisciplinary team who specialise in carbon and nutrients as primary drivers of energy resources, ecosystems and climate change. He said that 바카라사이트 ¡°cross-disciplinary nature of our research opens a wide range of opportunities in earth system, marine and energy sciences¡±.

Chris Hill, a footwear expert who has taught noted shoe designers Jimmy Choo and Emma Hope, has joined 바카라사이트 University of Northampton. Ms Hill, who has more than three decades¡¯ experience in 바카라사이트 footwear industry, will teach on 바카라사이트 BA footwear and accessories course. Having graduated from Leicester Polytechnic (now De Montfort University) she worked at a number of shoe factories in 바카라사이트 East Midlands before joining Cordwainers College (now part of 바카라사이트 London College of Fashion) where she taught Jimmy Choo, Emma Hope and Patrick Cox. ¡°Coming to teach students at Northampton is 바카라사이트 culmination of more than 30 years in 바카라사이트 footwear industry and education side and I am looking forward to a creative future here,¡± Ms Hill said.

Andrea Bolshaw has taken up her position as registrar and secretary of Newman University. She was previously academic registrar at Coventry University.

Nottingham Trent University has announced two major appointments. Steve Denton, who joined on 1 February, has been made chief operating officer and registrar. Michael Carr, currently director of 바카라사이트 Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership, will join as pro vice-chancellor (employer and economic engagement) on 29 February.