Lisa Harvey-Smith

Professional Biography

Dr. Lisa Harvey-Smith is a Research Astronomer and CSIRO's Project Scientist for the planned global mega-science project - the Square Kilometre Array (SKA).

The SKA is a $2 billion global project involving more than 20 countries around the world, the aim of which is to build the largest radio telescope ever conceived. Australia & New Zealand are bidding jointly against a consortium led by South Africa to host this ambitious telescope, which will operate for the next 50 years and has to potential to revolutionise our understanding of the universe. Lisa was part of the team that prepared the SKA site bid on behalf of Australia - New Zealand, the decision on which is scheduled for March 2012.

Lisa studied Astrophysics at the U.K's Jodrell Bank Observatory, and undertook a short research position at the Max-Plack-Institute for Radio Astronomy in Germany. On completing her Ph.D. she worked as a Support Scientist at Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe, the centre for high-resolution radio astronomy in The Netherlands. In 2007 she took up a position the University of Sydney, diversifying her research to study the nature of elusive magnetic fields that thread our universe. In August 2009, Dr. Harvey-Smith joined CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science as a Research Astronomer.

Lisa has used some of the world's most powerful telescopes, including the Parkes Radio Telescope, star of the film "The Dish", the Very Long Baseline Array and the Arecibo Radio Telescope in Puerto Rico - the world's largest at 305 metres across.

Lisa is an Honorary Senior Lecturer in the School of Physics at the University of Sydney. She is a former Chair of the ATNF Time Assignment Committee. She is also an active member of the SKA Science Working Group, collaborating with international teams of scientists to define the SKA Systems Requirements. Lisa takes an active role in education and outreach, regularly giving talks at schools, universities and astronomical societies.

In 2008, Dr. Harvey-Smith was shortlisted to be an Astronaut with the European Space Agency. When not designing telescopes and studying galaxies billions of light-years away, she enjoys ultra-long-distance running, including 12- and 24-hour races.

Career

2009-present: Research Astronomer, CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science (Australia)

2007-2009: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, The University of Sydney (Australia)

2005-2007: Support Scientist, Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe, Dwingeloo (The Netherlands)

2002-2005: Ph.D. in Radio Astronomy, Jodrell Bank Observatory, The University of Manchester (United Kingdom).

1998-2002: Master of Physics (Hons) University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne (United Kingdom)

2001: Summer Studentship, Max-Planck Institut fuer Radioastronomie, Bonn (Germany)

Awards, Professional Affiliations and Positions Held

2009-present: Member, International SKA Science Working Group

2009-2011: Chair, Australia Telescope Time Assignment Committee

2009-present: Member, International Astronomical Union

2007-present: Referee, The Astrophysical Journal, Astronomical Journal and MNRAS

2003-present: Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society

2002-2005: Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council Ph.D. Studentship, The University of Manchester

June-July 2001: Summer Studentship, Max-Plank-Institut fuer Radioastronomie, Bonn, Germany