Meet the Team

Meet the Team

Andy Newsam: Director

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Background

After a degree in Computational Physics from Warwick University, I moved into astronomy with a PhD in Glasgow studying the motion of galaxies and what that tells us about the density of the universe. After that I moved to Southampton and got my first taste of observational astronomy - using telescopes all over the world and in orbit around it - and became hooked.

Then in 1998 I moved to LJMU to help set up the educational arm of the Liverpool Telescope, which later became the The Schools' Observatory, and I've been here ever since.

 

Favourite Astronomical Object

Probably the Pleiades, because seeing them in the evening sky tells me that it is going to be a good clear night.

 

About Me

At school, my two favourite subjects were science and drama, and I've been lucky enough keep both as part of my adult life. Science has obviously become my career, but the theatrical urge also gets plenty of opportunities to express itself. I no longer act much myself (having no real talent!), but I do get behind the scenes - mainly designing lighting - and I've also got more involved in the weirder end of performance, including being a founder-member of the highly successful Butlers.

 

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Stacey Habergham-Mawson: Project Manager (Job Share)

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Background

I graduated in 2008 with a masters degree in Astrophysics and then spent a year doing teacher training to gain an understanding of what goes into life in schools, before coming back into Astrophysics. I completed a PhD and post-doctoral research position working on supernova explosions – when massive stars go bang at the end of their lives!

Along side all of this I have been involved in outreach with schools, sharing the passion I have for astronomy with the next generation, whose job it will be to help answer all the questions we can't, and discover the science and technology that will push the human race forward! I joined The Schools' Observatory team in September 2014 and am excited about being part of its future, helping to engage as many students and teachers as possible with the awe-inspiring Universe!

 

Favourite Astronomical Object

I am biased from my research, but I would have to say the merging galaxy system known as Arp 299 – 2 huge galaxies, like our own Milky Way, which have collided with such energy that it has sparked a burst of star formation in the centre. A typical galaxy like the Milky Way will produce one supernova every ~100 years – Arp 299 has had 7 since 1992!

 

About Me

I love nature and animals and enjoy walking and photography (especially flowers and birds), I also have a pet dog called Bumble (after the cricket commentator). I am a vegetarian and love to grow my own fruit and veg – I long to have my own small holding one day and become self-sufficient! I also love sport and follow football, cricket, NFL and rugby league, and when these aren't on I like to do crafts, especially cross-stitch. I am hugely proud to be from Yorkshire and love my family to bits!

 

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Emma Smith: Project Manager (Job Share)

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Background

A Deep-Sea Biogeochemist by training, I’m excited to make the journey from studying the deepest areas of our planet, to sharing incredible knowledge about the deepest realms of space!

I completed my undergraduate degree in Environmental Sciences, and PhD studying Deep-Sea Ecosystems, at LJMU and have worked across the university from Central Outreach to the Teaching and Learning Academy. I’ve also been a Student Advocate, STEM Ambassador, Teaching Support Officer, and Team Leader at the Abu Dhabi Science Festival for several years!

My passion for inspiring others to understand the interdisciplinary nature of all STEM subjects, as well as my experience in studying hard-to-reach, inhospitable places such as the deep-sea (very similar to space!), makes joining the The Schools Observatory a very exciting step for me!

I was also a mature student and didn’t start my undergraduate degree until my late…. Something-or-others! This makes me incredibly passionate about helping other mature students return to education. I am also actively involved in Widening Participation Research at LJMU and am an advocate for the transformative power of education. I believe that education at all levels should be accessible to everyone who wishes to pursue it.

 

Favourite Astronomical Object

My current favourite astronomical object is Messier 51 (The Whirlpool Galaxy), simply because it is the first image I requested and processed using the Liverpool Telescope. It blew me away that anyone could access such an incredible image through the The Schools' Observatory and use the same techniques that current professional astronomers use!

 

About Me

I’m a very outdoorsy person and love cycling, hiking, and camping with my friends and family. I also love crafting – anything from making clothes to making pots, and I’ve recently learned to knit. My happy place in Liverpool is my allotment, and outside of Liverpool, it has to be the West Coast of Scotland. Mountains and coastline? Yes please!

 

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Alison Keen: Development and Marketing Officer

Background

I graduated with a Computer Studies degree in (well, that's my secret!) and spent the next decade making websites of one sort or another and working with small companies & communities to help them get started with their own websites.

I joined The Schools' Observatory in 2012 as their Development and Marketing Officer and continue to help people get access to something not usually available to non-professionals. I think I have the best job in the world but I am sure the astronauts would disagree!

 

Favourite Astronomical Object

At the moment it's the Horsehead nebula, thanks to the latest images taken by Hubble but as there is so much up there I am sure that will change in a month or two.

 

About Me

As well as being lucky enough to love my job, I also love to make cakes. I have been told they taste good too (which is a good thing for my family and friends) and so I get to practice quite a lot. I also like Doctor Who and lots of other Sci-fi TV shows and movies. But my absolute favourite thing is holidays, my favourite destination being a lovely little port in Mallorca where the sun sets between two hills I must have about 100 photographs of that sunset.

 

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Chris Leigh: Strategic Projects' Coordinator

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Background

After leaving school, I spent a packed and fun eight years in the RAF, which involved a huge amount of training, followed by two search and rescue tours of duty around the UK. At the end of my service, I was compelled to seek out a new and mind-expanding challenge, and this led me to a four-year Astrophysics degree at the University of St Andrews.

Somehow I managed to land a first-class honours degree and was asked to stay on to undertake a PhD in the newly emerging (at that time) field of Extra-Solar planets. After graduating in 2004, I found my way down at LJMU and within months, had jumped at the chance of project managing the The Schools' Observatory shortly after it had started working in earnest with schools. The rest, as they say, is history, and I consider myself very fortunate to be involved with a capable and friendly group of individuals whose main purpose is to enthuse kids across the UK about science and astronomy.

 

Favourite Astronomical Object

Oh, but there are so, so many to chose from. Anyone that has experienced a clear, moonless night in the Australian outback and made the mistake of looking up will know how difficult a task this is. That said, for sheer beauty and mystery, I would probably go for an HST image of the Sombrero Galaxy, or M104 to its friends.

 

About Me

Well, I have and still do lead a very busy life - there are just never enough hours in the day. A little known fact about the University of St Andrews is that many (if not most) of the undergraduates end up marrying one another (c.f. William and Kate), and so it was for me in the form of the lovely Jenny. We now have three young sons to keep us extra busy and currently live in the Scottish countryside. When the boys are older, I fully intend to start cycling and rambling again, and I look forward to the day when I can watch a good Columbo film without toys flying across my field-of-view and having to yield to an episode of Bob the Builder or Thomas the Tank Engine.

I'll end by saying that I still can't believe that I actually get paid to look at the night sky. I'm also incredibly lucky to live in a world where rapid technology advances are continually extending the horizons of what we can observe, and to me, the pursuit of knowledge is so much more appealing than the pursuit of money.

 

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Vicki Last: STEM Educator - AfRIS (Astronomy for Remote and Island Schools)

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Background

I am a marine ecologist at heart and by training (BSc Zoology; MSc Tropical Coastal Management; PhD Marine Science), having worked for many years in academia and environmental consultancy focusing on human impacts on biogenic reefs.

The desire to inspire and educate children about science and the environment led me to change tack, however, leading to roles in an outdoor nursery and local schools as an Early Years’ Practitioner and an ASN (Additional Support Needs) assistant respectively, alongside voluntary roles as a STEM ambassador, and as a STEM club leader.

I am now thrilled to be delving into the wonders of the cosmos with the fabulous Schools’ Observatory team and to help inspire and inform children in some of the remote and island schools of the Scottish west coast about the joys and wonders of astronomy.

 

Favourite Astronomical Object

If pushed hard to name a single favourite astronomical object/body, it would have to be the Moon. Celebrated throughout the ages, it’s an object so familiar to us all yet which never ceases to be a source of wonder and awe. It is also crucial to structuring life as we know it – setting and synchronising biological clocks, stabilising our climate and driving the tides.

 

About Me

In my spare time, what little I seem to have of it, I love nothing more than adventuring with my family around the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, an area I am very fortunate to call ‘home’.

 

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Mohamed Daoud (Soli): Development and Engagement Officer

Background

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I wasn’t just the youngest in my family—I was the lucky one. At 8, I was already diving into my eldest brother’s physics books, starting with The First Three Minutes by Steven Weinberg (though I needed my brother’s help to explain it!). That early curiosity sparked my first real passion: simplifying complex science. In university, I became known for breaking down tricky concepts, which led me to compete in—and win—the Famelab science communication competition. That’s when I realized that science communication could be a career, not just a hobby. 

From leading outreach programs at the American University in Cairo to inspiring underserved communities and refugees, my career has been all about making science exciting and accessible. I’ve worked in more than 20 science festivals across 8 countries, delivered workshops, developed content, and had the privilege of working at science centres in Egypt and the UK. I’ve also organized countless astro-trips across Egypt’s deserts, where the stunning starry skies never fail to inspire. Oh, and I had some fun managing TV edutainment shows and writing science articles for major newspapers. From EU projects on environmental justice to achieving zero net carbon, I’ve explored every shade of science communication.

My academic journey has been just as diverse: a bachelor’s in Geology, a Master’s in Science Communication. I even did research on Nanotechnology and studied magnetars—a type of neutron star with an incredibly powerful magnetic field. 

Now, as part of The Schools’ Observatory, I’m thrilled to help teachers and students access over 20 robotic telescopes, exploring the universe from their classrooms—or even their couches! 

My guiding philosophies are simple: learn something new every day and inspire as many people as I can. Science communication gives me that superpower, and I hope to leave a legacy that shines like the stars, long after I’m gone.

 

Favourite Astronomical Object

The Sirius Star. In ancient Egyptian culture, Sirius signaled the annual flooding of the Nile—life-giving and transformative, much like my passion for learning and inspiring others. 

 

About Me

I’m a huge sports fan—football, tennis, basketball—and yes, I even played Quidditch! When I’m not watching sci-fi movies or series, I’m usually diving into board games or staying up-to-date with the latest in tech. I used to love scuba diving—especially at Egypt’s famous Blue Hole—but living in the UK now has put that hobby on hold. Traveling is still a big passion of mine though (60 countries and counting!). And when I’m not exploring the real world, I’m likely deep into an action RPG. I’ve lived in Egypt, the UK, and Malta, but the universe is where I feel most at home.

 

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Georgia Hurst: Observational Data and Development Officer

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Background

I have always been fascinated by the night sky. Even from a young age, I’d gaze upwards whenever it was clear and dark enough. Science had been one of my favourite subjects at school – but I enjoyed physics the most! The fact it wasn’t a typical ‘girls’ subject made me determined to study it further (either because I’m stubborn, or because I grew up with 2 older brothers and was used to proving I could do the stereotypical ‘boys’ stuff).

My love of all things space-related led to me completing a masters degree in Astrophysics. I graduated in 2018, but then I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do next. Strangely, I ended up working at the high school I’d once attended (and even met some of my old teachers again!). This is when I discovered my passion for educating others. I began my training the following September, and once complete, became a Teacher of Physics.

I spent 4 years as a teacher, gaining an understanding of how students learn. I liked sharing my knowledge and enthusiasm with them – especially those who thought physics was ‘difficult’ or had struggled with it in the past. It was rewarding to see their confidence grow in my classroom.

Yet I missed being more involved with astronomy. I knew how it engaged young people. They always asked lots and lots of questions about the topic! Their curiosity inspired my own, so when the opportunity arose to work for The Schools’ Observatory, I jumped at the chance. This job perfectly combines my passion for education and astronomy.

 

Favourite Astronomical Object

Whilst there are many pretty deep sky objects (like galaxies or nebulae), I prefer things that I can see without always needing to set up a telescope! I like searching for the different constellations in the sky. My favourite is Cassiopeia – five bright stars that form a ‘W’ shape. It’s an easy constellation to spot, and one of the first that I taught my boyfriend how to find. We still always look for it whenever we go camping together.

 

About Me

The mention of camping may have tipped you off, but I do quite enjoy spending time outdoors. Yet up until I was 27, I had never even slept in a tent! A spontaneous trip to Bala (in Wales) with some students on their Duke of Edinburgh trip soon changed that. Now I often go hiking – just don’t expect me to be happy when walking uphill! The views (weather permitting) are what keep me going. And finding any cool rocks along the way too. I tend to pick some up wherever I go. I have a collection of rocks and crystals that I display at home.

Another hobby of mine is photography. I’m especially interested in astrophotography, and even have my own telescope. I was lucky enough to be camping once when the northern lights (aurora) were visible, and though it was cloudy, I managed to get a few nice photos!

I’m also very interested in learning about neurodiversity. I was diagnosed with ADHD at age 24, which is a bit older than usual. This is partially because there's a stereotypical view about how the symptoms present. I’m very forgetful and can lost in my own head at times, and I often make mistakes with things that need my attention for a long period of time (I hate filling in important details on forms!). Also, my hyperactiveness means that my thoughts are sometimes very fast, I tend to talk quickly, and I used to impulsively blurt things out or interrupt people.

Until I started looking into ADHD, I never understood why I seemed to struggle with stuff that other people could do easily. Now I know that my brain just works a little differently. Whilst there’s days I can still get frustrated with that, I try to be kind to myself and accept that I may need to go about things in a more ‘untypical’ way. Hearing about the experiences of other neurodiverse individuals has helped me a lot, and I hope to contribute to that by sharing my own as well.

 

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