Meet the scientists!

In the old days, astronomers would design and build their own telescope. These days, telescopes are so big and complicated, that you need whole teams of people to design them, build them and then make sure they work correctly… and that’s before you even start looking at the sky with it!

My job is to build radio telescopes and get them working. I need to be able to understand the science, so I know what the telescope is supposed to do when it’s finished. But I also need to understand the engineering so I know how the telescope is supposed to work and how it should be put together. I work on one project at a time, and each one is different and special in its own way.

My current project is building a radio telescope in Finland. This telescope is called KAIRA. Unlike the dish in the photograph, this new telescope will be made of huge flat panels. It will be used not only for astronomy, but also to study our own atmosphere, including things like the aurorae (Northern Lights). Because it is being built in the Arctic, there is only a couple of months in summer where it is warm enough to do the build work… so life is very busy for me at the moment!

You can follow this project on Twitter (@KairaProject) or via the daily ‘blog (http://kaira.sgo.fi/).

Apart from getting these telescopes, whether dishes, panels or aerials, I also have to get them running properly. This means testing them, working out if they are measuring the radio wave correctly and then teaching other scientists how to use the equipment so they can make their own observations.

There is actually no such thing as a ‘typical day’ — every one is different, and that’s part of the fun!

Often it means waking up early, checking e-mail and the plan for the day. I’d then need to get out to the construction site, where the new radio telescope is being constructed. (That usually means that I am staying somewhere nearby!)

On site, I need to make sure the team understands what they are supposed to do. So not only do I need to understand everything, but I have to be able to explain that clearly to others too. We then all get on with the building work — and that includes me too! Some days might be earthworks, while for others it’s installing cables. Some weeks will be just constructing antennas, and others might be surveying work. I think that because no two days are the same, it keeps the work interesting. It also means I’m often learning new things too!

Once the work is done, you have to check it. For any scientific instrument, this is very important. You have to test that all the parts are right and that the finished section of radio telescope works properly. You need a good eye for detail here! Also, other members of the team are checking my work, to make sure that I myself haven’t made any mistakes.

At the end of the day, there is more planning for the next day. Often I need to write up a report. And then post the day’s photos on the ‘blog.

Although school students can watch television or read books or web sites, there is nothing quite like meeting a real person who actually does this sort of work.

So, my plan is for travelling to as many schools as possible to give students a chance to hear the stories, learn about the thrill of science and ask direct questions. A bit like ‘I’m a scientist get me out of here’, but live in the classroom or school hall, rather than on the other side of the computer screen.

However travelling is expensive. And getting to schools the length and bredth of the country (along with equipment, computers, displays and other bits-n-peices) is expensive. Thus, I plan to use the money to get me to those schools, whether in the city or country, north or south…

… and also to  ‘get me out of there’  at the end of it!