Lisa Harvey-Smith

Dr. Lisa Harvey-Smith is an astrophysicist at the CSIRO, based in Sydney, NSW, Australia. Her research interests include the origin and evolution of cosmic magnetism, supernova remnants, the interstellar medium, massive star formation and astrophysical masers.^[1]

Harvey-Smith is the Project Scientist for CSIRO's Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder Telescope ASKAP. She leads the ASKAP Early Science Program,^[2] which is expected to begin in 2015. She is also responsible for ensuring that engineering advances within the project are aligned with the scientific goals of the ASKAP science surveys.^[3]

In November 2012, the Sydney Morning Herald included Dr. Harvey-Smith in its list of the Top One Hundred of Sydney's Most Influential People.^[4]

Education

Dr. Harvey-Smith attended Finchingfield Primary School, where her mother was the headteacher. She was home educated (Unschooled) between 1991 and 1996.

Harvey-Smith attended Braintree College where she studied advanced level Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and General Studies. She was awarded Student of the Year in 1998 for academic and sporting achievements. She obtained her Master of Physics (Honours) at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 2002 and was awarded her Ph.D. in Radio Astronomy at Jodrell Bank Observatory from the University of Manchester in 2005.

Career

Whilst an undergraduate in 2004, she carried out a Summer Research Studentship at Max-Planck-Institut fur Radioastronomie. After finishing her Ph.D. in 2005 she worked for two years as a JIVE Support Scientist at the Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe in the Netherlands. From 2007 to 2009 she was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at The University of Sydney and in 2009, she was appointed to the position of Research Astronomer and Square Kilometre Array Project Scientist at CSIRO Astronomy & Space Science, Australia.

From 2009 until 2011 Dr. Harvey-Smith was Chair of the Australia Telescope National Facility's Telescope Time Assignment Committee.^[5] She is a current member of the School of Physics Advisory Committee at the University of New South Wales.

In 2004 she was a member of the Jodrell Bank Observatory team on the BBC television quiz University Challenge, narrowly defeating the British Library.

Square Kilometre Array

Dr. Harvey-Smith occupied a pivotal role as CSIRO Square Kilometre Array Project Scientist from 2009-2012: developing the SKA's science case; ensuring that engineering advances and science goals remain aligned; and playing a senior role in the Australia & New Zealand bid to host the SKA^[6] and with site preparations.

The SKA is a proposed radio telescope with an unprecedented one million square metres of collecting area, which will make it fifty times more sensitive than any other radio instrument. The telescope, currently in its design phase and due to commence construction in 2016^[7] has been described as "a revolutionary break from traditional radio telescope design" which is expected to "drive technology development, particularly in information and communication technology".^[8]

In May 2012 it was announced that the SKA would be constructed in both Australia and Southern Africa.^[9]

In August 2012 CSIRO announced that, on taking up her new role with ASKAP, she will remain an active member of the SKA Science Working Group. The SKA organisation has since announced that Dr. Harvey-Smith is an associate member of the SKA Magnetism Science Working Group ^[10]

Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder

During her term as SKA Project Scientist, Dr. Harvey-Smith was involved with Australia & New Zealand's site preparations for the Australian SKA Pathfinder telescope (ASKAP), currently being commissioned at Murchison, Western Australia.

In August 2012, CSIRO announced^[11] that Dr Harvey-Smith had been appointed CSIRO Project Scientist for the ASKAP telescope.

Public Understanding of Science

Harvey-Smith has appeared on radio and television shows including the ABC Splash Live Event for World Space Week,^[12] ABC News 24, 702 ABC Sydney with Dominic Knight, Breakfast with Adam Spencer and The Science Show on ABC Radio National with Robyn Williams. In 2012, she gave the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics Public Lecture, which is broadcast regularly by TVOntario as part of the Big Ideas TV Series. In December 2012 Harvey-Smith was named in the(sydney)magazine's list of Sydney's 100 most influential people.

In 2015 Dr. Harvey-Smith performed a `Stargayzing'^[13] show at Sydney Observatory as part of Sydney Mardi Gras.^[14] She has featured in Women's Health (magazine), The Age, The Australian, Sydney Morning Herald, The Sun Herald, The Sunday Telegraph, Al Jazeera English and ABC News 24. She has written articles for The Conversation^[15] and ABC Science.^[16]

Harvey-Smith is a guest science teacher^[17] at Leichhardt Public School as part of the Scientists in Schools Program.^[18] She has made several visits to the Pia Wadjari Community School in Western Australia to lead astronomy activities and mentor students.^[19]

Women in Astronomy

From 2012-15 Harvey-Smith served as Chair of the steering committee of the Women in Astronomy Chapter of the Astronomical Society of Australia.^[20] During that time she played a pivitol role in launching a new national gender equity scheme for astronomers in Australia called The Pleiades Awards.^[21]

Sport

She is an athlete who participates regularly in ultra-marathon events.^[22]

Related Lists

• List of astrophysicists
• List of women astronomers

References

External links

• CSIRO web page.
• Personal website.
• Video podcast of lecture on the Square Kilometer Array telescope project.
• SKA official website.
• ASKAP official page at CSIRO
• Directory page at IAU