Prestigious Canadian research award for Cardiff postdoc

An astrophysicist from Cardiff University will pioneer new approaches to measuring the properties of the early Universe, with support from one of Canada's most competitive early-career research awards.

Dr Chris Benson, who is based at the Cardiff Hub for Astrophysics Research and Technology (CHART), is a recipient of the prestigious Canadian Postdoctoral Research Award (CPRA).

Granted by the Government of Canada, the CPRA programme supports and promotes research excellence across health, natural sciences, engineering, social sciences and humanities.

The award allows postdoctoral researchers to add to their experience by engaging in scholarship either in Canada or overseas, supporting their transition to the next phase of their career.

Dr Benson selected Cardiff as the host institution for his award, recognising the University's world-leading research environment and expertise in this field.

He said: “Receiving the award has come with a great deal of excitement and, a great deal of relief in many ways. It's extremely competitive to find support for these ideas, particularly for early career researchers, and the unfortunate reality is that many great ideas never get the opportunity.

“The CPRA provides me with the resources necessary to pursue my idea and make an important transition from a recent PhD graduate to a researcher with an independent research portfolio.”

“The award also represents an investment in my research programme from the people of Canada, and so there's a great sense of responsibility and community. Evidently, I am not the only one who wants the answers to these questions!”

Based at the Astronomy Instrumentation Group, Dr Benson is part of a team developing detector technologies for future ground-based and space-based observatories.

Over the next two years, he will use the award to advance a new scalable spectroscopic imaging technology for next generation astronomical instrumentation.

“Cardiff was the clear choice as the host institution for my award,” explains Dr Benson.

“It's a really exciting time in the group right now; with the award, I'm able to bring my expertise with spectroscopic technology into the group and pair it with these new superconducting instruments that Dr Peter Barry has been pioneering.

“That's my goal for the award, demonstrate that my instrument idea - that uses both technologies – can provide the sensitivity improvement that astronomers and cosmologists are looking for. I'm looking forward to seeing it all work and all the things we'll be finding along the way.”

Professor Haley Gomez, Head of Cardiff University’s School of Physical, Chemical and Environmental Sciences, said: “I’m really glad Chris has chosen our instrumentation group to pursue his exciting research programme with the generous support of the Canadian government. I know he will fit right in having already collaborated with colleagues here in Cardiff.”

Find out more about the Astronomy Instrumentation group.