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Dr Janet Bowey

Dr Janet Bowey

Ernest Rutherford Fellow
Cardiff Hub for Astrophysics Research and Technology

Email
boweyj@cardiff.ac.uk
Campuses
Room N3.27, Queen's Buildings - North Building, 5 The Parade, Newport Road, Cardiff, CF24 3AA

Overview

I am an astrophysicist who uses  infrared spectroscopy to determine the chemical and physical properties of microscopic dust grains and the environments in which they exist: distant galaxies, newly-forming stars, evolved stars, the interstellar medium and our Solar System.  Grains like these are thought to be the source of many of the atoms of which our everyday environment and life on Earth is made. My niche area is collaborating with Earth scientists and meteoriticists who study laboratory samples to produce data and interpretations which can be utilised by both research disciplines.

Biography

I began my STFC-funded Returner Fellowship at Cardiff University in October 2019.

My unintended extended career break (to raise a family) lasted between 2006 and 2019.

I was inspired to return to astronomical research after hearing about the planned launch of James Webb Space Telescope in 2020. I thought: I want to use that! and wrote a research proposal having not frequented astronomical circles for more than 10 years and having no access to university facilities.

PDRA in Evolved Stars at the Dept of Physics and Astronomy at University College London (2000-2006)

PDRA in Star Formation in the Dept of Physics at Queen Mary, University of London  (1998-2000)

PhD thesis, "Interpreting the 10 micron Astronomical Silicate Feature", Department of Physics, Astronomy and Mathematics, University of Central Lancashire (1993-1998)

MSc in Geophysics and Planetary Physics, Department of Physics, Newcastle Upon Tyne (1992-1993); dissertation: "The History of the Earth/Moon System"

BSc (Hons) Physics, Victoria University of Manchester (1988-1992).

Publications

2023

2022

2021

2020

2011

Current funding:

Ernest Rutherford (Returner) Fellowship, £240,138.00,  Reference: ST/S004106/1,    duration: 10/2019-10/2021

Title: "Towards an understanding of astronomical silicate dust based on mineralogy meteoritics and infrared spectroscopy"

Pre-2020 publications beginning in 1998 are listed in my ORCID profile but cover similar scientific areas.

Supervision

Past projects

External profiles