The Host Galaxies of Nearby Supernovae

Supervisors: Dr Charlotte Angus, Dr Erin Higgins and Dr Matt Nicholl

The ATLAS robotic sky survey has discovered close to a thousand supernovae in the local Universe. These supernovae show many different characteristics, suggesting they come from different kinds of stars. A key test is how the rates of different explosions depend on the properties of their host galaxies -- do galaxies rich in metals produce different stellar (and therefore supernova) populations? The summer project will involve collating host galaxy information for hundreds of nearby supernovae, and analysing the breakdown of supernova types as a function of galaxy luminosity and metallicity. This will be a crucial part of our group's ongoing efforts in modelling massive star evolution and explosions.

Chasing the Afterglow: EUV Late Phase Studies with SDO

Supervisor: Harry Greatorex

Solar flares are sudden, intense releases of magnetic energy in the Sun’s atmosphere, producing bursts of radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum. These events have been demonstrated to have a measurable effect on the terrestrial atmosphere, impacting critical communication and navigation systems. Identifying the origin of transient solar phenomena is therefore crucial for our understanding of the Sun-Earth connection. A vital tool in arsenal of the solar physics community has been the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). Since it’s launch in 2010, this NASA mission has provided round-the-clock coverage the Sun’s dynamic behaviour in unprecedented detail. One important discovery made with SDO was the presence of the EUV Late Phase (ELP), characterised by a secondary peak in warm EUV emission that occurs minutes to hours after the main phase of a solar flare. This delayed emission is thought to originate from post-flare loop systems heated by extended energy release, making it a key feature for understanding flare evolution and energy transport in the solar corona. Moreover, this emission is thought to have an additional influence on the Earth’s ionosphere, independent of that from Solar Flares.

This project will focus on the identification of ELP emission in high-cadence, high-resolution data from both the Extreme-Ultraviolet Variability Experiment (EVE) and Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) suites on board SDO. The summer student will work on the acquisition, processing, and manipulation of SDO/EVE data to identify the presence of ELP emission in EUV time series. They will use this data to cross-compare to spatially constrained AIA data and evaluate the use of these instruments in ELP searches. The student will build statistics on ELP occurrence rates which will support the further analysis of the Flare Group at QUB. 

Designing the Periodic Universe

Supervisor: Fiona McNeill, Dr. Aaron Monson

The periodic table is one of the most recognisable icons of science, but why does it take the form we are so familiar with? The elements are the building blocks of our Universe and are not abstract concepts. The origin of the elements and their finite nature as resources affects and is deeply relevant to all of us. We are seeking a student to help develop an outreach activity to explore the connections between elements. We want to use astronomy as a hook to invite people to consider the origins of everything around us, how everything is interlinked, and why - for most of the elements - we cannot simply "make more" here on Earth.

The goal of this project is to create an educational public engagement activity for teenage audiences in the form of a card game setting the elements in context before inviting the audience to explore the periodic table for themselves, investigating links between the properties of individual elements and challenging them to come up with their interpretation of how the periodic table can be arranged. Creating this game will involve researching the elements to create a "stat block" for each of them, and designing the cards themselves. As the development of this activity is still in the early stages, there will be an opportunity to have input into shaping how it will run.

The ideal candidate will have experience in some form of creative output, in particular in producing graphically designed creations in e.g., PowerPoint, Adobe Illustrator, Canva, or any other preferred method. We also encourage applicants from a non-scientific background. A familiarity with atomic and/or astrophysics is helpful but not necessary; your interest and enthusiasm are more important.

Designing 3D Printable Science Demonstrations for Public Engagement

Supervisor: Dr. Aaron Monson, Fiona McNeill

A major challenge in STEM education and public engagement is the cost of providing equipment and experiment setups that allow audiences to explore key physical concepts firsthand. In recent years, the Astrophysics Research Centre has invested in developing 3D-printed learning resources as versatile tools for visualising and explaining astrophysical concepts.

This project aims to expand on that work by designing a range of 3D-printed experiment demonstrations that are low-cost, accessible, and effective for education and outreach. The project draws inspiration from initiatives such as CERN’s S'Cool LAB (https://scoollab.web.cern.ch/classroom-activities).While the focus of the project is to create physics-based demonstrations, there is scope to expand into other STEM topics depending on the applicant’s interests and experience.

Responsibilities:

• Create 3D model files from scratch using Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software or similar tools.
• Design models that can be easily 3D printed and assembled for educational demonstrations.
• Collaborate with the outreach team to refine designs for maximum effectiveness in public engagement.

Requirements:

• Previous experience in 3D model creation using CAD software or similar methods is essential.
• Ability to iterate on designs based on feedback.
• Strong teamwork and communication skills.
• Familiarity with physics concepts is beneficial but not required.