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Scientist Spotlight: Rosemary Willatt
1 October 2021
Hello, I鈥檓 Rosemary Willatt. I鈥檓 a Research Fellow at the Centre of Polar Observation Modelling.
Rosie drilling an ice core at the Sea Ice Environment Research Facility (SERF),听University of Manitoba, Canada. Credit: Robbie Mallett (MyAV范)
Rosie with听Prof. Seymour Laxon and Dr. Katharine Giles, the听scientists who pioneered the field of satellite radar altimetry for sea ice thickness determination, and who inspired and guided her throughout her PhD.听Both are sadly no longer with us. Photo credit: Harry Heorton (MyAV范).
... and here the scientists taking a short break during their Arctic fieldwork. Credit: Stefan Hendricks (AWI)
Dr Rosemary Willatt, Photo Credit: Dr Katharine Giles
Ever since I was young I have been fascinated by Earth's听environment, particularly the sky and the ways that waves of light, or electromagnetic radiation, interact with everything else in our universe - so I studied MSci Astronomy. I loved my degree,听which听also included some environmental physics, and was awarded the Astronomy prize for best performance every year听and听made the Dean's list. I then had a great opportunity to work for the European Space Agency in听Spain听as a Young Graduate Trainee,听working听on astronomical data from the XMM Newton X-ray space telescope. I听realised that I wanted to continue to work with satellite data, using electromagnetic radiation, but for Earth Observation. I did a PhD in MyAV范 Department of Earth Sciences in the Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling,听looking听at how radiation interacts with snow-covered sea ice. I then听had听a career break from science research (working in the private and education sectors on environmental sustainability), and a family, and听returned to science in late 2019. I am passionate about diversity in science and an active member of the department's groups听WiES听and听Network for Ethnic Diversity. I have written .