Later this month, students participating in the Royal Astronomical Society’s Higher Practical Qualification (HPQ) in Astronomy will hear from Julian Sommer FRAS, a PhD student in Cosmology at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich.
Julian will join the students remotely to speak about his pathway into astrophysics, including how he came to pursue research in cosmology and the experiences that shaped his journey to becoming a scientist.
His talk will take place during the HPQ Astronomy Science Fair, where students will present their final projects: astronomy and space science artefacts they have developed as part of the Society’s first two-year HPQ Astronomy pilot programme in the UK.
📅 19 & 26 March
🕓 4:00 to 5:30 pm
📍 Royal Astronomical Society, Burlington House
Students will act as junior science communicators, presenting their work and answering questions about their projects.
RAS Fellows and staff who are nearby are warmly invited to drop in and support the students.
If you have any questions about this event, please contact: Lucinda Offer, Education and Outreach Officer at loffer@ras.ac.uk
About Our Guest Speaker
Julian Sommer FRAS
PhD Student in Astrophysics, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
Julian Sommer is a PhD student in astrophysics at LMU Munich and a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. His journey to science, however, was anything but a straight line. After high school, Julian completed vocational training as a sign-maker and painter. Gaining confidence in this profession gave him the courage to pursue a degree in physics - a subject that had always fascinated and intimidated him.
During his undergraduate studies, Julian balanced science with art, even writing and publishing an album with his band. He went on to earn a scholarship-funded Master’s in Astrophysics, studying abroad at Queen’s University Belfast where he won the John Geddes Physics Prize. Today, Julian researches cosmic phenomena, demonstrating that a non-linear journey can provide a wonderful foundation for a career in science.
About Their Talk
Beyond the Pendulum: From Sign Making and Struggling with Math to Researching the Cosmos
In high school, my math skills weren't the best, and physics class felt like an endless, boring loop of pendulums and blocks sliding down ramps. Astrophysics seemed like a distant, unreachable world I only knew from documentaries and books. In this talk, I will share how I went from vocational training as a sign-maker to becoming a PhD astrophysicist, navigating past my initial intimidation of math. If you have ever felt disconnected from science in secondary school or wondered if you are 'naturally gifted' enough to pursue it, I want to show you the unexpected doors that a non-linear path can open.
Fellows are warmly invited to join us on either or both days (19 and 26 March) to hear from the students and celebrate the culmination of the HPQ Astronomy pilot programme. Julian's talk will be on 26 March.