RAS Annie Maunder Medal for Outreach, 2018
Helen Mason has a passion for studying the Sun, which she loves to share with everyone - students, school children, the public, indeed anyone who will listen, even at music festivals like SolarSphere and Glastonbury!
She has worked on many NASA/ESA solar space missions. She studied at London University (BSc at QMC, PhD at UCL) then moved to Cambridge University as a post-doc and has worked there ever since, heading the Atomic Astrophysics Group until she retired in September 2017.
Most recently, she has been working closely with visual artists, leading an STFC funded project called 'SunSpaceArt'. The SunSpaceArt team have worked with many UK schools, inspiring the children and developing creativity. 'Today I loved the lesson because the science and art inspired me' (school child).
Helen believes that science and astronomy is for everyone. She has encouraged and mentored many young students and researchers. She loves to travel and has spent a lot of time in India, both doing solar research, and also working with schools and teachers.