Meganne Christian
Meganne Christian | |
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Born | December 1987 Pembury |
Alma mater | |
Occupation | |
Awards | |
Academic career | |
Fields | Graphene, hydrogen storage, atmospheric physics, nanomaterials, Antarctic, space exploration |
Institutions |
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Thesis | Core-shell borohydrides for reversible hydrogen storage |
Meganne Louise Wyatt (née Christian; born 1987) FRAeS is a member of the 2022 European Space Agency Astronaut Group,[1] and Reserve Astronaut and Exploration Commercialisation Lead at the UK Space Agency.[2]
She was previously a materials scientist at the National Research Council (CNR) in Bologna, Italy, and atmospheric physicist at Concordia Station in Antarctica.
Research[edit]
At the Italian National Research Agency (CNR) in Bologna, she worked on the production and microscopical characterisation of graphene-based nanocomposites,[3][4] in particular 3D graphene structures such as graphene foams, as part of the EU's Graphene Flagship.[5] This included zero-gravity research in 2018, studying the application of loop heat pipes for the heat management of satellites.[6][7][8] She held the role of atmospheric physicist and meteorologist at the Franco-Italian Antarctic research base at Concordia Station during the 2019 "DC15" Winter-over campaign[9][5][10][11][12][13] and the 2020-21 Summer season.[14][15]
Biography[edit]
Born in Kent, England to New Zealand parents, at five she moved with her family to Wollongong, Australia.[16][9] She attended The Illawarra Grammar School[17] and was part of the school's 2002 international championship team of Future Problem Solving Program International.[18][19] Studying at the University of New South Wales, in 2009 Christian received a Bachelor of Engineering and the university medal in industrial chemistry.[20] Continuing at UNSW, she received the 2011 Heinz Harant award[21] and her doctorate in 2014 for research into hydrogen storage with borohydrides,[22][23] after which she moved in Bologna and worked at the Institute of Microelectronics and Microsystems (IMM) at the National Research Council of Italy.[24][9][25] The ambassador of Australia to Italy featured Christian as part of International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2021.[26] In June 2023, she was appointed Reserve Astronaut and Exploration Commercialisation Lead at the UK Space Agency.[2][27] In 2023, she received the Australia Day award “Wollongong to the world” from the city.[28][29] In March 2024, she was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.[30][31]
She holds four citizenships, British and New Zealand by birth, and Australian and Italian by naturalisation.[2] She was married on Australia Day 2014 at St James' Church, Sydney to Liam Wyatt.[32] She received Italian citizenship in 2022.
A barbershop singer, with Canberra-based choir ‘’Brindabella chorus’' Christian has twice won the Sweet Adelines International competition’s “harmony classic” division – in 2017[33] and 2023.[34] Her other hobbies also include via ferrata, knitting and sewing, whitewater rafting, and holds a blackbelt in Hapkido.[35][33]
References[edit]
- ^ "Meganne Christian". www.esa.int. Retrieved 2022-11-23.
- ^ a b c King, Hazel (2023-07-25). "Interview with an astronaut: Meganne Christian". FINN - The Aviation Industry Hub | FINN. Retrieved 2023-08-24.
- ^ "Campus Italia: Series 3, Episode 2" (in Italian). RAI. 2016-06-12. Archived from the original on 2022-01-24. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
- ^ "EPISODE 10: Exploring Problem Solving and Embracing the Unknown - Meganne Christian". Inspirenorth.com. Inspire North. 2020-07-08. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
- ^ a b "Spotlight: Graphene for space, batteries and water splitting with Meganne Christian". Graphene Flagship. Archived from the original on 2022-02-01. Retrieved 2022-02-01.
- ^ Flagship, Graphene. "Graphene tests set for zero-G flight". phys.org. Archived from the original on 2022-08-25. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
- ^ "Graphene Week" (PDF). Graphene Flagship. 2018. p. 1, 6-7. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-01-24. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
- ^ "Zero Gravity Graphene – Satellite Loop Heat Pipes - the Flight". YouTube. Graphene Flagship. 2017-12-15.
- ^ a b c Francesca Blesio (3 November 2018). "Meganne, da Bologna ai ghiacci dell'Antartide tra gli scogli della Brexit". Corriere di Bologna (in Italian). Archived from the original on 2022-01-24. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ "The most isolated place on Earth". The Europeans. Archived from the original on 2022-01-24. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
- ^ Vitale, Enzo (2019-08-24). "Meganne Christian, fisico italo-australiano al Polo Sud: «Da qui si capisce meglio il cambiamento climatico»". Il Messaggero (in Italian).
- ^ Tassi, Gabriele (2018-11-15). "l'Antartide e il mio sogno". Il Resto del Carlino (in Italian). p. 11.
- ^ "Diario dall'Antartide/Terza puntata: l'ingegner Meganne Christian alle prese con la meteorologia del Polo Sud Video". Il Messaggero (in Italian). 2019-08-25. Archived from the original on 2022-02-02. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
- ^ Tassi, Gabriele (2021-02-17). "Il mio anno tra l'Antartide e la pandemia" (in Italian). il Resto del Carlino. Archived from the original on 2022-01-24. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
- ^ Cacciarini, Sara (2020-11-29). "Base Concordia la diretta dall'Antartide a cura dell'ENEA programma di ricerca Antartide". Il Terzo News (in Italian). Archived from the original on 2022-02-03. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
- ^ Burgess, Kaya. "British Paralympian John McFall hopes to make history as astronaut". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2022-11-23.
- ^ School (TIGS), The Illawarra Grammar. "Alumni Showcase | Meganne Christian". The Illawarra Grammar School (TIGS). Archived from the original on 2022-01-26. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
- ^ "TIGS girls now world title winners". Wollongong Advertiser. 2002-07-03. p. 2.
- ^ Australia, Future Problem Solving Program. "Parent Perspectives Newsletter". fpsp.org.au. Archived from the original on 2022-08-25. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
- ^ "Prize Winners 2009". www.student.unsw.edu.au. Archived from the original on 2022-03-23. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
- ^ "Heinz Harant Award". Arc UNSW Student Life. Archived from the original on 2022-08-25. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
- ^ Christian, Meganne (2013). PH.D THESIS: Core-shell borohydrides for reversible hydrogen storage. www.unsworks.unsw.edu.au (Thesis). UNSW Open Access institutional repository. doi:10.26190/unsworks/16535. hdl:1959.4/53100. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
- ^ "Staff & Alumni". MERlin University of Sydney EnergyH. Archived from the original on 2022-01-26. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
- ^ "NuoviEmiliani. Meganne, ricercatrice quasi italiana". Aria Pulita [Television broadcast]. 7 Gold - Emilia Romagna. 2018-11-19.
- ^ "Meganne, da Bologna ai ghiacci dell'Antartide tra gli scogli della Brexit - cittadinanza Italiana per Meganne Christian | IMM Container". www.imm.cnr.it (in Italian). IMM Bologna. Archived from the original on 2022-02-03. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
- ^ Twomey, Margaret (2021-02-11). "Oggi celebriamo le #DonnenellaScienza, tra cui Meganne Christian dall'🇦🇺, laureata alla @UNSW. Meganne ha visitato due volte l'Antartide e lavora in 🇮🇹 presso @CNRsocial_@ItaliAntartide". Twitter (in Italian). Retrieved 2022-02-02.
- ^ "UK Space Agency welcomes reserve astronaut Meganne Christian". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2023-08-24.
- ^ "Australia Day Awards: the locals changing the face of Wollongong". Illawarra Mercury. 2023-01-20. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
- ^ "Awards highlight". Wollongong City Council. 2023-01-20. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
- ^ Christian, Meganne [@astro_meganne] (2024-03-27). "I was honoured to be elected as a Fellow of the @AeroSociety" (Tweet). Retrieved 2024-03-28 – via Twitter.
- ^ "UK aims for the stars – Space-Comm Expo 2024". Royal Aeronautical Society. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ^ "Ringing World BellBoard". bb.ringingworld.co.uk. 26 January 2014. Retrieved 2022-11-23.
- ^ a b Hopman, Sally. "Former Canberran set to hit career height as Australia's first female astronaut". Riotact. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
- ^ "From humble beginnings in Canberra, this all-female choir is now among the best in the world". ABC News. 2024-01-03. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
- ^ Hopman, Sally. "Russell Crowe, Anzac biscuits and now Meganne Christian – why we want to claim them as our own". Riotact. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
External links[edit]
- English emigrants to Australia
- University of New South Wales alumni
- Women Antarctic scientists
- 1987 births
- Living people
- Astronaut candidates
- British astronauts
- European Space Agency personnel
- 21st-century New Zealand women scientists
- 21st-century Australian women scientists
- 21st-century Italian women scientists
- 21st-century British women scientists
- Expatriates in England
- 21st-century New Zealand scientists
- New Zealand women scientists
- Fellows of the Royal Aeronautical Society