Deep in space lie moody supermassive black holes, voracious matter consumers, the stuff of science fiction. They are impossible to see directly with telescopes, so scientists like Clare Kenyon use spectrographs to split incoming light from gases directly near the disk into many wavelengths, and supercomputer simulations to deduce the physical nature of this chaotic region.

Clare loves talking about her research, space, physics and all things science. As the Laby Teaching and Outreach Fellow at the University of Melbourne, she builds on previous school teaching experience and exercises her passion for outreach and engagement daily, through coordinating the Telescopes in Schools and Year 10 Work Experience programmes and the Kathmandu Astrophysics School, for which she has secured over $75,000 in private and external funding.

Outside the university, Clare has had over 20 radio and television appearances, YouTube interviews, podcasts, documentaries and public lectures, and contributed to or published many articles.

Clare believes that ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’ and relishes any opportunity to challenge commonly held stereotypes, particularly those held by young women, of how women in STEM ‘look’ and ‘act’.  She maintains a social media presence.

Dr Clare Kenyon is a Superstar of STEM.