Profile

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Conall Kavanagh

    • About Me:

      I live with my friends in Leeds, where I am doing a PhD in theoretical astrophysics. I am studying the dynamics of gas flows around stars and black holes. I enjoy hiking in the Yorkshire Dales, cycling, photography, and going to concerts.

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      I’m from London and visit my family and friends there regularly, but I prefer the pace of life in Leeds. I am very passionate about music and have attended numerous music festivals with my family since I was seven years old. I studied physics with astrophysics as a Master’s degree, and really enjoyed the research involved, which led me to pursue a PhD.

    • My pronouns are:

      He/Him

    • My Work:

      I research the behaviour of gas flows around stars and black holes. These flows are in the form of a disc and can behave very strangely, developing interesting shapes (warping and tearing) which are important to understanding how stars and black holes form and grow.

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      I am currently working on the problem of a disc that surrounds two objects orbiting each other (typically two stars or black holes). I am modelling discs which are at an angle to a pair of objects, to show that these can quickly drive the two objects together. This is an important problem for understanding how supermassive black holes in galaxy centres can grow to be so large (billions of times the mass of the sun), in a relatively short time (less than a tenth of the age of the Universe). We know that supermassive black holes are merging all the time throughout the Universe, as we can detect the way they bend space and time (using gravitational wave observatories) when they collide. Modelling flows of gas around these objects should give us a better understanding of important questions such as how frequently they merge and how galaxies evolve with respect to their central supermassive black holes.

      I have also spent time researching tidal disruption events. These occur when a star passes so close to a black hole that the difference in gravity between the near and far sides of the star means it gets pulled apart! In some cases, the star can lose only some material, while in others it is completely destroyed. I was investigating what happens at the critical distance from the black hole, which separates a star from surviving the encounter or not. 

    • My Typical Day:

      I spend a lot of time each day working on my computer. I run simulations of fluid flows, which I set up on my laptop and then send to a powerful computer at the University, which performs the calculations. I don’t like getting up early, and my supervisor is flexible about when I work, so I generally start and end work late. I meet with him to talk about what I’m doing, and I always learn a lot from him and enjoy our conversations. Because my work is done on a computer, I can either work from home or at the office.   

    CV

    • Education:

      I attended Hampton Boys’ School from the ages of 11 to 16 and then left after completing my GCSEs to attend my local sixth form, Coombe Sixth Form.

    • Qualifications:

       9 GCSEs (A*-B), 3 A-levels (A-B), First Class BSc and MPhys in Physics with Astrophysics.

    • Work History:

      I have worked as a tutor in maths, physics, and geography for secondary school students, generally in preparation for GCSEs. I have also spent time working as a gardener for people in my local area during the University summer holidays.

    • Current Job:

      I am an STFC-funded PhD student at the University of Leeds working on the problem of accretion disc dynamics.

    • Employer:

      The University of Leeds.

    • My Interview

      • What did you want to be after you left school?

        When I was younger, I wanted to be an inventor or engineer.

        Were you ever in trouble at school?

        Yes, I was frequently in trouble for messing around or not doing my work on time.

        If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?

        Being a wildlife photographer could be an amazing job.

        Who is your favourite singer or band?

        Groups like Leftfield, Aphex Twin, The Chemical Brothers, and Pink Floyd are among my favourites.

        What's your favourite food?

        Sausages and mash

        Tell us a joke.

        What do two black holes talk to each other about? Dark matters...

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