Ashleigh is a Planetarium director in Donegal

Background

Ash McFadden was born in the US, in Kansas, but moved to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado at an early age. He attended primary school in Kansas, secondary in Colorado.

In 1965 he won the regional science fair aerospace award for an experiment to determine the effects of acceleration on mice, using rockets and a maze test he designed. He is credited with inventing the world’s first portable planetarium laser display system and holds the first licence granted by the US Bureau of Radiological Health to manufacture and sell laser display systems.

Degree

• Business (marketing, accounting) with physics, MacPherson College, Kansas, 1969.

He began a business degree as preparation for taking over the family jewellery business. This included a spell in Switzerland, studying watchmaking. His interests led him to take a range of other courses, including aeronautical engineering at Kansas State University, human anatomy and genetics.

Career snapshot

After college, he spent several “financially-successful but emotionally unfulfilling” years as a jeweller, gemologist, watchmaker, goldsmith and diamond-setter. During this time he continued his science education through reading, and found time to design and fly rockets and qualify for a commercial pilot’s licence, which he still holds.

His studies of micromechanics (watchmaking), optics (gemology) and electronics (building his own synthesizers) led to an interest in the then-new technology of laser applications. Eventually, he “saw the light” and left the entire jewelry business to found Laser Systems Development Corporation.

He financed the start-up through playing keyboards as a road musician for a dozen or so rock bands, flying freight around America in World War II surplus C-45s and performing in air shows.

He developed a laser display system that someone could carry under their arm, as compared with the lorry-sized systems then available, as well as marketing several CO2-based cutting and engraving systems for industrial and artistic applications.

He spent much of the next 25 years installing his lasers in planetariums across the US, as well as performing on his concert lasers. This led to lecturing about lasers and optics to students of all ages, as well as becoming the “ad-hoc technician for several budgetless educational institutions”.

Eventually, he left the company in the hands of his sons and took early retirement, settling in an old farm cottage near Tullamore, Co Offaly.

“A new planetarium was built in a Donegal museum during that time,” he says. “When the museum’s board of directors decided to enhance their attendance figures by instituting laser shows, they rang the man in America who had built their planetarium and asked him where they might find the best laser display designer in America. His answer was, ‘Tullamore’.”

What’s so brilliant about your job?

“Everything – the people I work with, the technology, the opportunities to promote science education, they all combine into a brilliant package. I’m a techno-nerd who has been entrusted with a state-of-the-art multimedia domed theatre and given carte blanche to promote science, our museum and Inishowen through what even I consider some fairly outrageous means, such as sport rocketry.”

What do you like least about your job?

“The hours. Although I designed the museum’s concert laser system as simply as I could make it, it is, nonetheless, extremely complex, both in terms of operation and maintenance. I’ve yet to find an understudy with the proper electronic, optical and musical credentials to both play the instrument in concert and maintain it in working order, necessitating a seven-day-per-week schedule for me during the summer season.”

How do you spend typical day?

“I hit the deck around 6 am, spend the first two or three hours solving problems for or consulting with business associates in America via email. Then I spend the rest of the morning ‘slaving over a hot laser’, cutting and engraving everything from artistic one-off items to “tourist stuff” for various customers around Ireland.

“Around noon, I head for the museum, where I power up the planetarium and give shows all afternoon, ranging from Sir Arthur C Clarke’s planetarium production, ‘The New Cosmos’ to a children’s show called ‘Larry Cat in Space’ to performing ‘The Full Irish Laser Concert’ on the laser system.”

Does your work require a lot of equipment?

“Six or seven computers and a dozen or so lasers (I lose count) as well as video and slide projectors, a complete TV studio, DVD-authoring equipment and the planetarium instrument, itself. Not to mention all the explosives.”

Are you a science nerd?

“I believe that if you look up the term ‘nerd’ in the dictionary, the definition will be ‘Ash McFadden’.”

Did science give you a buzz at school?

“I was president of my high school science club and managed not to get expelled, despite blowing the windows out of the chemistry lab. (Twice.) It would be difficult to say who was the buzzer and who the buzee, but our science club and our advisors all managed to survive my leadership, have a grand time and learn a lot of science without incurring too much expensive property damage.”

What has been the highlight of your career to date?

“That would really depend on the time, because I’ve had several mini-careers which led to this one, each with its own highlights. I was seriously chuffed in 1993 when I was nominated for the International Laser Display Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award, referring to me as ‘an icon of the laser industry’.

“It would be difficult to say whether I was more pleased then, or, earlier, when I performed stunt-piloting acts in air shows, or when I met Werner Von Braun, Willy Ley, Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov (together), or when I was onstage with music stars like Dick Clark, The Beach Boys, Hermans Hermits, The Drifters, Miriam Makeeba and Van Morrison (not together, thank goodness).

“Truly, though, I think living and working where I do is the highlight to top them all. Lots of people pay to holiday on Inishowen. I get paid to be here. Not much, mind you, but is that cool or what?”

Danny Gleeson, Space technology consultant

What were the miain ‘career decision’ milestones in your life so far?

I always had a curiosity about how things worked and from the age of 12 onwards, I was determined to do something in science. I remember a trip to the Science Museum and Natural History Museum in London when I was young, and it just blew me away that it was possible to understand and explain how all this stuff in the world actually worked, from a jet engine to a horse.

I studied for and passed O Level Physics at a local adult class in the evenings when I was 14 years old, outside of school, as I was impatient to learn more. It was one of the best decisions I ever made as it confirmed an independent spirit and self reliance that would be there throughout my career.

Physics was a great attraction for me as it provided the language through which I could understand the bits of the world that interested me. Astronomy was and is an area that I am particularly interested in and it was something that could be done in your back garden with very simple equipment and your own two eyes.

I was offered a job in the spacecraft power systems group at British Aerospace Space Systems (BAe) in Stevenage, UK, when I graduated at the age of 20 from Imperial College in London and I met some of the best engineers, scientists and friends during my six years with the company. The experience really taught me that the great science and engineering advancements are made through teamwork and collaboration as well as the hard work and talent of individuals.

I jumped at a chance to go to the US while I was at BAe and had an incredible year at McDonnel Douglas Space Systems in California, working with a great team and rubbing shoulders with people who had worked the key space programmes in history such as Gemini and Apollo.

Before returning to Ireland and finding work in the space industry I worked in Italy on the design studies for the European Space Suit with a fabulous team of engineers in Milan. I then came back to Ireland to work in the business of space science instrumentation and spin off applications of space technology. Again it was the great team of engineers at the company that made it a very special experience.

I took another life changing decision in 1996 to start my own company with the aim of providing technical expertise to Irish companies who were looking to operate seriously in the space technology business.

How did you go about getting your current job?

We set up our business 12 years ago when we decided we wanted more control and responsibility for the work that I could earn a living through in a field I was interested in. The choice of our consultancy business approach was based on some sound advice about sticking to what you do best and enjoy most.

What are the main challenges?

The deadlines for proposal submission are solid objects that work collides against and generates a pressure to deliver, but also a huge reward when delivered on time and more importantly when they are successful.

The biggest challenge for me is to have more than one deadline occurring together but this is also the most satisfying when they all come through.

What’s cool?

Being involved in developing stuff for space projects that I have been fascinated in since I was a child.

What’s not so cool?

Financial stuff, accounts, working on business plans – yawn!

What particular skills do you bring to your workplace?

I am an experienced professional industrial physicist with broad technical, managerial, strategic and commercial skills.

I get on well with people and I have an endless curiosity about how things work and how solutions to problems are often based on connecting things that would not normally be considered as connected.

I am also a believer in modeling complex problems with simple components and that this approach can be extended into many “non-engineering” or “non-scientific” areas of business.

What subjects did you take in school and how have these influenced your career path?

I studied physics to the exclusion of almost everything else and while it helped good grades in that subject, I suffered in other subjects such as languages which had to be tackled later in life which I regret, as there is never enough time later on in life.

I went on to study physics, chemistry and maths at A-level and I was determined to study physics at university somewhere and through some recommendations, I chose Imperial College in London.

What is your education to date?

• Secondary School, O Level : Physics, maths, chemistry, biology, electonics, English language, English literature, technical drawing, RE.
• College – A level: Physics, maths, chemistry, physics (special level)
• University: BSc. Hons. Physics (2:1) Imperial College of Science and Technology, London. MSc. Astronomy, Astronautics & Instrumentation, (distinction). University of Hertfordshire.
• Awards: The Sir Arthur Ackland Prize for Excellence in Humanities, Imperial College, 1986. Associate of the Royal College of Science.

What have been the most rewarding events in your career so far?

The development of a sustainable business in the space industry with consistent and secure income has been our aim since we started out 12 years ago and we have achieved this now and continue to look for opportunities to expand the space based activities that will provide security for the future.

The development of the Space Industry Skillnet as Europe’s only space industry training network and the recognition from ESA and NASA for this achievement has been very rewarding.

I have been closely involved with the progression of some Irish companies from technology development to participation in space missions and this is an ambition that is being fulfilled with the selection of Irish space technology by Columbus facility managers, to be at the heart of science experiments for the next decade on the space station laboratory.

In addition I’ll be working with Irish companies to build cryogenic fuel tanks for next generation launchers and space planes in Galway – how cool is that!

What advice would you give to someone considering this job?

Get qualified in a science or engineering degree, achieve a postgraduate qualification in a specialised area and build up as much experience in the area that you are really interested in and operate at the leading edge with the best people you can find in the best locations in the world.

You need to be independent and self starting, see the bigger picture and help to build the industry that you work in. You will see opportunity where others see problems.

If you want to earn large sums of money then go work in a merchant bank or stock brokers.

What kinds of work experience would provide a good background for this position?

Work in an environment developing something new in automotive, aerospace, medical etc. Develop your personal area of expertise to a high degree and contribute to a team based, innovative effort.

Understand the innovation process and look outside for contributions and ideas from non-related areas. Try to teach or communicate what you do to other people at every opportunity as it reinforces your skills and reminds you how enthusiastic you are in the subject.

Claire Raftery - studying for a PhD in Solar Astrophysics

What were the main ‘career decision’ milestones in your life so far?

My decision to take applied maths in secondary school was an important one. Not only did it set me up to choose a career in physics, but as the only girl in the class, it showed me that gender does not matter in this field.

Choosing to study astrophysics at the end of my second year in university was the other major milestone. I decided to follow this path because it was an interesting way of applying everyday science in an extraordinary way.

I can remember making the decision – I was outside the planetarium in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington DC and decided that this was a really interesting take on “regular” physics!

By taking physics with astrophysics, I was allowing myself the freedom to follow a career in either subject.

Who are the people who most influenced your career direction?

My parents gave me the freedom to follow whatever path I chose. They never put any pressure on me to go in any particular direction but encouraged and supported me in any decision I made.

My maths/physics/applied maths teacher – Mr Phil Stack – had a large impact on my decision. He taught these three subjects during my Leaving Cert years.

The continuity between the three courses made me realise the importance of not isolating one subject and the importance of studying the big picture. This is something I have carried with me right the way through university.

What are the main challenges in your job?

The main challenge is combining many different aspects of physics (atomic physics, hydrodynamics, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics etc) in a coherent manner in order to explain the phenomenon I am studying.

Other daily challenges include keeping up with the literature, debugging code and understanding the technicalities of instrumental effects. I struggle with time management.

There are many different aspects of this job – data analysis, paper writing, paper reading, proposal writing. They all need to be done and it is easy to get stuck on one or two and ignore the others.

What’s cool?

I get to study the Sun! I think that is very cool. The ball of plasma that we take for granted is, in fact, a highly variable and dynamic system and the fact that we can see the different phenomena at work (solar flares, CMEs, auroral activity) is fascinating.

To see the EUV (extreme ultraviolet) Sun for the first time will take your breath away. The other obvious cool aspect to my work is that I get to work at NASA for about four months of the year. This means spending time in Washington DC working with the experts in my field of research.

What’s not so cool?

Writing scientific journal articles. I was never very good at languages in school and was not really aware of the importance of paper writing when I decided to follow this path. But in this society it is “publish or perish”.

What particular skills do you bring to your workplace?

I am a good team player. It is important to be able to share problems and solutions with others in the group, in order to progress in your work. It is very difficult to succeed on your own with no guidance or advice.

At the same time, it is vital to be able to work through problems on your own. At the end of the day, you are the one that will need to understand every aspect of your work.

I am good at networking and at selling myself and my work to others in order to progress in the field. Lastly, I am good at interpreting physics.

In this field, all you have to work with is what observations can show you. It is my job to take the observations and combine them with theory to try to explain “why” we are seeing what we see.

What subjects did you take in school and how have these influenced your career path?

English, Irish, French, maths, geography, music, physics and applied maths. Maths, applied maths and physics were the three subjects that set me up for my career.

I also took two years of chemistry in university that helped me to better understand the atomic physics I am currently employing.

What is your education to date?

I have my Leaving Certificate, a Bachelor of Arts Moderatorship degree in natural sciences – Physics with astrophysics from Trinity College Dublin.

I am currently working towards a diploma in statistics (not necessary, just useful) and a PhD in Solar Astrophysics.

What has been the most rewarding event in your career so far?

Receiving the Catherine Macaulay Award for leadership in my final year of secondary school.

What personal qualities do you have that helps you in your career?

I am highly motivated and I do not like to be idle. I like to push myself to the limit and to prove that I can achieve. I am patient and punctual and though I can be scattered, I am generally quite organized when it comes to work.

What is your dream job?

I would love to be an astronaut. That really is physics at work!

What advice would you give to someone considering this job?

Stick with it. It is a bumpy ride but everyone has their good and bad days and in the end, the pay-off is worth it. To actually get the job, make sure you work hard (you do not need to be number one in the class or have straight As – though they do help).

To ‘fit’ this job, you have to be good at working in a team and on your own. You need to be able to talk about your work with others and then put your head down and work out problems by yourself.

The goal of this job is to become an expert in your chosen field and the only way to do that is by failing and trying again, so patience is very important.

What are the three most important personal characteristics required for the job?

Patience, determination and a desire to look beyond the obvious.

What kinds of work experience would provide a good background for this position?

Anything involving computers. Research experience in a lab.

Dr Maura Rabbette - Astrophysicist

What have been the main milestones in your career so far?

My first was when I was about 12 years old, when I bought a pair of binoculars and spent many nights observing the starry sky. That was the beginning of a lifelong passion for astronomy.

I took physics and chemistry for the Leaving Certificate, then did a BSc in physics and followed it up with a PhD in astrophysics.

For my thesis I observed some of the most distant and active galaxies in the universe, using the European Space Agency’s most powerful telescopes on the island of La Palma.

How did you go about getting your current job?

Shortly after completing my PhD I applied for a US National Research Council postdoctoral research fellowship, to work in the Space Science Research Laboratory at NASA Ames Research Centre, California.

This research programme, also known as the NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP), gives US and non-US citizens the chance to work at NASA.

It’s an excellent opportunity for Irish postdoctoral scientists and engineers to engage in ongoing NASA research programmes.

On completing my fellowship I was offered other opportunities to stay on at NASA as a research scientist which I was delighted to do – and, of course, living in California has its added benefits.

I would strongly urge any student in Ireland interested in working for NASA to look up its postdoctoral programme.

What are the main tasks and responsibilities?

Over the last decade I have been fortunate to work on some of NASA’s major projects.

I was principal investigator on a project which studied the greenhouse effect on Earth and its implications for other planets. We used a number of NASA’s Earth observing satellites and investigated the strong coupling between ocean warming and greenhouse radiative feedback.

We also looked outwards to other planets, for a better understanding of how our own planet has evolved. We estimated the “habitable zone” – that’s the distance from a star where liquid water can exist on the surface of a planet – of other planets way beyond our own solar system

In recent years much of my time has been taken up with the Kepler project. It’s a very exciting project in which one of the most powerful telescopes ever created was launched into space to look for planets similar to our own.

The challenge is to find terrestrial-size planets where liquid water, and possibly life, might exist.

My responsibilities included development and testing of computer algorithms for automatically analysing the light from thousands of stars in a search for orbiting planets.

I also carried out Kepler instrument tests to ensure that mission requirements were achieved.

What’s cool?

It was very exciting to be part of the Kepler science team and to witness the amazing night launch of NASA’s Kepler spacecraft on board a powerful Delta II rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

It was history in the making, because Kepler is NASA’s first mission that seeks to find out if the Earth is unique in the universe.

For the first time in human history we will know if there are Earth-size planets capable of supporting life beyond our solar system.

Having a career as a research scientist also offers many opportunities to work outside the office or laboratory. During my PhD and while working at NASA I’ve spent weeks, sometimes months, in places such as Alaska, Hawaii, Florida, Canary Islands, Japan and Europe.

What is your education to date?

• Leaving Certificate, including Maths, Physics, and Chemistry
• BSc in Physics, NUI Galway
• PhD in Astrophysics, University College Dublin

What aspects of your education have been most important for your job?

It is important to get a broad but good grounding in as many subjects as possible at the Leaving Cert and undergraduate levels, because these will be the tools of your trade as a research scientist.

Apart from studying physics for my BSc, I also studied maths, applied maths, numerical analysis, statistics, chemistry, computer programming and astrophysics.

Finally, English is important because, as a scientist, sharing information is an integral part of your work. You have to continuously write papers, reports and proposals and give oral presentations at conferences and seminars.

What have been the most rewarding events in your career so far?

For my PhD research I used large optical telescopes to look deep into the universe. It was very exciting to find active galaxies with evidence of giant black holes at their centres.

I suppose the European Space Agency fellowship, and then the NASA postdoctoral fellowship, were great milestones in my career – they opened up many opportunities for me.

It was a memorable occasion to be surrounded by family and friends as I watched the spectacular launch of the Kepler spacecraft as it started its mission.

What are the three most important personal characteristics required for the job?

• An inquisitive mind
• Being self motivated and enjoying your work
• Perseverance – being able to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and tackle the problem from another angle

What kinds of work experience would provide a good background for your type of work?

I would recommend applying for space science or astronomy summer schools.

While working on my PhD I was fortunate enough to win a European Space Agency fellowship to represent Ireland at the International Space University summer school in Barcelona.

It was a great opportunity to study and work with astrophysicists, astronauts, space scientists and engineers from over 40 countries. It was a fantastic academic and cultural experience.

I became part of the ISU alumni network and as a result I have friends and contacts in various universities and space agencies around the world.

Learn more

Find out more about the NASA Postdoctoral Programme and how to apply

Check out the ISU Space Studies programme

Visit NASA’s Kepler mission website

Caitriona Jackman - Planetary Scientist

What were the main ‘career decision’ milestones in your life so far?

I always had a leaning towards maths and physics, and after the first year of my undergraduate degree at the University of Limerick I went with 20 Irish people to the London International Youth Science Forum.

This is an annual two-week science trip for people from all over the world. We had lectures on all types of science, and also day trips to universities and research centres near London.

I went out to the Mullard Space Science Laboratory, part of University College London, and was fascinated by the people I met there.

In the third year of my degree we needed to find a nine-month work placement, and I ended up going back to the Mullard Space Science Laboratory.

There I worked on Cassini data (from the Cassini space probe) for the first time, and that sparked my interest to go on and pursue my PhD in planetary science.

Who are the people who most influenced your career direction?

My parents have always been extremely supportive, both emotionally and financially. I was self-funded for my PhD – as a non-UK student I was ineligible for funding from the research council there.

I have always been pretty sure of what I wanted to do, and have been very lucky to have supportive family and friends, and to have encountered many good opportunities along my path.

My PhD supervisor at Leicester was also a great inspiration, very knowledgeable and helpful.

What education and qualifications do you have?

• Leaving Certificate (including maths, chemistry and physics)
• Applied Physics at the University of Limerick, final-year dissertation on “Galaxy formation and self-organised criticality”
• PhD in Planetary Science, University of Leicester. Thesis: “Solar wind magnetosphere coupling at Saturn”

Does your job allow you to have a lifestyle you are happy with?

My job is very flexible time-wise, which is good as I would definitely not describe myself as a morning person. It is also quite self-directed.

When I have deadlines, or when I’m feeling extra inspired or motivated, I work long hours, some evenings and weekends. In contrast, there are quieter periods where the working hours are not so rigid.

The travel to international conferences is also a great perk. I feel very lucky to do my job.

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