Biography:Emma Bunce

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Short description: British physicist
Emma Bunce

OBE
Professor Emma Bunce portrait 01 (cropped).jpg
Emma Bunce in 2016
92nd President of the Royal Astronomical Society
In office
26 June 2020 – May 2022
Preceded byMike Cruise
Personal details
Born
Emma J. Bunce
EducationDavison High School
Worthing College
Alma materUniversity of Leicester (MPhys, PhD)
Awards
Scientific career
FieldsPlanetary science
Planetary magnetospheres[1]
InstitutionsUniversity of Leicester
ThesisLarge-scale current systems in the Jovian magnetosphere (2001)
Doctoral advisorStan Cowley
Website{{{1}}}

Emma J. Bunce OBE (born 1975) is a British space physicist and Professor of Planetary Plasma Physics at the University of Leicester.[1] She holds a Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award. Her research is on the magnetospheres of Saturn and Jupiter. She is principal investigator (PI) of the MIXS instrument on BepiColombo, was deputy lead on the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer proposal, and co-investigator on the Cassini–Huygens mission.

Bunce served as President of the Royal Astronomical Society from 26 June 2020[2] to May 2022.[3][4]

Early life and education

Bunce grew up in Worthing.[5] In 1989 she watched the Horizon documentary on Neptune with images taken by Voyager 2 and was inspired to become a space scientist.[6]

She was educated at Davison High School (a C of E girls school) and Worthing College (a sixth form college), where she graduated in 1994.[5] She studied physics with space science at the University of Leicester and earned her Master of Physics (MPhys) degree in 1998.[5]

In 1998 Bunce began her doctoral training with Stan Cowley, investigating the magnetosphere of Jupiter.[5] Her thesis, Large-scale current systems in the Jovian Magnetosphere, looked at the radial current systems of the middle magnetosphere of Jupiter.[7] She used data from Pioneer 10, Pioneer 11, Voyager 1, Voyager 2 and Ulysses.[8] The interaction between Jupiter and the surrounding plasma environment is influenced by the magnetic field. On Jupiter, the plasma is mainly produced in the volcanic moon Io.[8]

Research and career

After her graduate studies, Bunce worked as a postdoctoral researcher investigating the Kronian magnetosphere of Saturn in preparation for Cassini–Huygens.[8] In 2003 Bunce was awarded a Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council fellowship to study the magnetosphere of Saturn.[5] She continued to study Jupiter's polar auroral emissions.[9][10] She was appointed to the faculty at the University of Leicester in 2005.[5]

Bunce was part of the Cassini–Huygens magnetometer team.[11] She was the first to analyse the UV aurorae of Saturn using the Hubble Space Telescope.[12][13] The magnetosphere of Saturn rotates rapidly and plasma is produced via sputter of the icy moons.[5] She monitored the magnetospheric currents of Saturn in situ, identifying that there was a connection between the auroral oval and upward-directed field-aligned currents that flow near open and closed field lines.[13] She observed the interaction of the solar wind with the magnetosphere of Saturn.[14] In 2009 she was elected to the Royal Astronomical Society Council[15] and delivered the society's Harold Jeffreys Lecture.[14] She discussed her work Jupiter-like aurorae found on saturn.[16]

She was promoted to reader in 2009 and professor in 2013.[5] She organised a celebration of ten years of Cassini–Huygens in 2014.[17] She is the Principal Investigator of the Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer (MIXS) instrument.[18][19][20][21] MIXS was built in Leicester, launched in 2015 and will travel to Mercury.[22][23] She delivered the 2016 National Space Academy keynote lecture.[24] She is the principal investigator of the Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer instrument on the European Space Agency BepiColombo mission (to Mercury) and deputy lead on the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer.[25] BepiColombo will help to explain some of the mysteries of Mercury, including finding volatile sulphur and potassium.[26][27] She contributed to the book Mathematical Methods for the Physical Sciences: A University Level Introduction in 2018.[28]

Bunce was elected President of the Royal Astronomical Society in 2019; she began her term on 26 June 2020[2] and served two years.[3]

Public engagement

Emma Bunce in 2016 with Stan Cowley

Bunce has delivered several popular science lectures.[11][29][30] She has written for The Conversation.[31]

She spoke at the New Scientist Live event in 2018.[32]

She was a guest on the BBC Radio 4 programme The Life Scientific in June 2020.[33]

Honours and awards

Bunce was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2024 New Year Honours for services to astronomy and science education.[34][35]

Her other awards and honours include:

  • 2020-22 - President of the Royal Astronomical Society[3]
  • 2018 - Chapman Medal[13]
  • 2011 - Philip Leverhulme Prize for Astronomy and Astrophysics[36]
  • 2009 - Harold Jeffreys Lecture[14]
  • 2005 - European Geophysical Union Young Talents in Geoscience Award[37]
  • 2003 - French Academy of Sciences Prix Baron Nicolet award for space physics[37][38]
  • 2002 - awarded the Royal Astronomical Society Blackwell Prize.[8]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 {{Google Scholar id}} template missing ID and not present in Wikidata.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 @RoyalAstroSoc (26 June 2020). "We are very excited to announce that Professor Emma Bunce has started her two year term as the new president of the Royal Astronomical Society!". https://twitter.com/RoyalAstroSoc/status/1276553465544822784. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Hollis, Morgan (10 May 2019). "Election results 2019: new RAS Council". Royal Astronomical Society. https://ras.ac.uk/news-and-press/news/election-results-2019-new-ras-council. 
  4. ↑ "Election results 2021: New RAS Council". https://ras.ac.uk/news-and-press/news/election-results-2021-new-ras-council. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 tk74. "Professor Emma Bunce — University of Leicester" (in en). https://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/physics/people/emmabunce. 
  6. ↑ Knapton, Sarah (5 July 2016). "Nasa spacecraft Juno's arrival at Jupiter prompts British scientists' celebration: 'We're all feeling very relieved'" (in en-GB). The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2016/07/05/nasa-spacecraft-junos-arrival-at-jupiter-prompts-british-scienti/. 
  7. ↑ Bunce, Emma J. (2001). Large-scale current systems in the Jovian magnetosphere. le.ac.uk (PhD thesis). University of Leicester. hdl:2381/30647. OCLC 505259820. EThOS uk.bl.ethos.696997. Archived from the original on 16 September 2018. Retrieved 15 September 2018. Free to read
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Anon (2002). "The RAS - Blackwell Prize 2002" (in en-gb). http://www.ras.org.uk/publications/181-education-a-careers/education-and-careers/competitions/63?task=view. 
  9. ↑ T., Clarke, John; Denis, Grodent; H., Cowley, Stan W.; J., Bunce, Emma; Philippe, Zarka; P., Connerney, John E.; Takehiko, Satoh (2004). "Jupiter's aurora" (in en). Jupiter. The Planet, Satellites and Magnetosphere 1: 639. Bibcode: 2004jpsm.book..639C. 
  10. ↑ Bunce, E. J. (2004). "Jovian cusp processes: Implications for the polar aurora" (in en). Journal of Geophysical Research 109 (A9): A09S13. doi:10.1029/2003ja010280. ISSN 0148-0227. Bibcode: 2004JGRA..109.9S13B. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Royal Astronomical Society" (in en-gb). http://www.ras.org.uk/component/gem/?id=168. 
  12. ↑ Massey, Robert. "Cassini makes simultaneous measurements of Saturn's nightside aurora and electric current system" (in en-gb). https://www.ras.org.uk/news-and-press/219-news-2012/2101-cassini-makes-simultaneous-measurements-of-saturns-nightside-aurora-and-electric-current-system. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 "Citation for the 2018 RAS Chapman Medal". 2018. https://www.ras.org.uk/images/stories/awards/winners/2018/Chapman%20Medal%20-%20Emma%20Bunce.pdf. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Jim, Wild (2009). "RAS Awards 2009" (in en). Astronomy & Geophysics 50 (1): 1.34. doi:10.1111/j.1468-4004.2009.50134.x. ISSN 1366-8781. Bibcode: 2009A&G....50a..34.. 
  15. ↑ Elliott, David. "RAS Council 2009 Elections Results" (in en-gb). https://www.ras.org.uk/news-and-press/68-news2009/1590-ras-council-2009-elections. 
  16. ↑ Stallard, Tom; Miller, Steve; Melin, Henrik; Lystrup, Makenzie; Cowley, Stan W. H.; Bunce, Emma J.; Achilleos, Nicholas; Dougherty, Michele (2008). "Jovian-like aurorae on Saturn" (in En). Nature 453 (7198): 1083–1085. doi:10.1038/nature07077. ISSN 0028-0836. PMID 18563160. Bibcode: 2008Natur.453.1083S. 
  17. ↑ "Royal Astronomical Society" (in en-gb). https://www.ras.org.uk/component/gem/?id=297. 
  18. ↑ "MIXS". http://www.mps.mpg.de/planetary-science/bepi-colombo-mixs. 
  19. ↑ "Mercury Planetary Orbiter Instruments" (in en-GB). http://sci.esa.int/bepicolombo/38831-instruments/. 
  20. ↑ nb101. "SMILE — University of Leicester" (in en). https://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/physics/research/src/Missions/smile. 
  21. ↑ "UK-built tech brings Europe's Mercury mission closer to launch" (in en). https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-built-tech-brings-europes-mercury-mission-closer-to-launch. 
  22. ↑ "Five Mercury Mysteries for BepiColombo" (in en-US). The National Space Centre. https://spacecentre.co.uk/blog-post/mysteries-for-bepicolombo/. 
  23. ↑ "Have you got a licence for that rocket?" (in en). Astronomy & Geophysics 56 (4): 4.7.5–4.7. 22 July 2015. doi:10.1093/astrogeo/atv114. ISSN 1366-8781. 
  24. ↑ "National Space Academy - Professor Emma Bunce" (in en-gb). https://nationalspaceacademy.org/previous-keynote-speakers/387-professor-emma-bunce. 
  25. ↑ "The Derby and District Astronomical Society". 2015. http://derbyastronomy.org/DDASMainMeeting040915.pdf. 
  26. ↑ Amos, Jonathan (6 July 2017). "Mercury mission ready for 'pizza oven'" (in en-GB). BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-40513818. 
  27. ↑ esa. "Mercury Planetary Orbiter" (in en-GB). European Space Agency. https://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/BepiColombo/Mercury_Planetary_Orbiter/(print). 
  28. ↑ Derek, Raine (2018). Mathematical Methods for the Physical Sciences. [S.l.]: The Pantaneto Press. ISBN 978-0992941185. OCLC 1032575166. 
  29. ↑ Switzerland, Marc Türler, Dept. of Astronomy, University of Geneva. "EWASS 2018". http://eas.unige.ch/EWASS2018/plenary.jsp. 
  30. ↑ "Widgety" (in en). https://www.widgety.co.uk/events/space-lectures-the-cassini-mission-to-saturn-13-years-of-discovery. 
  31. ↑ "Emma Bunce" (in en). 11 July 2017. https://theconversation.com/profiles/emma-bunce-389758. 
  32. ↑ "Emma Bunce" (in en-GB). New Scientist Live 2018. https://live.newscientist.com/speakers/emma-bunce. 
  33. ↑ Al-Khalili, Jim (2020). "Emma Bunce on the gas giants". BBC. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000jvxq. 
  34. ↑ No. 64269. 30 December 2023. p. N12. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/64269/supplement/N12 
  35. ↑ "Awards for New Year 2024". https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/658daadd80a3bb000d9d05bd/NY24_-_GOV.UK_New_Year_Honours_List_2024.pdf. 
  36. ↑ "Grant winners" (in zh-hans). Times Higher Education (THE). 23 February 2012. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/cn/news/grant-winners/419085.article. 
  37. ↑ 37.0 37.1 "University of Leicester - Star Prize for University Physicist" (in en). https://www.le.ac.uk/ebulletin-archive/ebulletin/news/press-releases/2000-2009/2004/09/nparticle-sps-hv4-v2c.html. 
  38. ↑ "Once a physicist...Lord Browne of Madingley" (in en). Physics World 17 (11): 50. 2004. doi:10.1088/2058-7058/17/11/47. ISSN 2058-7058. http://stacks.iop.org/2058-7058/17/i=11/a=47. 



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