Astronomer Fact Sheet

Dr. Claire Halliday	Name: Dr. Claire Halliday Title: Postdoctoral Research Assistant Research Area: Formation and Evolution of Galaxies
I became interested in astronomy at an early age probably 7 years old and completely by chance. I had ordered a book from our school book club describing the planets and other members of the Solar System. By another piece of fortune, the series "Cosmos" based on Carl Sagan's book was being televised at a similar time. My father had had an amateur interest in astronomy ten years before and I have to say his encouragement and inspiration were important in helping me decide what I wanted to do in life. The ways things developed I was always naturally stronger and enjoyed mathematics and sciences the best at school. It therefore seemed natural that I should apply to University to study astronomy and physics. And now in the end I am a postdoctoral researcher trying to forge a career in astronomy and I have to say I regret very little in coming this far.