Mark Richardson
He/Him
I am gay and I am an astrophysicist and educator.//
Ever since I was young, camping in the woods, I have looked up at the night sky and been awestruck by the Milky Way. This interest led to me pursuing and, while struggling with imposter syndrome and anxiety, getting a PhD studying how galaxies form and change over time. I am also passionate about education and outreach, and love working with local schools, libraries and museums to give everyone their first taste of science. While outreach is thoroughly rewarding, I was saddened when hearing from young kids and students that they had never seen the Milky Way due to light pollution and lack of opportunity. These experiences have inspired me to find new ways to bring cool science experiences to the public. I have worked in research and education in Arizona, Oxford, New York City, and finally Kingston, Ontario. I now work to try and connect scientists and the public, to inspire the next generation of scientists, and encouraging everyone to embrace science as an interesting and entertaining endeavour. Outside of work, I love to read, hike, climb, and play boardgames with friends and a pint at the pub.