Dr Cyrielle Opitom obtained her PhD in Astronomy at the Université de Liège in Belgium in 2016 and then moved to Chile as a fellow at the European Southern Observatory (ESO). She joined the University of Edinburgh in 2019 and is currently a chancellor’s fellow. She studies small bodies of the solar system and in particular comets. Her research focuses on using the latest astronomical instrumentation, including mainly spectroscopic techniques in the optical and UV, to investigate the composition of comets and understand what it can teach us about the history of the solar system. Cyrielle is also involved in projects aiming at developing astronomy in Africa and is interested in science policymakers. She took part in the Royal Society Policy Associate scheme where she spent 6 months seconded to the Chief Scientific Advisor’s office within the Department of Levelling-up, Housing, and Communities.
Cyrielle Opitom
