This new series catches up with your STEM professional team in the Space Zone to showcase the work that they have been involved with over the past few months!

Mike Heyns

Whilst the Space Zone has been running, I have also been running quite a few projects!

The main one at the moment deals with supplying operational space weather modelling tools to the UK Met Office, along with a range of project partners. Our team has been very busy tweaking the computer simulation code we are developing, whilst linking that to inputs and outputs of other groups within the project. Part of this included a trip to Met Office Space Weather Operations Centre (MOSWOC), where we presented our progress to the end-users, funders and other scientists. It is always great to be able to take a step back and see how far things have come!

At the same time, we have been laying the foundations for a similar ESA project that will use our computer simulation for space weather forecasting. As recently as this week, we hosted an end-user workshop to ensure that we deliver useful products that can be used and ultimately protect us from the adverse effects of space weather. This time of year is also conference season and the start of the academic year, so I have been stretched between teaching and heading off to the USA and Azerbaijan for different meetings to present work and engage with collaborators. The jetlag is real but I am super energised by the ideas that have been sparked and conversations that have been started!