In the Spotlight: Roy Williams

Based at the University of Edinburgh, Project Manager / Software Developer Roy Williams is part of the team that has developed the Lasair broker, which allows scientists to extract what interests them from the deluge of LSST alerts. 

 How did you get into astronomy? 

Watching the moon landings as a boy. I have been enchanted by astronomy since then! 

What excites you most about the LSST survey? 

As it’s such a large, wide survey, the LSST will find many more of the known types of transient, greatly increasing understanding, but it will also find many unexpected surprises. 

What inspires you to do the work you do? 

I love making things. I love making quality. I love working with the team. 

What’s the most challenging thing about working on LSST:UK?  

The anxiety of not being able to keep up ... there will be ten million alerts a day! 

What's the best thing you've learned while working on LSST:UK?  

The nuts and bolts of cloud computing. 

What's your favourite thing about being a scientist?  

Extracting observations, understanding the physics, seeing the glory of Nature. 

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working on LSST:UK? 

Cooking. Volunteering. Walking. Exploring.  

If you weren't a scientist, what would your dream job be? 

A structural engineer. I love making things. 

 Do you have any advice for aspiring astronomers who wish to do the kind of work you do?  

Use the joy and awe of the deep universe to get you through and, as you go, learn data science. That way you can get a job whenever you need it. 

For more on Lasair visit lasair.lsst.ac.uk