Clare Parnell

Clare Parnell is a Professor in Applied Mathematics at the University of St Andrews, within the School of Mathematics and Statistics. Her research focuses on solar and space plasma physics, particularly magnetic reconnection, coronal heating, and magnetic field topology. She leads projects funded by the Science & Technology Facilities Council and collaborates internationally on solar telescope initiatives like the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST).

Her research interests include 3D magnetic reconnection simulations, magnetic skeleton analysis, and coronal heating mechanisms. She has supervised PhD student Qihui Ming and contributed to over 100 peer-reviewed publications. Awards include the RAS Fowler Prize (2006) and Fellowship of the Royal Astronomical Society (1999).

Key grants include leadership in multi-year projects on Solar and Magnetospheric Plasmas (2016–2025), and she serves on editorial boards and review panels. Her work bridges numerical simulations, observational data analysis, and theoretical models in space plasma physics.