Penny Wozniakiewicz

Dr. Penny Wozniakiewicz is a Senior Lecturer in Space Science and Research Graduate Studies Lead at the University of Kent's School of Physics and Astronomy. She holds a MSci in Planetary Sciences from University College London and a PhD from Imperial College London. Her career includes postdoctoral roles at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (USA) and the University of Kent, followed by a Marie Curie International Incoming Fellowship at the Natural History Museum (London). Since 2015, she has been a Lecturer at the University of Kent, advancing space science research.

Education:

• MSci in Planetary Sciences, University College London
• PhD in Planetary Science, Imperial College London

Research Interests: Dr. Wozniakiewicz specializes in hypervelocity impacts, cosmic dust collection, and planetary formation. Her work employs advanced microscopy and material analysis techniques to study extraterrestrial samples, including those returned from space missions like Hayabusa2 (Ryugu) and Stardust. Key areas include:

• Space debris detection and mitigation
• Planetary surface evolution
• Impact processes on spacecraft materials
• Extraterrestrial dust characterization

Publications: Her research explores interdisciplinary topics such as cosmic dust flux measurement, asteroid sample analysis, and impact cratering experiments. Recent studies highlight innovations in CubeSat-based detectors and insights into terrestrial contamination of returned samples.

Affiliations: She collaborates with the Centre for Astrophysics and Planetary Science at Kent and remains a Visiting Research Associate at the Natural History Museum.