Tom Knight

Tom Knight is a Lecturer in Planetary Physics at the Department of Physics, Aberystwyth University. He holds an MPhys and PhD from Aberystwyth University, with his doctoral work focusing on Smoothed Particle Magnetohydrodynamics for the Solar Corona under supervisors B. Pinter and M. Grande. His research bridges computational physics and applied instrumentation, particularly in space environments. Current roles include contributions to the European Space Agency's Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer (JUICE) mission via the Particle Environment Package (PEP) and participation in the ISSI Research Team on Radiation Interactions at Planetary Bodies.

Education:

• MPhys in Physics, University of Wales, Aberystwyth (2008)
• PhD in Solar System Physics, Aberystwyth University (2012)

Research interests center on radiation analysis for space instrumentation, computational modeling of planetary environments, and detector optimization. His work involves collaboration with global institutions including IRF Sweden, University of Bern, and Johns Hopkins University. Recent publications address solar corona observations, detector calibration for spacecraft, and planetary surface imaging technologies.

He has contributed to multiple international research teams and led design workshops on spacecraft radiation safety. Currently oversees detector shielding strategies for JUICE mission instruments and co-develops hyperspectral imaging tools for planetary missions.

Labs/Teams: Active member of the Solar System Physics Research Group, IMPACS, and the ISSI Radiation Interactions Team.