Stars have a big impact on the planets they orbit. Dr Laura Driessen is a radio astronomer at the Sydney Institute for Astronomy, University of Sydney, who investigates stars to find out if they have the right conditions for life. Laura uses radio telescopes in Australia, like the Australian SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP) telescope and Australian Telescope Compact Array, to identify and study magnetic stars.
Using ASKAP, she has already doubled the known number of radio stars, and is now using them to understand more about what makes a star a radio star. She has published a radio star catalogue, a significant undertaking with a large impact, making radio observations of stars accessible to the wider astronomy community.
Laura is a passionate science communicator, communicating not just her research, but astronomy and Australian scientific research in general. She regularly works on the ABC Radio Science Q&A shows answering science questions from the public, and has communicated her science on Channel 10 and The Conversation. She also communicates science to rural and remote communities, such as through the DeadlyScience STEM legends program.