Lucy Berthoud, PhD in Space Physics

Professor Lucy Berthoud researches technology for travelling to and living on the planet Mars, as well as sample return missions to planets, comets and asteroids. She teaches spacecraft design at the University of Bristol.

Lucy is advancing the excellence of space education in the UK. She has set up and co-chaired a UK-wide Teaching and Learning network for Space Engineering and Science HE staff: the Space Universities Network (SUN). SUN brings together university teachers and researchers from across the country to share ideas and enhance student space education. This organisation has a national profile and allows universities to share ideas, case studies, guest speakers and other resources. Together, members have prepared a response to government questions on Brexit, consulted with industry to see what skills are sought from graduates and lobbied satellite licensing authorities for better terms for universities. Lucy believes that by pooling resources and working together, UK universities can help their students to reach for the stars.

Lucy works part-time for the UK spacecraft manufacturer Thales Alenia Space, where she works on future space mission concepts. She has presented a TEDx talk on Life on Mars and been chosen by students as one of the ‘Best of Bristol’ lecturers.

Lucy holds a Master's in Mechanical Engineering with Distinction from the University of Bristol and a PhD in Space Physics from Sup'Aero/ONERA (French National Research Organisation) in Toulouse, France.

She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and was awarded a University of Bristol Teaching Fellowship in 2016.

Her previous research projects have included:

- MBSE for early design of spacecraft missions.
- Radiation modelling of Martian Habitats.
- Volcano plume detection via CubeSat.
- Designing a deployment device for 50+ CubeSats.
- Selecting an asteroid for mining.
- Thermal and power design for a Ganymede Penetrator Probe.
- Thermal design for a Europa Penetrator Probe.
- Ultra low altitude SAR microsat.
- Ultra low altitude hyperspectral imager and SAR microsatellites.

Accomplishments:

2015 - Voted by students ‘Best of Bristol’ lecturer
2018 - Nominated by students for an Outstanding Teaching Award in Engineering
2019 - National Teaching Fellowship

You can find out more about Lucy on her University profile at: https://www.bristol.ac.uk/people/person/Lucy-Berthoud-d29400ff-6007-4674-a40c-9d63e790604a/

Lucy has a profile on Research Gate at: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Lucy-Berthoud

Lucy can be found on Twitter at @lucy_berthoud.