In the Spotlight: Terry Sloan

Based at the University of Edinburgh, Terry Sloan is part of the LSST:UK Project Management Team. He manages the contribution of the LSST:UK Science Centre (LUSC), ensuring the work of Rubin UK is delivered on time and to plan. 

What excites you most about the Rubin LSST? 

The scale of it. Coming from a high-performance computing (HPC) and data intensive compute background, the computational ambition – along with the engineering and scientific goals of the project – make it a very appealing programme to be part of.  

 What motivates you in your role? 

Being involved in a project that is pushing the boundaries as well as working with a great team of people. 

 What’s the most challenging thing about working on the project?  

Keeping up with all the different communication routes. 

What's the best thing you've learned while working on here?  

There are too many to mention – I’m unable to choose just one. 

 How did you end up doing the kind of job you do? 

I am not an astronomer but my first degree was geophysics. I always remember being blown away in final year honours by Van Allen radiation belts (ie Northern Lights), plate tectonics/geomagnetism and the formation of the earth/solar system.  Having spent much of my career in computing, working on LSST:UK has been a great opportunity to rekindle that wonder and amazement at scientific discovery. 

 What do you enjoy doing when you’re not at work? 

Playing drums.  

 Do you have a secret talent? 

See my previous answer!