Meet Lisa Harvey-Smith
Astrophysicist
About Lisa
Lisa’s path into the cosmos was more unconventional than most. She decided to leave school at 11 and teach herself. She soon discovered a passion for astronomy and once she joined a local astronomical society she was hooked. When she grew up, Lisa went to university to study space and even traveled to Germany and the Netherlands to study stars and magnetic fields in space. In 2017, Lisa moved to Australia and has made important contributions to her field, leading the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder telescope project. Lisa’s valuable research continues and she has published over 50 peer-reviewed scientific papers. Lisa is also an ambassador for the government to help inspire more children to get excited about science, technology, engineering and maths.
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Lisa, Astrophysicist
Download this PDF and learn more about Lisa and discover how his experiences can inspire the next generation.
I thrive in an environment where I'm trusted and allowed to do my own thing. Teaching myself at home gave me self-discipline and focus.
Resources
- Students
- Teachers
- Parents
For students
Career Info Sheet for kids – Lisa
Career pathway infographic – astrophysicist
Meet Lisa
Poster – Lisa
Skills Colouring In – Lisa
Student Activity Pack – Lisa
Wordsearch – Lisa
For teachers
Capability Conversations – Lisa
Career Information Sheet – Lisa
Career pathway infographic – astrophysicist
Comprehension Questions – Lisa
Meet Lisa
Poster – Lisa
Skills Colouring In – Lisa
Teacher’s Pack – Lisa
For parents
Career Information Sheet – Lisa
Career pathway infographic – astrophysicist
Meet Lisa
Poster – Lisa
Skills Colouring In – Lisa
Future You was funded by the Australian Government as part of the Women in STEM Ambassador Initiative from 2019 to May 2024, delivered through a grant with UNSW Sydney. The program is hosted at UNSW Sydney and co-funded by the Optiver Foundation and the Faculties of Science at UNSW Sydney and The University of Sydney.
