Sam Kay

I am a PhD student in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at Durham University, working on structures in the solar wind—in particular, the formation and evolution of magnetic switchbacks: the sharp, S-shaped kinks that appear in the Sun’s magnetic field as it streams outward, first seen in detail by Parker Solar Probe (PSP).

I write and help produce the maths magazine Chalkdust; I have written a number of articles as myself and as the cryptic crossword setter Seuss.

I co-hosted the popular maths podcast Chalkboard Ultra, where Louie Leventhall and I talked about cool (!) concepts in maths and chatted to PhD candidates and lecturers about their research.

During the summers I have worked as a counsellor at a children’s summer camp in Pennsylvania, USA. I have been the lead pianist and keytar player in various bands, most recently in Quantum Funk Theory (QFT).