Hi, I'm Nicole.
My name is Nicole, and I am an astrophysics PhD student at the University of Southern Queensland, where I completed my Honours degree with First Class Honours, earning the University Medal, before continuing on to my current doctoral research.
Researching merging galaxies and star formation, with a background in motorsport journalism, wildlife care, pencil art, and science communication.
Originally from Toowoomba, I now call Bribie Island home. Under the mentorship of Dr Rebecca McElroy, my PhD research focuses on merging galaxies and star formation, a field I hope to keep contributing to long into the future.
I haven’t always been a student, though. In the decade before returning to study, I worked in motorsport media for Australian Motorsport Magazine, travelling to outback Queensland to cover off-road and rally events, as well as spending time closer to home at Lakeside and Morgan Park Raceway in Warwick.
Before that, I spent time in New South Wales working as a veterinary nurse and wildlife carer for injured birds. A love of animals has followed me ever since, as has a love of art. I am an avid pencil artist, and my work spans pop-culture pieces and animal portraits, drawing on my love of science fiction, fantasy, and the natural world.
Outside of research, I try to stay connected to the broader community. I have organised astronomy outreach events and worked as a demonstrator for undergraduate physics, and I find that sharing science with people of all ages is one of the most rewarding parts of being a researcher.