Beatrice Tinsley

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How do I get started? Research at Victoria Employment

New Zealand has produced an impressive list of physicists and astronomers, especially considering its small population. This is a photograph of Beatrice Tinsley, a world-famous astronomer who made major contributions to the field of cosmology. After attending New Plymouth Girls' High School, she undertook her first degree at the University of Canterbury. In 1966 she completed a doctoral thesis at the University of Texas in Austin, entitled "Evolution of Galaxies and its Significance for Cosmology." Dr. Tinsley's profound and impressive research helped to develop our understanding the expansion of the universe among other things. The Beatrice Tinsley prize is now awarded every other year by the American Astronomical Society for especially creative or innovative contributions to astronomy or astrophysics. Learn more about Beatrice Tinsley.

How do I get started?

The process of becoming an astronomer or physicist can begin at Victoria University. Just start taking physics, astronomy and maths courses such as PHYS 132, PHYS 114, and PHYS 115 and see how you go. If you have a passion for science there may well be web pages about you in the future!

Research at Vic

There are lots of active research programs in Physics at Victoria University. Here are a few you can read about:

Astrophysics

Geomagnetism and Paleomagnetism

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

Radiation imaging and Detection

Raman Spectroscopy Laboratory

Sea Ice Research

Employment Areas

People with training in physics are employable in lots of places for lots of reasons. Mostly they tend to be very good problem solvers. With the addition of some technology courses, Victoria University physics graduates are well prepared to participate in New Zealand’s high tech industries.

In addition to being a very productive scientist, Dr. Tinsley had a reputation as a dedicated teacher and mentor. There is a large demand for tertiary and secondary physics and maths teachers in New Zealand, and Victoria is a great place to get trained for a rewarding career teaching and helping young people. You can look at videos of some physics demonstrations developed at Victoria University for high school teachers.