Jen Gupta

I am an Associate Professor in Public Engagement and Outreach and Impact Lead in the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation (ICG), and an astrophysicist by training. I am also currently an STFC Leadership Fellow in Public Engagement. 

I am in charge of the ICG's strategic outreach and public engagement programme, which involves running our physics schools outreach programme and supporting ICG researchers to develop new and impactful ways to engage the public with their research. I am also one of the co-leaders of a new University-wide Public Engagement network. My role is supported by the South East Physics Network (SEPnet) and The Ogden Trust.

I am an experienced science communicator and presenter, and regularly appear on TV and radio to talk about astronomy and science.

I joined the University of Portsmouth in 2012 as the Outreach Officer for the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation. I was promoted to the Public Engagement and Outreach Manager in 2015, then to Senior Public Engagement and Outreach Fellow in 2018, and to Associate Professor in Public Engagement and Outreach in 2023. In 2024 I was awarded an STFC Leadership Fellowship in Public Engagement. I previously completed a PhD in Astronomy and Astrophysics at the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics at the University of Manchester (2008 - 2012) working under the supervision of Professor Ian Browne.

In addition to my role at the University of Portsmouth, I work as a general science presenter and communicator and regularly appear on the TV and radio to talk about astronomy and science. I can ocassionally be found performing astronomy-themed comedy sets.

I was on maternity and shared parental leave from October 2018 to July 2019 and April 2021 to February 2022.

I am happy to be contacted by the media to discuss my work or any recent astronomy new stories. 

I do not currently have any teaching responsibilities. I have previously co-supervised a physics final year project (2016 - 'Developing Effective Demonstrations to Explore the Science and Technology of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey') and am happy to discuss outreach and public engagement projects with any physics students.