About Me

I am a PhD graduate from the Institude for Astronomy of the University of Edinburgh. I worked on the topic of White Dwarf Luminosity Functions with the Pan-STARRS 3-pi Survey. A fast learner and self-taught programmer proficient in paralleling computing with Python using mpi4py. Excellent design and visualisation skills - strongly believe quality visualisation is the means to effective communication. Experienced tutor in Mathematics and Physical Sciences at University Level. Qualified A-Level examiner.

I was previously working as a Scientific Software Developer at the Astrophysics Research Institute at the Liverpool John Moores University. During my spare time, I carried out independent research in the topic of White Dwarfs in the solar neighbourhood using Pan-STARRS, Gaia, LT etc.

Between 2020 and 2023, I was a postdoctoral research fellow at the Tel Aviv University working with Iair Arcavi on the development of an iraf-free spectral data reduction software, ASPIRED; and with Dan Maoz on Delay Time Distribution of supernovae. My own research topic covers Astronomical Software Development, Astronomical Techniques, White Dwarfs, Blue Large Amplitude Pulsators.

As of November 2023, I started working as a senior software developer for the Euclid Consortium at the Royal Observatory of Edinburgh, part of the University of Edinburgh.

Education

University of Edinburgh

PhD in Astrophysics • 2012 - 2016

White Dwarf Luminosity Functions from the Pan-STARRS1 3pi Survey

The maximum volume density estimator is generalised over a photometric and proper motion limited sample tested on a Monte-Carlo simulated WD catalogue. The method is applied to the Pan-STARRS 3pi Steradian Survey to construct white dwarf luminosity functions of the solar neighbourhood. Interstellar reddening correction with a three-dimensional dust map and detailed treatment of the varying survey depth as a function of positions are considered for the first time.

University of Cambridge

MSci in Natural Sciences (Astrophysics) MA (cantab)• 2008 - 2012

An Infrared Hunt for the Nearest and Coolest Stars

Combining the near-infrared (NIR) data from VISTA and mid-infrared (MIR) from WISE stored in a PostgreSQL database to search for the nearest and coolest objects that were not identied due to their extreme faintness in the optical.

Work

Institute for Astronomy, University of Edinburgh

Senior Scientist/Software Developer • November 2023 - Present

Full-time developer on weak lensing sensitivity testing on Euclid VIS images.

Currently maintaining the following projects outside of work:
(1) ASPIRED - an iraf-free spectral data reduction toolkit written in Python
(2) WDPhotTools - a toolkit to fit white dwarf photometry and generate luminosity functions
(3) SpectResC - a simple spectral resampling tool written in Python with C-extension, based on the original work SpectRes

School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University

Postdoctoral Researcher • September 2020 - October 2023

Currently working on the following projects:
(1) ASPIRED - an iraf-free spectral data reduction toolkit written in Python
(2) RASCAL - an automated wavelength calibration software
(3) WDPhotTools - a toolkit to fit white dwarf photometry and generate luminosity functions
(4) SpectResC - a simple spectral resampling tool written in Python with C-extension, based on the original work SpectRes
(5) SpectroscopicStandards - a web viewer of a collection of spectroscopic standards
(6) Disentangling_Shift_And_Add - a spectral distentangling software adapted from Tomer Shenar's development
(7) autopsf - a tool to compute an empirical PSF, heavily dependent on photutils and psfr
(8) Deriving star formation histories from White Dwarf Luminosity Functions
(9) Identify and understand the nature of Blue Large Amplitude Pulsators
(10) Reconstructing Delayed Time Distribution of supernovae from legacy data

Astrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University

Scientific Software Developer • April 2017 - March 2020

Projects:
(1) developed a Telescope Control System in collaboration with the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT).
(2) designed and prototyped a data pipeline for the Astroecology group at the ARI.
(3) developed a web-based astronomical image manipulation tool with the National Schools' Observatory.
(4) containerised the Liverpool Telescope data reduction pipeline with Docker.
(5) Data Flow and Archiving for Robotic Operations Present and Future.

Cambridge International Examination

Examiner • 2017 - 2020

Assist Principal Examiner in marking A-Level Mathematics scripts and to provide feedback with a written report. Prior to the marking, the standardisation process has to be completed as specified.
(1) 9709/62 Mathematics Probability & Statistics 62 (GCE AS & A Level 2017) - Marked 742 scripts online in 3 weeks and provided feedback to the Principal Examiner.

School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh

Teaching Assistant • 2012 - 2017

Main responsibilities are to lead tutorial classes for groups of students to discuss key points from lectures through the use of practical equipment, experiments and exercises. During practical exercises, provide sufficient assistance and guidance when required, and be aware of any Health and Safety issue. In sessions with small groups, it is necessary to monitor student progress and to provide feedback to them either immediately or through feedback provided on marking of assignments.
(1) Observational Astronomy (3rd year course 2013-2017)
(2) Dynamics and Vector Calculus (2nd year course 2012-2013, 2016-2017)
(3) Mathematics for Physics (2nd year course 2016-2017)
(4) Linear Algebra and Several Variable Calculus (2nd year course 2012-2014, 2016-2017)
(5) Senior Honours Group Project (4th year course 2013-2016)
(6) Introductory Astrophysics (1st/2nd year course 2013-2014)
(7) Physics 1B: The Stu of the Universe (1st year course 2012-2013)
(8) Astronomy 1S: Stellar and Planetary Science (1st/2nd year course 2012-2013)

Astrophysics

  • Survey Astronomy
  • Astrometry
  • Astrostatistics
  • White Dwarfs
  • Stellar Evolution
  • Wide Binaries
  • Variabile stars

Computing

  • Python (numpy/scipy/mpi4py/f2py)
  • LaTeX
  • Adobe Illustrator
  • SQL/ADQL (PostgreSQL/MySQL)
  • HTML5+CSS3
  • JavaScripts (AngularJS/jQuery/D3.js)

Skills

  • Numerical/Data Reduction/Data Analysis
  • Turoting/Marking
  • Organisation
  • Presentation

Selected Publications

Automated SpectroPhotometric Image REDuction (ASPIRED)

Lam, M C; Smith, R J; Arcavi, I; Steele, I A; Veitch-Michaelis, J; Wyrzykowski, L

WDPhotTools -- A White Dwarf Photometric Toolkit in Python

Lam, M C; Yuen, K W; Li W; Green M J

Identifying blue large amplitude pulsators from Gaia DR2 and ZTF DR3

McWhirter, P R; Lam, M C

Confirmation of Monoperiodicity Above 20 Seconds for Two Blue Large-Amplitude Pulsators

McWhirter, P R; Lam, M C; Steele, I A

First discovery of an ultra-cool white dwarf benchmark in common proper motion with an M dwarf

Lam, M C; Hambly, N C; Lodieu, N; Blouin, S; Harvey, E J; Smith, R J; Galvez-Ortiz, M C; Zhang, Z H

RASCAL: Towards automated spectral wavelength calibration

Veitch-Michaelis, J; Lam, M C

The white dwarf luminosity functions from the Pan-STARRS 1 3π Steradian Survey

Lam, M C; Hambly, N C; Rowell, N; Chambers, K C; Goldman, B; Hodapp, K W; Kaiser, N; Kudritzki, R-P; Magnier, E A; Tonry, J L; Wainscoat, R J; Waters, C

Full publication list can be found on ADS, or Google Scholar.

Get In Touch.

Contact Details

Royal Observatory of Edinburgh
Blackford Hill
Edinburgh
UK EH9 3HJ

mlam[at]roe.ac.uk