Hello everyone! 
I’m Srilakshmi Ramakrishnan (Sri), 26 years old. I grew up in a small town in south India with clear skies, my exposure to astronomy was limited, but I always felt a deep desire to explore the universe. Being the first girl in my family to follow the path of science and to attend university, I was involved in various science projects at school, where I was awarded the Young Scientist Award in 2015.
This passion led me to successfully pursue my undergraduate degree in physics, marking the initiation of a journey that has only intensified over the years. I chose to intern at the Ooty Radio Telescope by Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in India (TIFR), where I learned about the complexities of celestial phenomena, learned about radio telescopes, and got involved in a project understanding pulsars. My dedication to advancing scientific understanding led me to
- Undertake research at the Indian Astronomical Observatory in Hanle, Ladakh, measuring atmosphere transparency at 220 GHz .
- In November 2023 I visited the observatory to understand the workings of various active telescopes, ranging from the 2.01 metre optical-infrared Himalayan Chandra Telescope (HCT), GROWTH-India telescope, the Cassegrain telescope, and a High Altitude Gamma Ray Telescope (HAGAR) at an altitude of approximately 4,500 metres.
- I also learned to study galaxies and exoplanets, which always fascinated me using different software like IRAF, etc.
My first job as a project manager at BloomIndia (an organization based out of Bangalore in India), I developed and implemented a STEM curriculum from scratch for underprivileged children in rural India, connecting school communities and organising hands-on experiments for them, including virtual reality, augmented reality, and planetarium experiences. I also built educational content on STEM in the form of engaging YouTube videos for this community. I also had experience as a Teaching and Curriculum Specialist, where I built accessible and engaging educational content on STEM for laypeople.
However, my pivot to specialise in Astronomy is a bit more recent.
My experience with astronomy over the last few years comes from my curiosity and interest to pursue my passion even thought I did not have many opportunities to pursue it.
My academic background is in general physics and medical physics. I was awarded the Vice Chancellor’s Award, which is a scholarship that enabled me to pursue my post graduation in Medical Physics in the UK in 2022. I felt everything was new when I landed in the UK a couple of years back. However, as I progressed through the coursework, I realized that it failed to ignite the happiness and excitement that Astronomy brought for me.
I decided to take charge of finding a way to reconnect with my true passion. In early 2023, I began volunteering at the Kielder Observatory in North England, situated beneath some of the world’s most protected dark skies. I visited the SpaceGuard Centre in Wales, where I witnessed the remarkable work being done to track near-Earth objects, further deepening my interest in the field.
I also actively participate in all UK Parliamentary Astronomy Committee meetings, which has been a fantastic way to expand my knowledge of astronomy and connect with others in the field. That’s actually where I first met David Arditti, President of BAA. I was new to the UK, eager to get more involved, and passionate about outreach, but still figuring out the astronomy scene here. David was incredibly helpful and introduced me to a community of astronomers who shared my excitement for the field. Helen Usher and Marie-Louise were especially supportive, guiding me as I found my feet and developed my ideas which led to (SRI) StellaR Inspire (very recently set up). I’m driven to create opportunities in astronomy for young people, offering them the kinds of experiences I didn’t have growing up.
I recently joined Royal Observatory Greenwich, and my role as a Cosmic Ambassador allows me to do astronomy outreach in Greenwich.
Cheers,
Sri