Dr Phil Sutton

Phil Sutton starts his new position at the University of Lincoln in the School of Mathematics and Physics as Lecturer of Astrophysics 1st September 2017. He obtained his undergraduate degree at Nottingham Trent in Physics with Astrophysics in 2006. During his undergraduate studies and up until taking a position in the physics department at Loughborough University in 2007 he also worked as mechanic building and racing cars. Experimentation with large engines in small cars (Vauxhall corsa) led to some success at national events. Winning first place in the 1/4 mile (low 12 seconds with terminal speeds of 128mph) at Santa Pod raceway at the performance Vauxhall show and placing in the finals at Ten Of The Best, a national event to find the fastest street legal cars in country.

For the ten years spent at Loughborough University as technician and more recently a technical tutor he was responsible for the universities astronomical observatory, teaching practical astronomy including practical physics laboratories and astrophysics. In 2010 Phil undertook a part-time PhD whilst working full time as a technician and completed in 2015 under the supervision of Prof Feo Kusmartsev. The topic of the thesis was Saturn’s narrow F ring and sought to create numerical models to replicate observations taken by the Cassini spacecraft. Current research interests include Saturn’s rings but also some of the new exoplanets discovered around multiple stars and how planetary rings (like Saturn) might behave. Ultimately understanding planetary rings can help us understand moon formation, and moons around other worlds are some of best opportunities to find life.