A native of Limerick, Ben was awarded a BSc. in Mathematics and Physics from the University of Limerick in 2021, where his Final Year Project involved the application of numerical methods to various problems in celestial mechanics. Another highlight of his time at UL was his co-op placement with Analog Devices, working with the Reliability Engineering team in the New Technology Quality Lab. He then completed an MSc. by research in Physics at the University of Galway, implementing numerical methods for non-linear ray tracing and the characterisation of gradient-index optical elements. Excited to be returning to his alma mater, he hopes to further his research in the application of symplectic numerical methods to problems in dynamics. When he isn’t studying, he’s usually found reading sci-fi classics, running or working on his telescope.