The Crew

	Susie Alaghband-Zadeh Producer Susie is a 2nd year PhD student studying star forming galaxies at high redshift. She did her Masters at Durham University, looking at the properties of nearby galaxies but got more interested in the properties of the galaxies which are much further away when she arrived in Cambridge. Susie is the producer of the AstroPod which means she organises things – from the recording sessions to the uploading of the podcasts after they have been edited.
	Dan Wilkins Sound Engineer and Editor Dan is in the second year of his PhD studying the emission of high energy X-rays from black holes, having obtained his Masters degree in Natural Sciences (Physics) from the University of Cambridge. Dan is responsible for the technical side of the AstroPod and oversees the recording of each episode. He also leads the editorial team who turn the incoherent ramblings of our crew into the final episode that reaches our listeners. In addition, he is responsible for the AstroPod's website.
	Maciej Hermanowicz Presenter Maciek is a 2nd year PhD student working on the variations of star forming region populations in the local Universe. He did his Masters degree in Astrophysics at the Institute of Astronomy. Maciek is Polish, which makes him the only non-native speaker on the show so far. A caveat for typo hunters — Polish names change their form depending on the formality of situation... Maciek is one of the presenters, tasked with stringing the AstroPod's section together with the latest portion of astronomy gossip. He is also responsible for hunting down and interviewing an exciting Guest of the Month for each edition.
	Lauren Weiss Presenter Lauren co-presents the AstroPod, alongside Maciek. She is studying the properties of groups of young stars for her Masters degree at the Institute of Astronomy. Before coming to Cambridge, Lauren completed her undergraduate study at Harvard.
	Anna Quider Presenter Anna presented the AstroPod until January 2011, adding her distinctive American tones to the AstroPod. She strives to bring you astronomy snippets in an easy to understand manner and also engages the historians amongst you who want to know more about the fantastic stories behind the great astronomers and discoveries from the past. Anna completed her bachelor's degrees in Physics and Astronomy, Religious Studies, and the History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania, USA), where she conducted research on quasar absorption line systems. Now at the IoA, Anna's research focuses on early star-forming galaxies, with an eye towards understanding the chemical evolution of the universe.
	Laura Churcher Newsreader
	Alex Hall History Alex is from the Isle of Man, a remote-ish place betwixt Ireland and England. Before starting at the IoA, he studied Physics at Cambridge and now researches theoretical aspects of cosmology. His favourite material is wool and in his spare time, he likes to play guitar, sing sad songs, drink frothy ale and stare into the night sky with a deeply serious look on his face. Alex is responsible for our History section, giving you some historical background on each month's feature.
	Alex Calverley Sky at Night
	Michelle Collins Joke of the Month Our resident joker Michelle Collins, infamous for her monthly astronomy-related anecdotes, is a final year Ph.D. student at the institute. Her research focuses on galaxy evolution in the Local Group, primarily investigating the evolutionary history of the Andromeda galaxy. She has been a member of the podcast crew since 2007, and will sadly leave us in September. Will the joke of the month continue..? Many people probably hope that it won't...
	Poul Alexander Editor Poul is researching the dynamics and evolution of globular clusters of stars for his Ph.D. Each month, he works as part of the editorial team, led by Dan, to produce the AstroPod.
	Allison Strom Editor Allison is studying galaxy evolution for her Masters degree at the Institute of Astronomy. Each month, she works as part of the editorial team, led by Dan, to produce the AstroPod.