Graeme Ian McGhee

Graeme Ian McGhee

Graduate student representative

Election statement

First of all, thank you so much for the nomination, I really felt honoured to receive it! My name is Graeme and I am currently in my 2nd year as a PhD student researcher at the University of Glasgow, and my research primarily focusses on the development of new (and hopefully better) mirror coatings for future detectors. I also have a passion for outreach! During my time as a member of the LSC I have experienced and seen many junior members go through the daunting task of trying to become integrated members of the collaboration. It can feel difficult to know where to start, or even where to seek help/who to approach to answer your collaboration related queries/concerns. If elected as the LAAC graduate student representative, I would be my wish and privilege to help bridge the gap and assist members, both new to the collaboration, and those that have been apart of it for along time, in any ways that I can. One of the numerous responsibilities of LAAC is to create and maintain an environment where education and research information and opportunities are open to all students, new or otherwise, and to help members make connections with others within the collaboration. The LSC is a globe spanning group of strong, determined, and passionate researchers, and was founded with a mission setting out to do, what many originally called the impossible. More recent history in this past year alone has further shown us we can overcome any obstacle placed in our way, and still be a strong cohesive community that can continue to work together and share information, research and ideas, even though most of us cannot yet meet in person. It is therefore important now more than ever that we strive to maintain and expand an environment of strong inclusiveness and support. Afterall it was once said “the strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team”. In the role as Graduate representative on LAAC I would wish to help in anyway I could to maintain and develop this environment in anyway I can, helping many other graduate students to integrate into our LIGO community and to help everyone feel that they have the support the need as a member of the LSC.