In this article, Cois Coiribe catches up with alumnus Éamonn Harvey, who now works at the UK Astronomy Technology Centre, Royal Observatory Edinburgh. Éamonn dives into his childhood motivations, discusses several influences and muses from his time at the University, and reminisces about his nostalgia for Galway City. He also talks about his role as an Optical Engineer, the instrumentation he uses, and how collaboration is what moves science forward.
Meet Dr Éamonn Harvey…
I am the middle child of five, with parents from Donegal and Carlow. I grew up in Cork, after moving there from France when I was young. Eventually, for one reason or another, Galway’s gravity pulled me in.
I have a four-year-old son, Joel, with my wife Ariel, and most of my time outside work is spent playing and drawing with him. Ariel and I met while studying physics together in Galway, although we didn’t date until I returned from doing a Master’s in Paris, shortly before we started our respective PhDs.
For over 25 years, I was a keen skateboarder, spending my evenings exploring the ledges, steps, and rails of our fair isle. Since our son arrived, I’ve been trying to avoid injuries; however, I have come down with late onset athleticism in recent years. So, I now spend my time outside of work and family swimming, running, and cycling – and a bit of fiddle playing in the evenings. I also have an amateur interest in photography, archaeology, and folklore.
