Pablo is a postdoctoral researcher at University College London (UCL). He is interested in cosmology both theoretical and observational. He is also very interested in the use of Bayesian statistics in cosmology. For DES, he works with the extensions team, using DES data to test physics beyond the Lambda-CDM cosmological model, and also optimising the statistical methods that we use to analyse the DES data, and to compare it with other datasets.
We asked Pablo a few more questions, here’s what he had to say…
What is your favorite part about being a scientist?
I like how challenging and rewarding scientific research is, and the feeling you get when after months of hard work you can show the world that you have done something that no one had ever done before, and that slightly helps increase our knowledge about the nature of the Universe.
Do you have any hobbies or take part in sports?
I love watching and playing football (European football of course). I am a big fan of Atletico de Madrid, and of course I really enjoy the DES football matches in the collaboration meetings.
What is your favorite book, movie, and/or TV show?
The original Star Wars movies are amongst my favourites. I grew up watching them over and over as a child, and I think at least part of my curiosity about space started there.
What do you think has been the most exciting advance in physics / astronomy in the last 10 years?
I am very excited about the beginning of the era of Gravitational Wave astronomy, I think the detection of the first gravitational wave event, and the detection of the first gravitational wave with an optical counterpart, are huge milestones for the field.
Any advice for aspiring scientists?
If you like what are you doing, keep doing it! Working in science can be extremely rewarding and fun if you like your field. Also, don’t be discouraged by thinking you are not good enough, people around you don’t know nearly as much as you think they do.
