Dr Becky Smethurst

Dr Becky Smethurst is an astrophysicist, author, science communicator and social media influencer. As a Royal Astronomical Society Research Fellow at the University of Oxford, Becky demystifies scientific complexities like black holes into accessible knowledge through her writing and YouTube channel, where she is known online as Dr Becky.

Achieving a first-class Master’s in physics from the University of Durham, Becky pursued a PhD from the University of Oxford. During that time, she took on other academic roles, including assisting with numerous undergraduate admissions interviews, undergraduate laboratory demonstrations and serving in leadership positions with the Galaxy Zoo in Oxford, the Astrophysics Colloquium Organisation at the University of Nottingham and the .Astonomy ‘Brain Trust’. In 2017, she became a Sixty Symbols Research Fellow at the University of Nottingham before establishing her YouTube Channel, Dr Becky, the following year. Since its creation, the channel has gathered more than 856k subscribers and captures the attention of over 4 million unique viewers every 3 months.  She then became a Junior Research Fellow at the University of Oxford, during which she undertook a postgraduate lecture series on public speaking, various speaking engagements across the globe, and other notable scientific communications, including numerous guest lectures with the Hendrik de Waard Foundation, University of Oxford and the Royal Institute. Since 2022, she has been a Research Fellow for the Royal Astronomical Society with the University of Oxford, specialising in non-merger driven growth of supermassive black holes and the resultant feedback on host galaxies.

As a result of her incredible work, she has received a variety of accolades for her contributions. She received the Royal Astronomical Society Group Prize, the Vice Chancellor’s Public Engagement with Research Prize, the Caroline Herschel Prize Lectureship 2020, the Institute of Physics Mary Somerville Bronze Medal, and the Royal Astronomical Society Winton Award. She is regularly featured in the media, with appearances on BBC Breakfast, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio 1, and Channel 4 News. Becky is also the co-host of the Royal Astronomical Society’s ‘Supermassive’ podcast, which is the no.1 astronomy podcast in the UK, and is the author of ‘Space 10: 10 Things You Should Know’, ‘Space at the Speed of Light’, and ‘A Brief History of Black Holes’.

With deep knowledge, vital insights, and experience at the very highest levels of academia, Becky is the perfect addition to a multitude of events, from science conferences to educational engagements. With a conversational and engaging approach to scientific theories and concepts, Becky translates complex jargon into fascinating discussions that all audiences can enjoy.