I currently hold a Fellowship at ESO Munich, and am a member of the Evolution of Galaxies and the ISM research group. I work in the general field of starbursts, young massive star clusters and galactic winds/outflows. My collaborators include Linda Smith (Space Telescope Science Institute), Jay Gallagher, Nate Bastian, Gelys Trancho, Bob O'Connell, Jon Slavin, Mark Gieles, Bethan James, Katrina Exter.

Contact details

E-mail:
mwestmoq AT eso.org (replace AT with @)
Postal Address:
European Southern Observatory
Karl-Schwarzschild Str. 2
85748 Garching
Germany
Telephone:
+49 (0)89 3200 6634

Some outreach photos and links:

Giving a public talk in August 2009 at UCL

On stage at the December 09 Bright Club night on Space

Explaining some stuff about colliding galaxies to a visiting school group.

"Ask me about the Big Bang" - outreach project to explain/discuss astronomy with the general public, Paris, June 2010.

"Ask me about the Big Bang" - outreach project to explain/discuss astronomy with the general public, Paris, June 2010.

On 22nd Sept 2010 I was invited to record one of the infamous Bright Club podcasts as part of a series on 'space'. Mine might not be worth much, but the others are awesome! If you're interested, though, you can download mine here.

THE 7 STEPS to Loving What You Do:

Step 1: Understanding and Acceptance
Finding satisfaction in the daily routine. Learning the truth of impermanence -- things change.

Step 2: Seeing Clearly and Letting Go
Our attachments and the desire for things to be different than they are cause us to be dissatisfied.

Step 3: Realizing, This Is It! (or Becoming willing to change)
When we stay out of the past and the future and bring ourselves into each present moment, it is possible to be happy and productive.

Step 4: Balance (or Realizing personal satisfaction)
What we do and say, and how we do it and say it, determines how harmoniously balanced our life will be and how smoothly our workday will go.

Step 5: Disciplined Attention (or Practicing mindfulness)
By making an effort and practicing mindfulness and concentration, we can achieve deep satisfaction in all that we do.

Step 6: As Things Are (or Expressing one's self)
By opening our heart and expressing compassion for all things, we have an opportunity to gain deep insight into the way of all things and acceptance of the way things are; which helps us to take responsibility for our own work.

Step 7: You're Already There
Just be. Expect nothing. Just sit. Be Grateful. This will lead to: imperturbability, equanimity, and compassion.

The Parable of the Twins

Once upon a time, twin babies were conceived.

Weeks passed and the twins developed. As their awareness grew, they laughed for joy: "Isn't it great that we were conceived? Isn't it great to be alive?"

Together the twins explored their worlds. When they found their mother's cord that gave them life, they sang for joy! "How great our mother's love is, that she shares her own life with us!"

As weeks stretched into months, the twins noticed how much each was changing. "What does it mean?" one asked." It means our stay in this world is drawing to an end." said the other.

"But I don't want to go," said one. "I want to stay here always."

"We have no choice," said the other. "But maybe there is life after birth."

"But how can there be?" responded one. "We will shed our life cord and how can life be possible without it? Besides, we have seen evidence that others were here before us, and none of them has returned to tell us there is life after birth. No, this is the end. Maybe there is no mother after all."

"But there has to be," protested the other. "How else did we get here? How do we remain alive?"

"Have you ever seen our mother?" asked one. "Maybe she only lives in our minds. Maybe we made her up because the idea made us feel good."

So the last days in the womb were filled with deep questioning and fear. Finally, the moment of birth arrived. When the twins had passed from their world, they opened their eyes and cried for joy -- for what they saw exceeded their fondest dreams.