Meyer, Karen

Karen Meyer obtained a PhD in Applied Mathematics from the University of St Andrews in 2012, and remained as a postdoctoral researcher until 2014, working with Professor Duncan Mackay.

From 2014 – 2020 she was a Lecturer in Applied Mathematics at Abertay University. In February 2020 she moved the Dundee University.

Karen’s primary research interests involve simulation and observations of the Sun’s magnetic field. She is also interested in the application of mathematics in interdisciplinary collaboration. In collaboration with the University of St Andrews, Karen supervised a team of Abertay students to develop an educational game that incorporated a mathematical model for the treatment of tuberculosis. She also supervised a PhD student researching real-time, interactive fluid dynamics simulations for use in computer graphics.

Karen enjoys sharing her enthusiasm for the Sun and Mathematics with the public, such as through science festivals, school visits and public lectures.

Karen’s research involves the simulation and observation of solar magnetic fields across a wide range of scales. Research interests include:

• Modelling and observation of the Sun’s small-scale (Magnetic Carpet) and global magnetic field, both on the surface (photosphere) and within the solar atmosphere (corona).
• Modelling solar active region decay. Active regions are the largest magnetic features observed on the Sun and are responsible for highly energetic eruptive events.
• Modelling solar coronal jets (small-scale eruptive events).
• Machine Learning for the detection and tracking of solar active regions.
• Using solar observations from satellites and ground-based telescopes to drive, validate and inform the development of models.