I completed my PhD at the University of Southampton in 2013. In the 2017/2018 academic year, I was a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at Texas Tech University in the US. Currently, I am a Royal Society Newton International Fellow at the University of Manchester. My area of research is X-ray binaries outside our own Galaxy. Using radio, optical and X-ray telescopes, I study how these systems form and evolve in different environments in the Local Universe. In addition to my research, I am passionate about science engagement with the public and have even started my own science communication company. In my spare time I enjoy `salsa and ballroom dancing and watching cricket.

Talk: Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good: accidental astronomical discoveries

Scientific discoveries and advancement often take many years of meticulous planning and hard work by teams of experts. Yet, sometimes just being in the right place at the right time can be enough to uncover an amazing astronomical breakthrough. Dr. Joseph will discuss some serendipitous astronomical discoveries and the lucky people who made them.