I am a final year PhD student in Astronomy at the Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge. I enjoy working at the intersection between astrophysics and cosmology, learning how to disentangle the impact of galaxy formation physics on our measurements of cosmology. My research focuses on understanding baryonic feedback and its role as a dominant systematic in weak lensing and galaxy surveys, capable of significantly limiting the precision of and biasing cosmological constraints.
Highlighted publications
Confronting cosmic shear astrophysical uncertainties: DES Year 3 revisited - Bigwood & McCullough et al. 2025
The kinetic Sunyaev Zeldovich effect as a benchmark for AGN feedback models in hydrodynamical simulations: insights from DESI + ACT - - Bigwood et al. 2025b
The case for large-scale AGN feedback in galaxy formation simulations: insights from XFABLE - Bigwood et al. 2025a (MNRAS)
Weak lensing combined with the kinetic Sunyaev Zel'dovich effect: A study of baryonic feedback - Bigwood & Amon et al. 2024 (MNRAS)
Evidence for episodic black hole growth of reionization-era quasars observed with Magellan/FIRE - Bigwood et al. 2024 (MNRAS)
Career
PhD in Astronomy: Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge (2022-present)
MPhys Physics & Astronomy: Durham University (2018-2022)
Awards and Prizes
Murdin Prize 2025
John Barrow Travel Award (Clare Hall, University of Cambridge, 2024)
D. A. Wright Prize for Outstanding Performance in Final Honours MPhys Physics and Astronomy (Durham University, 2022)
Level 4 Prize for Theoretical Astrophysics (Durham University, 2022)
Durham Physics Award for Outstanding Achievement (Durham University, 2020, 2021, 2022)
John Simpson Greenwell Memorial Fund (Durham University, 2020, 2021, 2022)