Alumni Career Profile - Luke Keyte

My path to becoming a scientist took an unconventional route. Before entering academia, I spent five years playing in an indie band (with very limited success!), followed by over ten years as a professional chef – a job I absolutely loved. While working in kitchens, I discovered a passion that would change my life: I began studying astrophysics part-time through the Open University, purely out of curiosity. I was incredibly fortunate that government funding covered my fees, allowing me to pursue this interest without financial pressure. This led to an MSc in Planetary Science at UCL, still alongside my chef work, until I made the difficult decision to reconsider my career path. With the encouragement of my MSc supervisor I applied for a PhD at UCL, marking my first serious step toward becoming a professional scientist.

Taking on the PhD turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I found myself surrounded by brilliant people who made the experience truly special – from my fantastic supervisor, who was both an inspiring mentor and an incredible scientist, to the fellow PhD students who became close friends. Their support and companionship made the entire experience so positive and rich.

My research focused on planetary formation, specifically studying the chemical composition of protoplanetary disks – the birthplaces of new planets. Working to understand how the composition of these disks relates to the composition of the planets that form within them has been incredibly exciting, helping us piece together the puzzle of how planetary systems form and evolve.

The PhD journey was filled with many memorable moments. Leading a successful proposal for the ALMA telescope in Chile stands out as a major achievement – knowing that such a prestigious facility would conduct observations based on my ideas felt surreal. But the greatest highlight has to have been having my first lead-author paper accepted. After pouring so much effort into the research and persevering through moments of doubt, that acceptance was an incredible milestone that boosted my confidence.

Now, as a postdoctoral researcher at Queen Mary University of London, I continue to explore new frontiers in planetary formation. I’m particularly focused on how protoplanetary disks behave in high-mass star-forming regions, where intense UV radiation from nearby massive stars can dramatically affect their evolution – an area we’re only beginning to understand. What I love most about academic research is that I’m always learning and discovering new things, with the freedom to pursue my own ideas and work on projects I’m passionate about.

My long-term goal is to one day establish my own research group focused on planetary formation. For those considering a PhD, I recommend it to anyone with genuine passion for their subject. While challenges are inevitable, deep interest in your research provides both the resilience to overcome difficulties and the drive to explore exciting new areas in science.