Profile
Frazer Christie
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About Me:
Hello! I’m Frazer, and I work at Airbus in Newcastle. My job involves building satellites and using the images they collect to learn more about Planet Earth. In my spare time I like hillwalking, visiting new places, video games and watching rugby.
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Before working at Airbus, I was a polar scientist interested in how fast the world’s glaciers were changing through time. As part of my work, I visited both the Arctic (North Pole) and Antarctic (South Pole) regions several times! At the south pole, temperatures can be colder than minus 50 degrees Celsius … very cold!!
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My pronouns are:
He/him
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My Work:
I work at Airbus office in Newcastle as an ‘Earth Observation Scientist’. ‘Earth Observation’ is a term used to describe the study of Earth from space, using photographs taken by satellites as high up as 36,000 km (or 22,200 miles)!
Have a look at the photos in my Bio to see some examples of the satellite photographs I use in my work … do you recognize any of the places shown??
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As well as building satellites, Airbus are more famously known for building passenger airplanes, including the one you may have taken on holiday in the past!
Airbus’ main office is in Toulouse, France, although there are Airbus offices and factories all over the world, including many in the UK. As part of my work, I have been lucky to travel to several of these offices!
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Education:
I went to high school in Inverurie, Scotland, where I studied Maths, Physics and Geography. These subjects sparked my interests in the physical world around us and how it is changing, for example due to climate change.
With these interests in mind, I then studied Geography at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, where I had my first lessons in the science of satellites and Earth Observation.
I then became an expert in Earth Observation by studying further at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.
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Qualifications:
Scottish Standard Grades (equivalent to English GCSEs) in Maths, Physics, Geography, English, History, French and Business Management
Scottish Highers (equivalent to English A-levels) in Maths, Physics, Geography, English and History
Scottish Advanced Highers (equivalent to English A-levels and first year of university) in Maths, Physics and Geography.
Degree in Geography
Postgraduate degree in Earth Observation
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Work History:
Prior to working for Airbus, I was a research scientist at the University of Cambridge, where I studied the effects of climate change on the polar regions. As part of this, I was lucky enough to visit Antarctica and the Arctic several times for fieldwork!
I’ve also worked for the Royal Air Force in the past, and my first job was a paper boy in my hometown of Inverurie.
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Current Job:
Earth Observation Scientist
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Employer:
Airbus Defence & Space Ltd.
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Scottish Earth Scientist
What did you want to be after you left school?
A scientist
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
A Pilot - they get a good birds-eye views of Earth from above, in much the same way as satellites do :)
Who is your favourite singer or band?
The Stone Roses (a band from the olden days ;))
What's your favourite food?
Curry (Bangladeshi cuisine especially!)
Tell us a joke.
I'm obsessed with satellites. They're out of this world!
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