This NSW Young Tall Poppy Science Award recipient spends his days studying planetary systems and looking for life elsewhere in the galaxy.
UNSW Science Scientia Senior Lecturer Dr Ben Montet fell into astronomy accidentally. He started university as an aerospace engineer but realised quickly it wasn’t the right fit for him.“Fortunately, the US system is flexible and I had space in my schedule to explore my options and take courses I was really interested in,” Ben said.
“I really liked physics and at the time there was a professor looking for undergrad students to study black holes and earn some money during the summer. I had a great time with it and thought I’d keep doing it for as long as it was fun.”
Ben transferred to physics which later led him to researching exoplanets in graduate school.
“In the US you typically do a combined masters and PhD all in one. I didn’t need to consider what I was studying for my thesis until my second year.
“I had the opportunity to attend a conference on campus in Caltech, designed for junior people in the field. I met a lot of students doing PhDs in exoplanets and I thought to myself, ‘These are the people I want to be working with.’ That sold me on doing a thesis on exoplanets.”
Is that a dog driving the car?
After finishing his PhD, Ben was on the fence about academia versus industry, but after receiving a US National Fellowship for exoplanet science his decision was made.
“The fellowship was very flexible, and it could be taken to any university. I started some collaborations in my hometown at the University of Chicago and had the opportunity to supervise a PhD student for the first time.”
Towards the end of the fellowship, Ben applied and was successful in receiving an offer to UNSW’s Scientia Program. He came to Australia in 2019 and has been here ever since.
“I had never lived in Australia, but I was surprised at how little culture-shock I experienced. It felt normal really quickly,” he said.
“There were some silly things that were different and took some getting used to, like driving on the left-hand side of the road and thinking a dog is driving the car. I was pretty comfortable and in some ways the COVID border closures helped, as I couldn’t return home.”
Looking for life on other planets
As part of the astronomy group at UNSW, Ben and his team are trying to answer two big questions: how do we best find planets around nearby stars? and, once they find those planets, where are the right conditions for life?
He uses new techniques to analyse data from space telescopes and search in places where others haven’t. His work explores how the spin and flaring rate of stars changes over time. By understanding what the Sun might have looked like in its early life, in turn helps understand the environments that can support life.
This exciting work led to Ben receiving a 2025 NSW Young Tall Poppy Science Award in recognition of his research in astronomy. The award honours up-and-coming scientists who combine world-class research with a passionate commitment to communicating science.
Astronomer in residence
This term Ben, along with one of his PhD students Margo Thornton, participated in the Emanuel School Randwick’s ‘Specialist in Residence’ program. The outreach program brings in an expert from a chosen field to embed in the curriculum and interact with the students.
“It’s a great opportunity to bring in someone from a career many students might not be thinking about.
“It’s such a fun program and I’ve really enjoyed interacting with students from Kindergarten through to Year 12. We’ve looked through a solar telescope to measure the rotation of the sun, built a telescope and even searched for planets.”
Marathon running as a social escape from work
Outside work, Ben’s hobby is marathon running.
“After spending a lot of time indoors during COVID, I wanted to get back into shape, so I signed up for the Blackmores Half Marathon,” Ben said.
From there, he made some good friends who encouraged him to attempt more difficult challenges. Ben has competed in the Sydney Marathon and the Ironman Triathlon in WA, and this year he completed his hardest challenge yet, a 100-kilometre ultramarathon in Belgium.
“I try and train with friends as much as possible. It’s my social escape from work. We have a rule that everyone must bring around 2 kilometres worth of updates to share on the run to catch each other up on our weeks.”
Can you tell us something about you that might surprise your colleagues?
I didn’t know how to swim when I came to Australia. I knew basic water safety, but I had never taken a swimming lesson in my life.
What's the best advice you ever received?
Do the things that are exciting to you and take every chance to follow your passions.
What's the one thing that makes you happy?
Spending time with my dog Daisy. No matter what kind of day I’ve had, she’s always there ready to go for a walk and hang out.
What day in your life would you like to relive?
I try not to spend too much time living in the past. I’m always excited about what’s next.
What's the best thing you've read or watched in the last year?
I recently read the incredible book Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton. I’ve just started the TV series which I think really captures the heart of the story and feels authentic.
Main image: Ben with fellow Young Tall Poppy Science Award recipients Dr Felix Rizzuto and Dr Deborah Burnett.
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