The
Eyes on Mars project aims to inspire students to pursue a STEM career, particularly
among underserved groups such as children undergoing treatment for terminal or chronic
illness preventing them from attending school. Regan initiated the outreach
project during her time as a graduate student at the Mullard Space Science Laboratory
(MSSL) at University College London (UCL).
"I am so honored to receive the Jocelyn Bell Burnell medal, joining a long line of inspirational physicists. It is a privilege to have your work and efforts recognized and this prize adds to the celebration of my six years at MSSL," Regan said of the achievement. “I am excited to bring these themes and ideas for widening STEM accessibility to my work at WVU.”
“Regan is also redefining our knowledge of plasma physics at Mars. She has conducted expert analysis of spacecraft observations from Mars Express and the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission, and classified over 4400 magnetic boundaries ... In particular, Regan has newly discovered that the boundary dips towards the surface over areas of Mars’ crustal magnetic fields, due to plasma confinement in these regions.”
— The Institute of Physics (IOP), Press Release
Beyond involvement with the Eyes on Mars project and the NASA MAVEN Mission, Regan has also served in numerous leadership capacities with the MSSL Outreach Working Group and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) Public Engagement Early-Career Researcher Forum.
The Institute of Physics (IOP) is the professional body and learned society for
physicists in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The Jocelyn Bell Burnell Medal is awarded by IOP annually for exceptional early-career
contributions to physics by a very early career female physicist.