I have been fascinated by the stars and planets for as long as I can remember. Understanding the vast cosmos which is responsible for our very existence drove me to study astrophysics at UCD and to convert a castle in Cork into an observatory and centre of communication of astronomy and space - Blackrock Castle Observatory. I have always enjoyed working with people from other disciplines and in 2020 was fortunate to share the SFI Research Image of the Year with a group of wonderful people for research we did on the efficacy of masks against Covid-19 using techniques we developed at BCO to measure the brightness of quasars and exoplanets. My "day job" as Head of Research at Munster Technological University gives me an opportunity to support teams of researchers from multiple disciplines who want to use their own fascination to improve the world we live on. And in my spare time I enjoy tripping, sometimes quite literally, the light fantastic with my wife and our friends on the ballroom floor.