Profile

Samuel Bancroft
Curriculum Vitae
-
Education:
William Howard School & Durham University
-
Qualifications:
2:1 Integrated Masters in Physics
-
Current Job:
Python Developer
-
Employer:
Earth-i is an earth observation and space data analytics company that plans to operate the world’s first commercial constellation of satellites to provide full-colour video capabilities.
-
About Me
I'm Sam, a 22-year old Physics graduate working at Earth-i in Guildford.
-
Read more
I recently moved to Guildford as of this September, having graduated from a 4 year integrated masters degree in Physics at Durham University.
I come from the cold and barren lands of northern Cumbria – so moving far down south to Guildford has been a big step for me! So far I’m loving the much nicer weather here, and spend a lot of my free time cycling in the Surrey Hills, or messing around with my numerous hobby projects. Some recent projects have involved amateur rocketry, super-pressure balloons and a smart mirror!
-
My Work
I work in the tech team, developing code to process data from live satellites, in order to discover things going on back down on Earth.
-
Read more
The work I do can involve a whole range of problems – which I help solve using skills in computer vision, big data, and machine learning!
-
My Typical Day: I spent a lot of my time processing huge amount of earth observation data, and analysing this information to find answers to problems.
-
What I'd do with the money
I'd use the money to get people involved in amateur rocketry, high altitude balloon and rovers projects.
-
Read more
As part of SEDS during my time at university, I used to visit local schools and launch model rockets from the playing fields to teach people about spaceflight and the UK space industry in general. I also held local coding workshops to teach young people how to programme autonomous cars to simulate a rover mission to Mars.
-
My Interview
-
What's the best thing you've done in your career?
I've made so many exciting things I can't settle on just one! My recent projects that I'm proud of involve a 'smart mirror', a twitter bot and payloads for superpressure balloons.
What was your favourite subject at school?
Physics
What did you want to be after you left school?
I knew I wanted to work in the space industry!
Were you ever in trouble at school?
Yes - many times for not paying attention in class.
What's your favourite food?
Fudge!
What is the most fun thing you've done?
With my school friends, I launched my first weather balloon into near-space to take pictures of the Earth below.
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
Go to space (obviously), own a Tesla car, own my own fudge shop.
Tell us a joke.
How do astronauts organise a party? They planet.
-