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Kirsty High

Kirsty High graduated with a Master’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Bath in 2010, and is now a PhD researcher in Analytical Chemistry and Archaeology at the University of York.

“Whilst on placement in the Netherlands I had seen an exhibition in the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam about how analytical chemists were looking at the paintings using X-rays and had discovered secret drawings underneath the paint. This intrigued me, as I had never thought about how I could apply my degree in such a way.

“I was lucky enough to end up doing a PhD investigating how soil chemistry affects the way organic archaeological materials deteriorate, working on the world famous site of Star Carr (North Yorkshire). What I love about my job is that it is so varied; I can spend one day working with X-rays and the next taking soil samples from an archaeological site. I also get to handle some really rare objects that were made by people thousands of years ago, and find out things about it that no one else knew yet.”