Tom G. Hardy
Final-Year Durham MPhys (w/Astronomy). Award-Winning Composer & Arranger.
Hello! I’m a fourth-year physics with astronomy MPhys student at Durham University broadly interested in observation-led astronomy in the Large Survey Era (this usually involves high-z galaxies, exoplanets or AGN emission).
With three summers’ research experience (including at Cambridge’s IoA and Oxford Astrophysics), I’ve covered a range of fields, including simulation-based-inference for LIGO, building a HI source extraction pipeline for MeerKAT and solving the light-transfer-time equation to find third bodies in binary orbit timing. Currently, I’m working on a master’s thesis using VLT-MUSE extreme emission line galaxies (Green Peas) as spectral analogues for JWST epoch of reionization candidates, supervised by Prof Alastair Edge. I am incredibly excited about the future of astrophysics, and spend a lot of my time being inspired by the work of others.
At Durham I chair the SVC (Staff-Student Consultative/Student Voice Committee) (internal link!) with Prof Alis Deason, where I lead a team of 10-20 student reps across the physics department and help deliver one of the department’s induction lectures as part of orientation week. I also sit on the staff Board of Studies (under the HoD Prof Paula Chadwick) and in previous years with Prof Marek Szablewski have consulted on key changes to curriculum and the student experience at Durham Physics. Please get in touch with my Durham institutional email (thomas [dot] hardy) if you have feedback about departmental student experience. I am especially keen to hear from new starters about the fresher’s week process for entry in 2026.
You may also be here for my music work! I’m a respected commercial composer, arranger, transcriber and engraver. I’ve headlined Ronnie Scott’s twice with NYJO, been commissioned by Young-Euro (which saw my music played at the Berlin Konzerthaus and on DeutschlandRadio), and won the Au Composition Competition (an international big band arranging competition) in summer 2025. With Callum Au I’ve done music preparation and engraving for the Metropole Orkest, the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Netherlands Air Force Orchestra.
At Durham I am immensely privileged to lead (2024-26) one of the UK’s premier student Big Bands, DUBB, and the newly formed Studio Orchestra. My work on DUBB’s 2024-5 tour ‘Unspoken Voices’ won me the Full Palatinate (full colours) for ‘Outstanding Achievement in Music’, and ensembles under my leadership have seen 6 palatinate nominations and 2 half-palatinate wins. I also led the Jazz Orchestra (2023-24) and held the creative directorship for DuJazzSoc (2022-23). I am really passionate about arts and culture outreach in County Durham, and have helped raise over £3,000 in charity events.