I joined ASTeC in 2013 following the completion of my MSc in Photon Science at the University of Manchester. My role at ASTeC requires me to understand the various collective effects which can have a detrimental effect on the performance of electron accelerators, such as space-charge, wakefields and coherent synchrotron radiation. By minimising these effects I can help to improve the quality of the electron beams at Daresbury. In addition to simulating these effects, I am gaining practical experience in the commissioning and operation of electron accelerators. I am also currently designing the Faraday cup for the CLARA FEL test proposal, in order to effectively measure the current of the beam.