Description
Nearly twenty years ago, during my PhD with Matt Visser in Wellington, New Zealand, I was introduced to the idea that fundamental questions in gravitation, cosmology and quantum field theory could be explored in laboratory systems. In this talk, I trace how three research directions that originated in those years, analogue models for massive scalar fields, rotating black-hole analogues, and analogue cosmological horizons, evolved into major strands of my later research. Looking back, these projects reveal the remarkable reach of ideas first explored during my PhD and the profound influence Matt has had on my scientific outlook and enduring fascination with quantum field theory in the laboratory.