Astrophysics Research Institute
Astrophysics Research Institute |
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| Established | 1992 |
| Type | Astronomy and Astrophysics |
| Director | Professor. Mike Bode |
| Location | Birkenhead, England |
| Colours |
university colours |
| Affiliations | Liverpool John Moores University Liverpool Telescope (LT) |
| Website | www.astro.ljmu.ac.uk |
The Astrophysics Research Institute (ARI) is one of the worlds leading authorities in astronomy and astrophysics at Liverpool John Moores University. The institute was formed in 1992, however has been situated on the current Twelve Quays site since 1998, overlooking the River Mersey. There are currently over 50 staff members and research students working at the institute, which lies within the administration of the universities Faculty of Science.
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Research and Technology [edit]
Conducted research varies into many areas of astronomy and astrophysics, such as supernovas, star formation and galaxy clusters with publications of work in scientific journals. Research is funded by external organisations, such as from the Science and Technology Facilities Council,[1] and the Higher Education Funding Council for England.[2] The universities research into space is conducted with the aid of the university owned telescope, 'Liverpool Telescope' which is located on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands.[3] Funding from the STFC goes towards the operation and maintenance of the telescope. The institute building also houses the control panels for the telescope; some of the research conducted also included development of robotic telescope software and instrumental development for infrared astronomy.
Academic [edit]
The institute currently teaches two undergraduate courses: a three BSc. (Hons) in Physics and Astronomy, as well as a 4 year MPhys. (Hons) in Astrophysics. Postgraduate courses are also made available at Ph.D level. Both the undergraduate courses are taught as a joint degree by the Astrophysics Research Instiute of Liverpool John Moores University, and the Department of Physics at the University of Liverpool. The courses are also accredited by the Institute of Physics.
Courses are also made available to those who do not have a scienctific or mathematical background. The Astronomy by Distant Learning courses are taught by CD-ROM, DVD and website material without the need for classroom sessions. Each of the 10 courses provides an introduction into astronomy as well as specialist areas such as cosmology, eventually leading to potential certification .
Awards [edit]
In 2006, the institute received the "Queen's Anniversary Prize" for higher education in recognition for its development of the robotic telescope.[4] In 2007 the "Times Higher Education Supplement Award" for 'project of the year' was given for the use of RINGO optical polarimeter at the Liverpool Telescope in measuring gamma-ray bursts. RINGO has since been decommissioned and an updated polarimeter named RINGO2 is since in operation.[5]
Director [edit]
The current Director of the Astrophysics Research Institute is Professor Mike Bode, who has served as a past Vice-President and Secretary of the Royal Astronomical Society. In August 2012 he was elected to be a Council Member of the European Astronomical Society. He is also currently Chair of the National Schools Observatory.[6]
List of Directors [edit]
| No. | Director | Term |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professor Mike Bode | 1992 - 2006 |
| 2 | Professor Chris Collins | 2006 - 2008 |
| 3 | Professor Mike Bode | 2008 - "present" |
External links [edit]
- LJMU Astrophysics Research Institute - Official Website
- Liverpool John Moores University
- Institute of Physics
References [edit]
- ^ "STFC Grants on the Web: Institution analysis". Stfc.ac.uk. 2012-10-15. Retrieved 2012-10-20.
- ^ "Astrophysics Research Institute - Liverpool John Moores University". Astro.ljmu.ac.uk. Retrieved 2012-10-20.
- ^ "Liverpool Telescope". Retrieved 2012-03-03.
- ^ "UK | England | Merseyside | Royal recognition for university". BBC News. 2006-02-15. Retrieved 2012-10-20.
- ^ "The Liverpool Telescope: News : Archive : s20071205". Telescope.livjm.ac.uk. 2007-12-05. Retrieved 2012-10-20.
- ^ "Science Board members - Prof Mike Bode". STFC. 2011-10-14. Retrieved 2012-10-20.
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