Roger Davies (astrophysicist): Difference between revisions
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==Career and research== |
==Career and research== |
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Davies took his first degree at [[University College London]] and his PhD at the [[Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge|Institute of Astronomy]] and [[Churchill College, Cambridge]]. Posts at [[Lick Observatory]], then Cambridge and [[Kitt Peak National Observatory]] followed. While at Kitt Peak he became part of the Seven Samurai collaboration which surveyed the distances and velocities of 400 nearby elliptical galaxies, discovering the Great Attractor, at that time thought to be pulling the Milky Way and other galaxies in the direction of the constellations of Hydra and Centaurus. |
Davies took his first degree at [[University College London]] and his PhD at the [[Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge|Institute of Astronomy]] and [[Churchill College, Cambridge]]. Posts at [[Lick Observatory]], then Cambridge and [[Kitt Peak National Observatory]] followed. While at Kitt Peak he became part of the Seven Samurai collaboration which surveyed the distances and velocities of 400 nearby elliptical galaxies, discovering the Great Attractor, at that time thought to be pulling the Milky Way and other galaxies in the direction of the constellations of Hydra and Centaurus. |
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Returning to the UK, Davies was based in Oxford leading the team that developed a proposal for UK participation in an 8-m telescope project which ultimately led to the establishment of the [[Gemini Observatory]]. He became Head of Astronomy at [[Durham University]] in 1994 where he developed his interest in [[integral field spectrograph|integral field spectroscopy]] and played a leading role in building instruments for Gemini (GMOS)<ref>The GMOS Integral Field Unit [http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2002ASPC..282..415A]</ref> and the William Herschel Telescope (SAURON)<ref>SAURON: Integral-field Spectroscopy of Galaxies [http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2000ASPC..195..158M]</ref><ref>SAURON: First Results from Wide-field 3D-Spectroscopy of Galaxies [http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2000ASPC..197..249C]</ref>. He used these to map the motions and composition of the gas and stars in galaxies leading to new insights into galaxy evolution. |
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Davies returned to Oxford in 2002 as Philip Wetton Professor of Astrophysics at Christ Church where he pursues research in cosmology and the evolution of galaxies. He is now engaged in planning instruments for the [[European Extremely Large Telescope]], a 42-m diameter telescope to be constructed in Chile. |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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* [http://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/astro/people/files/ |
* [http://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/astro/people/files/rldavies_CV_10_web.pdf Personal CV] |
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* [http://www.ras.org.uk/news-and-press/157-news2010/1819-professor-roger-davies-is-new-ras-president Royal Astronomical Society Press release] |
* [http://www.ras.org.uk/news-and-press/157-news2010/1819-professor-roger-davies-is-new-ras-president Royal Astronomical Society Press release] |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 16:22, 28 September 2010
Roger Llewelyn Davies (born 1954 January 13 in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire) is a British astronomer and cosmologist, one of the so-called Seven Samurai collaboration who discovered an apparent concentration of mass in the Universe called the Great Attractor[1]. He is the Philip Wetton Professor of Astrophysics at Oxford University[2]. In May 2010 he became President of the Royal Astronomical Society, a post he will hold for two years.
Early life and education
Davies grew up in Scunthorpe where he attended John Leggott Grammar School. A school project fired his interest in astronomy, augmented by his parents’ purchase of a small telescope. As a teenager Davies also attended evening classes run by the Workers' Educational Association, becoming a lifelong supporter of astronomy outreach work.
Career and research
Davies took his first degree at University College London and his PhD at the Institute of Astronomy and Churchill College, Cambridge. Posts at Lick Observatory, then Cambridge and Kitt Peak National Observatory followed. While at Kitt Peak he became part of the Seven Samurai collaboration which surveyed the distances and velocities of 400 nearby elliptical galaxies, discovering the Great Attractor, at that time thought to be pulling the Milky Way and other galaxies in the direction of the constellations of Hydra and Centaurus. Returning to the UK, Davies was based in Oxford leading the team that developed a proposal for UK participation in an 8-m telescope project which ultimately led to the establishment of the Gemini Observatory. He became Head of Astronomy at Durham University in 1994 where he developed his interest in integral field spectroscopy and played a leading role in building instruments for Gemini (GMOS)[3] and the William Herschel Telescope (SAURON)[4][5]. He used these to map the motions and composition of the gas and stars in galaxies leading to new insights into galaxy evolution.
Davies returned to Oxford in 2002 as Philip Wetton Professor of Astrophysics at Christ Church where he pursues research in cosmology and the evolution of galaxies. He is now engaged in planning instruments for the European Extremely Large Telescope, a 42-m diameter telescope to be constructed in Chile.
As President of the Royal Astronomical Society, Davies is working with the RAS community to make the continued case for astronomy and geophysics, an area in which the UK excels, against the backdrop of deep cuts in spending by the UK government.
External links
References
- ^ Lynden-Bell, D. et al, Spectroscopy and photometry of elliptical galaxies. V – Galaxy streaming toward the new supergalactic center, Astrophysical Journal vol. 326, March 1, 1988, p. 19–49. [1]
- ^ Oxford Astrophysics Members – Professor Roger Davies [2]
- ^ The GMOS Integral Field Unit [3]
- ^ SAURON: Integral-field Spectroscopy of Galaxies [4]
- ^ SAURON: First Results from Wide-field 3D-Spectroscopy of Galaxies [5]