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Brian J. Boyle

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Brian J. Boyle is a Scottish astrophysicist based in Sydney, Australia from 1996 to 2019, and in Queenstown, New Zealand from 2020. His primary research interests are in the fields of quasars, active galaxies and cosmology.

He was involved in a variety of leadership roles in Australia, including Director of the Australian Astronomical Observatory (1996 to 2003), Director of CSIRO Australia Telescope National Facility (2003 to 2009), CSIRO SKA Director (2009-2016), and Deputy Vice Chancellor (Enterprise) at the University of New South Wales (2016-2019). He was also involved in science-direction setting in Australia for over 15 years, contributing the mid-term review in 2000, leading the development of the Australian Astronomy Decadal Plan 2006-15, and facilitating the development of the Optical and Radio Astronomy Investment Plan for the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy in 2007.

He led the initial development of the Australian SKA Pathfinder Project and, as CSIRO SKA Director, helped secure co-hosting rights for the Square Kilometre Array telescope at the Murchison RadioAstronomy Observatory in Western Australia.

He was awarded the Centenary Medal for services to Australian Astronomy in 2003 and elected as a fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in 2006.

Since 2020, Boyle has been based in Queenstown New Zealand, where he has been involved in a number of environmental programmes. He chaired the Wai Whakaata/Lake Hayes steering committee and has been chair of the Winterstellar Charitable Trust from 2022. He led the successful application to have the Kawarau Gibbston Dark Sky Park accredited by DarkSky International in 2024.

Education

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Boyle attended school at Stewart's Melville College in Edinburgh, Scotland. He obtained a BSc in astrophysics from the University of Edinburgh in 1982 and a PhD from the Durham University in 1986. His thesis title was "The evolution and clustering of optically selected quasi-stellar objects."[1]

Career

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Boyle was appointed to a variety of leadership roles in Australia, including Director of the Australian Astronomical Observatory (1996 to 2003),[2] Director of CSIRO Australia Telescope National Facility (2003 to 2009), CSIRO SKA Director (2009-2016),[3][4] and Deputy Vice Chancellor (Enterprise) at the University of New South Wales (2016-2019). He was also involved in science-direction setting in Australia for over 15 years, contributing the mid-term review in 2000,[5] leading the development of the Australian Astronomy Decadal Plan 2006-15[6] and facilitating the development of the Optical and Radio Astronomy Investment Plan for the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy in 2007.[7][8]

Boyle has held positions at the University of Edinburgh, as Director of the Australian Astronomical Observatory (1996 to 2003)[2] and Director of CSIRO Australia Telescope National Facility (2003 to 2009) before his appointment to CSIRO SKA Director in February 2009.[4]

At the end of 2019, Boyle relocated to New Zealand. He built a small observatory and began an astrotourism venture in a winery in the Gibbston valley in the Queenstown-Lakes District.[9][10][11]

In 2023/24 Boyle took a leading role as part of the Gibbston Community Association in preparing an application to DarkSky International for accreditation of a dark-sky preserve in the Gibbston area.[12] The Kawarau Gibbston Dark Sky Park was listed as an International Dark Sky Park in May 2024.[13][14] It is the first dark sky preserve to be accredited in the Otago Region,[15] and the seventh dark sky preserve in New Zealand.[16] The park is located in the Kawarau River valley and is shielded by high mountains, leading to a particularly dark night sky. Central regions of the Magellanic Clouds and the Milky Way galaxy can be viewed and photographed.[17]

Boyle has been involved in local events promoting the night sky, including speaking during Matariki celebrations in Arrowtown over several years.[18][19]

Boyle is a member of the Winterstellar Charitable Trust, an organisation that holds astrophotography exhibitions.[19][20]

Research

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Boyle has published more than 300 papers in astronomy,[4] and has undertaken research programs on the:

In 2007, Boyle was a member of one of the two teams of scientists who shared the 2007 Gruber Cosmology Prize,[21] and the 2014 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics. The team was awarded the prize for their discovery that the expansion of the Universe is accelerating, leading to the idea of an expansion force, dubbed dark energy.[22] The team leader, Saul Perlmutter, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for this discovery in 2011.

Awards (Since 2000)

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Boyle, B. J. (1 January 1986). "Clustering and evolution of optically selected quasi-stellar objects". PhD Thesis. Bibcode:1986PhDT.......148B – via NASA ADS.
  2. ^ a b "About Us". The Anglo-Australian Telescope. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  3. ^ Ryder, Terry (28 May 2009). "World's most powerful telescope could put Geraldton at centre of universe". The Australian. p. 32. ProQuest 356709949.
  4. ^ a b c "Dr Brian Boyle - CSIRO SKA Director". Australia Telescope National Facility. 20 April 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  5. ^ "Beyond 2000: The Way Ahead", ARC, retrieved 27 April 2011 from "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 April 2011. Retrieved 27 April 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. ^ National Committee for Astronomy of the Australian Academy of Science (November 2005). New Horizons: A Decadal Plan for Australian Astronomy 2006 – 2015 (PDF). Editorial Note: Commonwealth of Australia. p. 2. ISBN 0-85847-226-0. Retrieved 28 January 2015. The Decadal Plan was edited for the National Committee of Astronomy by an Editorial Board comprising Brian Boyle (chair)...
  7. ^ "Optical and Radio Astronomy". Archived from the original on 22 April 2011. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
  8. ^ "Funding Agreement for the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy", Astronomy Australia, retrieved 27 April 2011 from "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original on 17 February 2011. Retrieved 27 April 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. ^ Roxburgh, Tracey (8 March 2021). "Retired astrophysicist takes his work home". Otago Daily Times Online News. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  10. ^ McCulloch, Jared (23 October 2022). "DIY observatory to bring astro tourism to Queenstown". 1News. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  11. ^ "Instructors". Aotearoa Astrotourism Academy. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  12. ^ Gibbston Community Association (16 April 2024). "An Application to Dark Sky International for the recognition of the recognition of the Kawarau Gibbston region, South Island, Aotearoa/New Zealand as a Dark Sky Park". Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  13. ^ Roxburgh, Tracey (9 May 2024). "Dark sky park gains international certification". Otago Daily Times Online News. Archived from the original on 8 September 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  14. ^ Regan, Drew (8 May 2024). "Kawarau Gibbston becomes the seventh International Dark Sky Place in Aotearoa/New Zealand". DarkSky International. Archived from the original on 22 May 2024.
  15. ^ "Astronomer hopes New Zealand can achieve dark sky nationhood". 1News. Archived from the original on 14 June 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  16. ^ Regan, Drew (8 May 2024). "Kawarau Gibbston becomes the seventh International Dark Sky Place in Aotearoa/New Zealand". DarkSky International. Archived from the original on 22 May 2024.
  17. ^ Regan, Drew (8 May 2024). "New Zealand Certified for 9th International Dark Sky Place – lightED". lightedmag.com. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  18. ^ "Matariki Kāinga Hokia – Matariki calls you home". Lakes Weekly. 12 July 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  19. ^ a b "Matariki Arrowtown Kā-Muriwai returns". Lakes Weekly. 12 June 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  20. ^ "Central Otago". Otago Daily Times Online News. 18 June 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  21. ^ "Gruber Cosmology Prize Awarded to Discoverers of Dark Energy". Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. 16 July 2007. Archived from the original on 1 September 2007.
  22. ^ "'Accidental revolutionaries' net US$500,000 cosmology prize", CSIRO, retrieved 15 April 2011 from ""Accidental revolutionaries" net US$500,000 cosmology prize (Media Release)". Archived from the original on 30 April 2010. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
  23. ^ "Extract for BOYLE, Brian John Award:Centenary Medal". It's an Honour: Australia Celebrating Australians. Government of the Commonwealth of Australia.
  24. ^ "18 new Fellows elected". Australian Academy of Science. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  25. ^ "Dr Brian Boyle: CSIRO SKA Director". CSIRO Australia Telescope National Facility. 20 July 2022.
  26. ^ "Extract for BOYLE, Brian John Award:Public Service Medal". It's an Honour: Australia Celebrating Australians. Government of the Commonwealth of Australia.
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