I am very active in public engagement with science and scientific research. This inludes appearances in the media, work with schools and the general public. As Associate Director of Jodrell Bank Observatory I am responsible for coordinating outreach activities from the wider astrophysics group at Manchester and dealing with media relations.
Some selected recent projects
On-screen contributor, scientific adviser and local coordinator for the BBC Stargazing Live series broadcast annually from Jodrell Bank since 2011. The show attracts audiences of around 3 million people for each of 3 nightly shows on primetime BBC 2. My work on the show has also included contributing to educational projects for BBC Learning, including answering the Big Questions and working with schools on the Space Music project.
Regular appearances in the media commenting on news stories in space and astronomy including BBC Breakfast, BBC News, BBC World News, Sky News, CBBC Newsround, BBC World Service, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio 4 Today Programme. I also have a monthly show on BBC Radio 5 Live discussing space news and taking questions from listeners. Other TV contributions include Sky at Night, Countryfile, Escape to the Country etc.
Science Director for the new Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre. This includes developing the science exhibition and overseeing science engagement e.g. the "Meet an Expert" sessions and the Lovell Lecture series.
Major role in the science engagement for Live from Jodrell Bank, a music festival which has attractedaudiences of over 40,000 people since 2011. This includes talking about our science from the stage. Bands appearing have included The Flaming Lips, Elbow, New Order, Sigur Ros and the Halle Orchestra.
Contributing many Ask an Astronomer segments for our podcast The Jodcast since its launch in 2006. It now attracts around 5,000 regular listeners each month.
Working with many artists and musicians in science-reated projects. This includes:
Working with producers Jim Spencer and David Tolan on a remix of sounds from space called `Hello Moon, Can You Hear Me?';
Collaborating with Tasawar Bashir and Brian Duffy on an audiovisual installation Silsila: Infinite Qawwali, (part of the Asia Triennial Manchester 2011).
Contributing articles on Henrietta Leavitt (working with author Sara Maitland) and Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson (working with author Adam Marek) to the book "Litmus: Short Stories from Modern Science", edited by Ra Page.
Working with authors Frank Cottrell Boyce and Patricia Dunker and wrote afterwords to their stories in the collection "When it Changed", edited by Geoff Ryman.
Creating the sound content for the Pulsar Polyphon which was exhibited in the European Capital of Culture in Linz 2009.
Collaborating with composer Alan Williams and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra in the science background and schools programme for `Wonder: A Scientific Oratorio'.