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Resident Staff:听
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Email:听g.savini@ucl.ac.uk
As Director of the 果冻影院 Observatory I look after the planning and delivery of all observatory activities. I am directly involved in planing,听purchasing and testing of instrumentation as well as overseeing the Teaching activities performed mostly by our amazing Teaching Fellows and members of the Astrophysics Group at 果冻影院 (of which I am also a member).听I听am听responsible for initiating the collaboration with the Telescope Live network听granting 果冻影院 students access to telescopes in the Southern hemisphere and am听involved in the optimization of networks of small telescopes for teaching and citizen science. My core research spans from optical design for THz and Sub-mm Astronomy Instrumentation for space-based instruments/paylod design for a variety of scientific objectives spanning cosmology, extra-galactic science, star formation and exoplanet spectroscopy.
Senior Teaching Fellow: 听Dr Steve Fossey
Email:听s.fossey@ucl.ac.uk
Steve has been responsible for the delivery of first- and third-year undergraduate classes at 果冻影院O, and has developed teaching materials which engage听students with听real observational听data to promote a research-based education, and ensuring that students make full use of the range of telescope facilities at 果冻影院O. He led the `ExoCafe' project,听a student-centred collaboration to undertake research on听exoplanet-transit observations, the results of which appeared in several journal papers. Steve has supervised numerous MSci and MSc projects at 果冻影院O, covering exoplanet science and听microlensing.听Since 2014, when Steve and several students serendipitously discovered the nearby听type-Ia supernova , he has also been intrigued to undertake observations of听supernovae and other transient sources.听His other research interests lie in investigating the nature of dust and gas in the interstellar medium. He is an Editor of听听magazine, an independent journal of astronomy.听
Senior Teaching Fellow: 听Mr Stephen听Boyle
Email:听s.boyle@ucl.ac.uk
Responsible for first- and听third-year courses in observational astronomy at 果冻影院O since 1988, Stephen was the organiser and leader of the annual听Astronomy Field Trip听to the听Observatoire de Haute-Provence (OHP) held every year between 1998 and 2018. His research interests lie in variable stars and in stellar spectroscopy. He is undertaking the further development of teaching materials used at 果冻影院O.
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Senior Observatory Technician: 听Mr Thomas Schlichter (Computing & Instrumentation Officer.)
Email:听ts@ulo.ucl.ac.uk
Theo joined the team at 果冻影院O in 2003. Having gained experience in aircraft maintenance as a jet fighter technician in a previous life he then studied electrical engineering at Humboldt Universit盲t zu Berlin. Before and after his degree as Dipl.-Ing. (MEng) he worked at Middlesex University Microelectronics Centre designing integrated circuits and administrating the UNIX systems and design software. He now looks after the IT infrastructure at 果冻影院O and is involved in instrumentation and GUI design.
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Senior Observatory Technician: 听Mr Mick Pearson听(Mechanical and site听officer.)
Email:听mpearson@ulo.ucl.ac.uk
Mick provides technical support for the instruments and systems at 果冻影院O. Having previously worked on motor-cycle mechanics and installing satellite TV systems (among other things), he fears neither speed nor heights.
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Email:听s.sullivan@ucl.ac.uk
Shana joined the team in 2019 as a member of Technical Staff to provide support in the running and upkeep of the site and telescopes. She studied Applied Physics at St Mary's College London (BSc) before going on to study Space Science and Engineering at 果冻影院 (MSc) after which she worked abroad in the semiconductor industry. She returned to 果冻影院 to pursue a job more focussed on her true passion:听space and found that here at 果冻影院 Observatory. In addition听to her role supporting the site's instruments she also aids in much of the site's media content in video editing and online outreach.
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Department Outreach Coordinator & Ogden Science Officer: 听Dr Mark Fuller
Email:听mark.fuller@ucl.ac.uk
Mark studied Astrophysics at the University of Leicester eventually going on to gain a PhD in computational modelling, however it was working on outreach projects engaging young people in science that gave him the biggest joy. He is proud to be able to continue sharing his efforts through the Department of Physics and Astronomy at 果冻影院 and the Ogden Trust by supporting fellow academics sharing their passion and enthusiasm with the next generations.
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Support Staff:
Mrs Kay Nakum:听Administrator for the Astrophysical Group.
Kay looks after all tour bookings and all other administrative needs听for the Observatory.
Mrs Maureen Evans, Mrs Diane Mongan:听Facilities tsarinas.
Maureen and Diane keep 果冻影院O spick and span, and are our Senior Consultants on Hospitality and Baking.
Associates:
Dr Francisco Diego听(fd@star.ucl.ac.uk): Research Fellow.
Former Vice-president of the UK Association for Astronomy Education and a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, Francisco is a keen populariser of astronomy and has extensive experience as a planetarium producer/presenter, lecturer, author and broadcaster. He has held a Science in Society fellowship from the Science and Technology Facilities Council to produce The Mind of the Universe, a series of public and school lectures on astrophysics, cosmology and life in the universe, as part of the International Year of Astronomy 2009. Francisco runs 果冻影院O's programme of听schools visits, and the successfull听Your Universe听programme at 果冻影院.
Dr Mike Dworetsky听(mmd@star.ucl.ac.uk): (Former Director)
Originally appointed Lecturer in Astronomy at 果冻影院 in 1974, Mike was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 1987. After 'retirement', he continues to provide teaching support to classes in practical astronomy at 果冻影院O (notably as Tutor for the part-time evening course leading to the听) and to 果冻影院O's outreach programmes; he was elected President of the听听in 2009.
Prof听Ian Howarth听(idh@star.ucl.ac.uk): (Former Director and Teaching)
Former Director of the Observatory (2007-2014) and current member of the Astrophysics Group, Ian oversaw the first introduction of robotic observation at the 果冻影院 Observatory and is still involved in observing activities delivering a second year undergraduate module. Passionate astrophotographer as well as established astrophysicist Ian reduced many of the Images currently available听听in the Image gallery of this website. For a complete profile see the 果冻影院 Astrophysics Group page.
Dr Peter Thomas:听 (Former Observatory Technical Manager)
As Observatory Manager, 1987鈥�2013, Peter was responsible for the restoration and updating of the instrumentation at 果冻影院O; the specification and development of the new buildings under the major expansion in 2000; and initiating the concept of robotic observing from ULO, including the vision for a new, large, modern telescope facility to enhance access to research-grade equipment for undergraduate advanced projects. He was awarded his PhD for the refurbishment of the听, including design of its digital control system, completed in 1994. Peter continues to act as a consultant to the Observatory, and was actively involved in fund raising efforts to fund the new large telescope.
Dr Athem Alsabti听(aalsabti@ulo.ucl.ac.uk):听Visiting Research Fellow.
BSc, MSc and PhD in Astrophysics from Manchester University. Formerly Professor of Physics at Baghdad University; founder of Baghdad Planetarium and Iraqi National Observatory Project. At present, Dr Alsabti is a Research Fellow at 果冻影院, a member of the Advanced Development Projects Group of the International Astronomical Union, a member of the听World Space Observatory听Committee, and a consultant to the Cornwall Observatory and Planetarium Project. His research interests are in the origin and evolution of supernovae, and interstellar matter. Other interests include popularisation of astronomy through media work, TV, radio,听etc.
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