Brian J Boyle (astronomer)
Encyclopedia
Brian J. Boyle is a Scottish
astrophysicist
based in Australia
since 1996. His primary research interests are in the fields of quasars, active galaxies and cosmology
.
He has been 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 http://www.atnf.csiro.au/nca/DecadalPlan_web.pdf and facilitating the development of the Optical and Radio Astronomy Investment Plan for the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy
http://ncris.innovation.gov.au/Capabilities/Pages/Astronomy.aspx in 2007.
He was awarded the Centenary Medal
for services to Australian Astronomy in 2003 and elected to the Australian Academy of Science
in 2006.
Brian is currently CSIRO SKA Director as well as the Project Director for the Australia–New Zealand SKA
bid http://www.ska.gov.au/. In these roles he plays a major part both nationally and internationally in the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) program; a project to build the world’s largest cm-wavelength radio telescope
.
. He obtained a BSc
in Astrophysics
from Edinburgh University in 1982 and a PhD
from the University of Durham in 1986. His thesis
title was "The Evolution and Clustering of Optically Selected Quasi-stellar Objects."http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1986PhDT.......148B
, as Director of the Australian Astronomical Observatory (1996 to 2003) and Director of CSIRO Australia Telescope National Facility
(2003 to 2009) before his appointment to CSIRO SKA Director in February 2009.
In 2007, Dr Boyle was a member of one of the two teams of scientists who shared the 2007 Gruber Cosmology Prize
. 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
.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
astrophysicist
Astrophysics
Astrophysics is the branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of the universe, including the physical properties of celestial objects, as well as their interactions and behavior...
based in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
since 1996. His primary research interests are in the fields of quasars, active galaxies and cosmology
Cosmology
Cosmology is the discipline that deals with the nature of the Universe as a whole. Cosmologists seek to understand the origin, evolution, structure, and ultimate fate of the Universe at large, as well as the natural laws that keep it in order...
.
He has been 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 http://www.atnf.csiro.au/nca/DecadalPlan_web.pdf and facilitating the development of the Optical and Radio Astronomy Investment Plan for the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy
Astronomy Australia Limited
The Astronomy Australia Limited is a not-for-profit company whose members are a range of Australian universities and research organisations. Its core purpose is to manage programmes which provide astronomers with access to national optical/infrared and radio astronomy infrastructure.The...
http://ncris.innovation.gov.au/Capabilities/Pages/Astronomy.aspx in 2007.
He was awarded the Centenary Medal
Centenary Medal
The Centenary Medal is an award created by the Australian Government in 2001. It was established to commemorate the Centenary of Federation of Australia and to honour people who have made a contribution to Australian society or government...
for services to Australian Astronomy in 2003 and elected to the Australian Academy of Science
Australian Academy of Science
The Australian Academy of Science was founded in 1954 by a group of distinguished Australians, including Australian Fellows of the Royal Society of London. The first president was Sir Mark Oliphant. The Academy is modelled after the Royal Society and operates under a Royal Charter; as such it is...
in 2006.
Brian is currently CSIRO SKA Director as well as the Project Director for the Australia–New Zealand SKA
Square Kilometre Array
The Square Kilometre Array is a radio telescope in development which will have a total collecting area of approximately one square kilometre. It will operate over a wide range of frequencies and its size will make it 50 times more sensitive than any other radio instrument...
bid http://www.ska.gov.au/. In these roles he plays a major part both nationally and internationally in the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) program; a project to build the world’s largest cm-wavelength radio telescope
Radio telescope
A radio telescope is a form of directional radio antenna used in radio astronomy. The same types of antennas are also used in tracking and collecting data from satellites and space probes...
.
Education
Brian attended school at Stewarts Melville College in EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. He obtained a BSc
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Astrophysics is the branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of the universe, including the physical properties of celestial objects, as well as their interactions and behavior...
from Edinburgh University in 1982 and a PhD
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
from the University of Durham in 1986. His thesis
Thesis
A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings...
title was "The Evolution and Clustering of Optically Selected Quasi-stellar Objects."http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1986PhDT.......148B
Career
Brian has held positions at the University of EdinburghUniversity of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
, as Director of the Australian Astronomical Observatory (1996 to 2003) and Director of CSIRO Australia Telescope National Facility
Australia Telescope National Facility
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation 's radio astronomy observatories are collectively known as the Australia Telescope National Facility , with the facility supporting Australia's research in radio astronomy....
(2003 to 2009) before his appointment to CSIRO SKA Director in February 2009.
Research
Dr Boyle has published more than 300 papers in astronomy, and has undertaken research programs on the:- cosmologicalCosmologyCosmology is the discipline that deals with the nature of the Universe as a whole. Cosmologists seek to understand the origin, evolution, structure, and ultimate fate of the Universe at large, as well as the natural laws that keep it in order...
distribution of quasars - clustering of faint galaxiesGalaxyA galaxy is a massive, gravitationally bound system that consists of stars and stellar remnants, an interstellar medium of gas and dust, and an important but poorly understood component tentatively dubbed dark matter. The word galaxy is derived from the Greek galaxias , literally "milky", a...
- nature of galaxies associated with distant quasars
- origin of the X-ray backgroundX-ray backgroundThe observed X-ray background is thought to result from, at the "soft" end , Galactic X-ray emission , and, at the "hard" end , from a combination of many unresolved X-ray sources outside of the Milky Way .The galactic X-ray background is produced largely by emission from hot gas in the Local...
- nature of the faint radio source population.
In 2007, Dr Boyle was a member of one of the two teams of scientists who shared the 2007 Gruber Cosmology Prize
Gruber Prize in Cosmology
The Gruber Prize in Cosmology is one of five international awards made by The Peter and Patricia Gruber Foundation, an American non-profit organization based in the U.S. Virgin Islands with offices in New York City...
. The team
Supernova Cosmology Project
The Supernova Cosmology Project is one of two research teams that determined the likelihood of an accelerating universe and therefore a positive Cosmological constant, using data from the redshift of Type Ia supernovae...
was awarded the prize for their discovery that the expansion of the Universe is accelerating
Accelerating universe
The accelerating universe is the observation that the universe appears to be expanding at an increasing rate, which in formal terms means that the cosmic scale factor a has a positive second derivative, implying that the velocity at which a given galaxy is receding from us should be continually...
, leading to the idea of an expansion force, dubbed dark energy
Dark energy
In physical cosmology, astronomy and celestial mechanics, dark energy is a hypothetical form of energy that permeates all of space and tends to accelerate the expansion of the universe. Dark energy is the most accepted theory to explain recent observations that the universe appears to be expanding...
.
Awards (Since 2000)
- January 2000: Appointed Adjunct Professor, University of NSW
- April 2003: Centenary MedalCentenary MedalThe Centenary Medal is an award created by the Australian Government in 2001. It was established to commemorate the Centenary of Federation of Australia and to honour people who have made a contribution to Australian society or government...
for "services to Australian astronomy" http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/awards/medals/centenary_medal.cfm - September 2005: Awarded Fellowship Australian Institute of Company DirectorsAustralian Institute of Company DirectorsThe Australian Institute of Company Directors is Australia's leading membership body for directors in Australia and the leading Australian not-for-profit corporate governance organisation....
- May 2006: Elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of ScienceAustralian Academy of ScienceThe Australian Academy of Science was founded in 1954 by a group of distinguished Australians, including Australian Fellows of the Royal Society of London. The first president was Sir Mark Oliphant. The Academy is modelled after the Royal Society and operates under a Royal Charter; as such it is...
- December 2006: Elected Honorary Fellow of the Royal Astronomical SocietyRoyal Astronomical SocietyThe Royal Astronomical Society is a learned society that began as the Astronomical Society of London in 1820 to support astronomical research . It became the Royal Astronomical Society in 1831 on receiving its Royal Charter from William IV...
- September 2007: 2007 Gruber Prize in CosmologyGruber Prize in CosmologyThe Gruber Prize in Cosmology is one of five international awards made by The Peter and Patricia Gruber Foundation, an American non-profit organization based in the U.S. Virgin Islands with offices in New York City...
(shared)
See also
- CSIRO
- Square Kilometre ArraySquare Kilometre ArrayThe Square Kilometre Array is a radio telescope in development which will have a total collecting area of approximately one square kilometre. It will operate over a wide range of frequencies and its size will make it 50 times more sensitive than any other radio instrument...
- Australia Telescope National FacilityAustralia Telescope National FacilityThe Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation 's radio astronomy observatories are collectively known as the Australia Telescope National Facility , with the facility supporting Australia's research in radio astronomy....
- Radio AstronomyRadio astronomyRadio astronomy is a subfield of astronomy that studies celestial objects at radio frequencies. The initial detection of radio waves from an astronomical object was made in the 1930s, when Karl Jansky observed radiation coming from the Milky Way. Subsequent observations have identified a number of...