Karl Glazebrook
Encyclopedia
Karl Glazebrook, an Anglo-Australian astronomer, is known for his work on galaxy formation, for playing a key role in developing the nod and shuffle technique for doing spectroscopy with large telescopes, and for originating the Perl Data Language
(PDL). In 2008, he received the Maria & Eric Muhlmann Award, for the development of innovative research instruments and techniques, from the Astronomical Society of the Pacific.
Glazebrook was born in 1965 in the United Kingdom
, and educated at the University of Cambridge
and the University of Edinburgh
(PhD 1992). He held post-doctoral appointments at the University of Durham
and University of Cambridge
before moving to the Anglo-Australian Observatory
, where he played a central role in supporting the 2dF galaxy survey as its instrument scientist. He moved to Johns Hopkins University
in 2000 where he was Professor of Astronomy until 2006, at which time he became Professor of Astronomy at Swinburne University of Technology
in Melbourne, Australia. His work has been cited over 10,000 times in the literature of astronomy.
Glazebrook is co-principal investigator of the Gemini Deep Deep Survey, which (along with a number of other studies) determined in 2004 that massive galaxies formed surprisingly early in the distant Universe. As a whimsical side-project Glazebrook also determined that the bulk-averaged color of the Universe is Cosmic latte
. Both pieces of work received wide publicity in the international press. The bulk-averaged color earned some additional international publicity because a software bug had initially suggeste a pale turquoise instead of the bland beige. He is also well known for his pioneering work in developing the baryon oscillation technique to use the distribution of galaxies as a probe of dark energy
.
Asteroid
10099 Glazebrook
was named in his honor.
Glazebrook also developed the open-source Perl Data Language
, a perl-based alternative to the commercial IDL.
Perl Data Language
PDL is a set of array programming extensions to the Perl programming language.PDL is an extension to Perl v5, intended for scientific and other data intensive programming tasks...
(PDL). In 2008, he received the Maria & Eric Muhlmann Award, for the development of innovative research instruments and techniques, from the Astronomical Society of the Pacific.
Glazebrook was born in 1965 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and educated at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
and the University of Edinburgh
University 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...
(PhD 1992). He held post-doctoral appointments at the University of Durham
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
and University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
before moving to the Anglo-Australian Observatory
Anglo-Australian Observatory
The Australian Astronomical Observatory , formerly the Anglo-Australian Observatory, is an optical/near-infrared astronomy observatory with its headquarters in suburban Sydney, Australia...
, where he played a central role in supporting the 2dF galaxy survey as its instrument scientist. He moved to Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
in 2000 where he was Professor of Astronomy until 2006, at which time he became Professor of Astronomy at Swinburne University of Technology
Swinburne University of Technology
Swinburne University of Technology is an Australian public dual sector university based in Melbourne, Victoria. The institution was founded by the Honourable George Swinburne in 1908 and achieved university status in June 1992...
in Melbourne, Australia. His work has been cited over 10,000 times in the literature of astronomy.
Glazebrook is co-principal investigator of the Gemini Deep Deep Survey, which (along with a number of other studies) determined in 2004 that massive galaxies formed surprisingly early in the distant Universe. As a whimsical side-project Glazebrook also determined that the bulk-averaged color of the Universe is Cosmic latte
Cosmic latte
Cosmic latte is a name assigned to the average color of the universe, given by a team of astronomers from Johns Hopkins University.-Discovery of the color:...
. Both pieces of work received wide publicity in the international press. The bulk-averaged color earned some additional international publicity because a software bug had initially suggeste a pale turquoise instead of the bland beige. He is also well known for his pioneering work in developing the baryon oscillation technique to use the distribution of galaxies as a probe of 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...
.
Asteroid
Asteroid
Asteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
10099 Glazebrook
10099 Glazebrook
10099 Glazebrook is an outer main-belt asteroid discovered on November 4, 1991 by the Spacewatch project at Kitt Peak. It was named after Anglo-Australian astronomer Karl Glazebrook.- External links :...
was named in his honor.
Glazebrook also developed the open-source Perl Data Language
Perl Data Language
PDL is a set of array programming extensions to the Perl programming language.PDL is an extension to Perl v5, intended for scientific and other data intensive programming tasks...
, a perl-based alternative to the commercial IDL.