Martin Rees

The Right Honourable Martin John Rees, Baron Rees of Ludlow, FRS (born 23 June 1942) is a professor of astronomy. He has been Astronomer Royal since 1995, and Master of Trinity College, Cambridge since 2004.

Related Topics:
The Right Honourable - FRS - 23 June - 1942 - Professor - Astronomy - Astronomer Royal - 1995 - Trinity College, Cambridge - 2004

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Rees was educated at Shrewsbury School and Trinity College, Cambridge, and studied in the United States before taking a professorship at Sussex University. Returning to Cambridge, he held the post of Plumian Professor until 1991 and was director of the Institute of Astronomy there. From 1992 to 2003 he was Royal Society Research Professor, and from 2003 Professor of Cosmology and Astrophysics. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1979.

Related Topics:
Shrewsbury School - Trinity College, Cambridge - United States - Sussex University - Cambridge - Plumian Professor - 1991 - Institute of Astronomy - 1992 - 2003 - Cosmology - Astrophysics - Fellow of the Royal Society

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In a career that has seen him publish over 500 research papers, he has made important contributions in the origin of cosmic microwave background radiation, as well as galaxy clustering and formation. His studies of the distribution of quasars proved a strong argument against the steady state theory, and he was one of the first to propose that enormous black holes power the quasars. He is also a well-respected and popular publicist of astronomy and science in general.

Related Topics:
Cosmic microwave background radiation - Galaxy - Quasar - Steady state theory - Black hole - Astronomy - Science

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On 29 March 2005, it was announced that he had been nominated as the next president of the Royal Society, the UK's national academy of science, and he is expected to take over the post in November 2005. His selection as a "people's peer" to sit as a crossbencher in the House of Lords was announced on 22 July 2005 and on 6 September he was created Baron Rees of Ludlow, of Ludlow in the County of Shropshire.

Related Topics:
29 March - 2005 - Royal Society - UK - People's peer - Crossbencher - House of Lords - 22 July - 6 September - Ludlow - County of Shropshire

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~