Inspirational  People  Who  and  why?  

Guess  who?  !   Physicist  

!   Author    

!   TV  presenter  

!   Lecturer  at  Manchester  University  

!   ‘  rock-­‐  star  scientist’  

Professor  Brian  Cox  

Brief  biography…  !   Born  in  1968  in  Manchester  

!   Reports  a  happy  childhood  (dance,  gymnastics,  plane/  bus  spotting)  

!    1979-­‐1986  Hulme  Grammar  School  

!   Aged  12,  read  the  book  Cosmos  by  Karl  Sagan-­‐  inspired  to  become  a  physicist  

!   Manchester  University  

               -­‐  First  Class  Bachelor  of  Science  

               -­‐  Master  of  Philosophy  in  Physics  

               -­‐  Doctor  of  Philosophy  in  high-­‐  energy  particle  physics  

 

His  work  !   Gives  lectures  at  Manchester  University  

!   Works  at  the  Large  Hadron  Collider  research  centre  in  Geneva,  Switzerland  

!   Presents  TV  and  radio  shows:  In  Einstein’s  Shadow,  the  Horizon  series,  Wonders  of  the  Solar  System,  Wonders  of  the  Universe,  Wonders  of  Life,  Stargazing  Live,  Forces  of  Nature  

!   Publishes  science  books/  articles  

 

Awards  !   2002  -­‐  elected  an  International  Fellow  of  The  Explorers  Club  

!   2006  -­‐  received  the  British  Association  Lord  Kelvin  Award  for  this  work  

!    2010-­‐  OBE  (Officer  of  the  Order  of  the  British  Empire)  in  the  Queen’s  Birthday  Honours  List  

“Every  time  I  receive  an  award  or  honour  such  as  this  I  feel  as  though  it  is  further  recognition  of  science.  I  feel  there  is  a  need  to  take  science  more  seriously  in  this  country  and  hopefully  we  are  beginning  to  turn  around  the  public  perception.    “This  is  a  fantastic  way  of  promoting  science  and  I  am  delighted  to  accept  the  honour.”  

Brian  Cox  at  Wimbledon  Theatre  

!   A  human  cannot  move  at  the  speed  of  light  

!   The  universe  is  forever  expanding  

!   The  chances  of  there  being  another  intelligent  life  out  there  in  space  are  very  slim  

!   Our  time  in  cosmic  history  is  extremely  insignificant  

!   The  cosmic  calendar      

Brian  Cox  the  ‘rock  star’  

 

 

Keyboard  player  with  bands  Dare  and  D:Ream  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCtK0E50OLc  

Professor  Brian  Cox  ! http://thekidshouldseethis.com/post/spectroscopy-­‐of-­‐

stars-­‐wonders-­‐of-­‐the-­‐universe  

! http://thekidshouldseethis.com/post/28407935954  

! http://thekidshouldseethis.com/post/15244534536  

Your  challenge…  !   Watch  one  of  the  clips  by  Professor  Brian  Cox  

!   Write  down  one  interesting  fact  you  have  learnt  

!   Now  think  of  a  question  you  would  ask  Professor  Brian  Cox  about  science  if  you  were  to  meet  him…