An award-winning astrophysicist whose team has led some of the most significant space research of recent times has joined Keele University as its new Head of School for Chemical and Physical Sciences.
Professor Brad Gibson joins Keele from the University of Hull, where he served as Head of Physics and Mathematics, Director and Founder of the E.A. Milne Centre for Astrophysics, and Director of Research for the School of Natural Sciences.
Throughout his career he has led teams behind some of the most significant astrophysics work of recent years.
This included first defining the Milky Way’s Galactic Habitable Zone (named a Top 10 News Story of the Year by National Geographic), determining the expansion rate of the Universe (for which their team was awarded the Gruber Prize in Cosmology), and building the world’s first Liquid Mirror Telescope Observatory.
Earlier in his career Brad held the Chair in Theoretical Astrophysics at the University of Central Lancashire, and served as Deputy Head of School (Biological Sciences and Electrical Engineering) at Swinburne University in Australia.
As well as holding several leadership roles in a number of academic organisations, he has also published more than 500 research publications which have been cited more than 40,000 times, and he has secured more than £10m in research grants to date.
Brad is passionate about inspiring others and has carried out more than 1,000 outreach events over the past seven years reaching two million people around the world.
His commitment to widening participation from underrepresented groups, and improving the career prospects of physics students, led to his “Changing Face of Physics” campaign being named Best Practice in the Country by the UK’s Equality Challenge Unit.
Professor Gibson said: “To say I am excited to join and support the teams across the School of Chemical and Physical Sciences would be a massive understatement.
“Most important to me is that Keele has never lost sight of its ethos to provide a supportive and inclusive environment where the passion for research and training highly employable graduates has not come at the expense of a commitment to an engaging and enjoyable teaching experience.
Professor Anna Meredith OBE, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, added: “We are thrilled to welcome Professor Gibson to Keele to lead our School of Chemical and Physical Sciences. His pre-eminence and global recognition as an outstanding astrophysicist will enhance our scientific community and inspire our academic staff and students. “
