Dr. J. Duncan Law-Green
XMM-Newton Science Operations Manager
X-Ray & Observational Astronomy Group
Dept. of Physics & Astronomy
University of Leicester
Leicester LE1 7RH

Email: dlg@star.le.ac.uk
Tel: 0116 252 2589
Fax: 0116 252 3311


Introduction

I have a BSc in Physics with Astrophysics from Manchester University, and a PhD in Radio Astronomy from Jodrell Bank. I joined the University of Leicester in 1996, working with Prof. Martin Ward on studies of Active Galactic Nuclei in the near and far infrared using the ESA Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) satellite.

In 2000, I became Support Scientist for the Leicester Database & Archive Service (LEDAS), maintaining online software and data archive systems for the UK high-energy astrophysics community. For several years, I maintained the European Public Data Mirror for the NASA Chandra X-ray Observatory satellite, and worked with the ESA XMM Survey Science Centre at Leicester on database support and data publication.

My current role is as XMM-Newton Science Operations Manager, maintaining and developing the data processing software pipeline which turns XMM-Newton satellite telemetry into useful scientific data.

I am also heavily involved with the international Virtual Observatory (VO) effort to provide uniform access to astrophysical databases and archive systems around the world, and work with the UK AstroGrid VO project on software development and deployment.

Consultancy

I currently work as an external consultant to the European Commission, as a technical evaluator and review panel chairman on transnational IT projects under the Framework 6 and Framework 7 programmes, specialising in digital research infrastructures and scientific data repositories. If you are interested in hiring me as a consultant, please see the Consult LEicester website for more information.

Media & Outreach

I have worked with the National Space Centre on the development of their new multimedia exhibit on space tourism, which opened in October 2007. I have also given interviews on BBC Radio Newcastle, BBC Southern Counties Radio and the Naked Scientist podcast amongst others on the subject of Space Tourism and manned spacecraft development. My comments on manned spaceflight appear in this BBC News article:-

Spaceflight

I have been a space enthusiast and promoter of space development since childhood, and currently take an active interest in commercial human spaceflight developments in the UK and around the world. I maintain a spaceflight-related blog at www.rocketeers.co.uk. I was formerly a member of the Sarthe Group on UK Space Policy, and the organising committee for the UK Space Conference.

  • A New British Space Age: my white paper on proposals for the development of commercial spaceflight in the UK (Jan 2007)

Posters

Here are some recent posters I have presented (downloads in Powerpoint format unless otherwise stated):

Seminars

Here are some of the slides from recent seminars and presentations I have given (downloads in Powerpoint format unless otherwise stated):

My Links

External Links