Research:
Most of my research is directed at investigating Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) and Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRB) at all wavelengths across a wide range in redshift. These include some of the most luminous objects in the Universe. My main areas of study are:

• GRBs. The most luminous objects known, GRBs are thought to be powered by the collapse of a massive star or (for the shorter duration ones) a binary merger involving two compact objects. In either case, relativistic jets are formed which carry energy into the surrounding material, which can result in emission - the afterglow - visible long after the intial, prompt gamma-ray flash has decayed. The time-dependent emission from the GRB and the afterglow constrain the emission mechanisms and the progenitor.
• The ionizing continuum of AGN. The UV and X-ray continua originate from close to the central supermassive black hole, most probably from an accretion disc. The continuum spectral and variability characteristics help identify the dominant emission mechanism(s) and the geometry of the emitting material.
• The emission and absorption line regions of AGN, particularly those producing the broad and narrow-line emission lines and the asborbing material. Some of the absorbing material moves at velocities comparable to that of the broad emission-line gas. The emission-line gas is heated and ionized by the continuum. The absorbing material provides information on the location and physical properties of both itself and the continuum and emission-line sources. All of these components may be related to the accretion disc and/or the molecular torus which may surround the nucleus.

If you are interested in research on AGN or GRBs (or other areas) at Leicester, you can find out more about what we do here. Information on how to become a research student in the XROA group can be found here. My publication list can be found here.

Observing:
My research involves the use of spectroscopic and imaging data, obtained via a wide variety of ground-based and orbiting observatories. As AGN and GRBs emit over the entire electromagnetic spectrum it is essential to combine data from as many wavelengths as possible. Observational astronomy always demands new facilities, so at Leicester we are involved in many instrumentation and software projects. Recently we provided hardware for XMM-Newton, Chandra and Swift and we are currently building instruments for new missions including Astrosat and the mid-infrared instrument on JWST. Over the longer term, we are involved in mission studies such as IXO/Athena, a large X-ray telescope for the next decade, Xenia, a probe of cosmic evolution and Lobster and JANUS, missions to search for high-redshift GRBs and other transient X-ray sources. Closer to the ground, we are co-investigators for the UK Visible & Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA), a 4-m telescope sited in Chile and members of the UK consortium involved in the radio telescope array LOFAR.

Collaborations:
Much of my research and other work done in the Department is collaborative, involving scientists in the UK, Europe and the USA. I'm a member of the Space and High Energy Astrophysics Division (XI) of the International Astronomical Union, the body which oversees astronomy worldwide. I'm also a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and its US equivalent, the American Astronomical Society.

Teaching: 
I teach a variety of physics and astronomy topics on the undergraduate BSc and MPhys degrees at Leicester, including first year courses on electricity and magnetism (PA1130) and terrestial planets (opt.1604) and the second year group research project (opt.2902). I am also head of the 2nd year laboratory, and supervise third and fourth year undergraduate projects as well as supervising PhD students. Our teaching course for current students are listed here