Dark Matter Sheep Some ramblings of a musical astronomer

About the Dark Matter Sheep

The name Dark Matter Sheep came from a podcast that I was writing about cosmology and the scary things in the Universe. The name of the episode was going to be - 'Do comologists dream of dark matter sheep?' to paradoy the Philip K. Dick novel, Do androids dream of electric sheep? (which was made into the, in some ways disappointing, film Blade Runner).

Just who do you think you are?

I have many opinions and I have divulged them on the internet since I could first beg, borrow and steal webspace in about 1997. I have a degree in astrophysics and a PhD in theoretical fluid dynamics of the outflow from young, hot (but not nubile) stars - don't snigger when I tell you we call it 'wind'.

I found the research community I belonged to, small as it was, to be bitchy, and quite unfriendly to outsiders and people who are not willing to be deferential to the 'revered' fat cats at the top. I left research and have been very happy in the field of public outreach for the past 5 years.

What I do during the day

I work for Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network who are building the largest network of robotically controlled telescope the world has ever seen! Its a massive undertaking, but is very exciting and has really great prospects for anyone who is interested in astronomy - because the network will be open to anyone to use. Thats right anyone, you, your family, the baker down the street, people in the Australian outback, maybe even the odd politician!

I am a member of the Teacher Scientist Network in South Wales, UK. This is a great nework which puts teachers who have a problem bringing part of the curriculum to life, want to inject a bit of life to a tired practical, or really bright students who want to be challenged, in touch with professional scientists. If you are such a teacher, get in touch with me.

I appear regularly on the BBC Radio Wales science programme, Science Cafe. Give it a shot Sunday of a Sunday evening and you might hear me talking about the similarity between exoplanets and Goldilocks, dropping asteroids on the Big Brother house or NASA's 7 minutes of terror.

I have appeared on the judging panel for the regional heats of the Debating Matters competition, run by the Institute of Ideas. I really enjoy a good argument and was very keen on debating at school, so I fully support young people who want to use their minds to tease out different ideas, instead of taking the obvious line.

Outside work

You might have realised that I love singing (from all the recordings on the website). I am a proud member of Welsh Camerata who enjoy singing Early Music in South Wales, under the effervescant direction of Andrew Wilson-Dickson. I also play the oboe, piano and try very hard not to make the lute sound too awful.

My sister is an aspiring singer studying at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. For more of her jolliness look at her website

My beautiful wife is an astronomer too (she's a proper one - goes to Hawaii and everything). Have a look at her website.