Roger Angel
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| Roger Angel | |
|---|---|
| Name | Roger Angel |
| Birth date | 12 February 1941 |
| Birth place | St Helens, Merseyside, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Fields | Astronomy, Optics, Astrophysics |
| Workplaces | University of Arizona, Steward Observatory |
| Alma mater | University of Oxford (BA, DPhil) |
| Known for | Large Binocular Telescope, Giant Magellan Telescope, solar energy technology |
| Awards | Royal Society Fellowship, Kavli Prize in Astrophysics |
Roger Angel. He is a prominent British-born astronomer and optical engineer renowned for his pioneering work in telescope design and solar energy technology. A Fellow of the Royal Society, his career at the University of Arizona and Steward Observatory has been instrumental in advancing ground-based astronomy. He is a key figure behind major projects like the Large Binocular Telescope and the Giant Magellan Telescope.
Early life and education
Born in St Helens, Merseyside, his early interest in science was nurtured in England. He pursued his undergraduate studies at Oxford University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Physics. He continued at Oxford for his doctoral research, completing a Doctor of Philosophy in astrophysics. His graduate work laid the foundation for his expertise in instrumentation and observational astronomy.
Career and research
After his DPhil, he moved to the United States, joining the faculty at the University of Arizona. At the Steward Observatory Mirror Lab, he pioneered the development of spin casting techniques for creating large, lightweight borosilicate glass mirrors. This innovation was critical for the Multiple Mirror Telescope upgrade and the construction of the Large Binocular Telescope on Mount Graham. His leadership is central to the Giant Magellan Telescope project in Chile. Concurrently, he founded REhnu, Inc. to develop high-concentration photovoltaic systems for solar power, applying advanced optics from astronomy to renewable energy.
Honors and awards
His contributions have been recognized with numerous prestigious honors. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1996. In 2006, he received the Kavli Prize in Astrophysics, shared with Jerry Nelson and Raymond N. Wilson. Other significant awards include the Joseph Fraunhofer Award from The Optical Society and the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society. He is also a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Personal life
He maintains a strong connection to the astronomical community in Tucson, Arizona, where he has lived for decades. His work has involved extensive collaboration with institutions like the Carnegie Institution for Science and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Outside of his professional pursuits, he is known for his advocacy in applying scientific innovation to address global challenges like climate change.
Selected publications
His extensive body of work includes seminal papers on adaptive optics, telescope design, and solar concentrators. Key publications often appear in journals such as The Astrophysical Journal and Applied Optics. Notable works cover the design of the Large Binocular Telescope, the spin casting process for segmented mirrors, and the optical principles behind his company's solar concentrator technology.
Category:British astronomers Category:Optical engineers Category:University of Arizona faculty