Professor Bryan Gaensler

My book Extreme Cosmos Buy it now: Aus/NZ, everywhere else

Sydney Institute for Astronomy
School of Physics, The University of Sydney
44 Rosehill Street, Redfern, NSW 2016, Australia
Phone: +61 2 9351 6053, Fax: +61 2 9036 7843
Email: bryan.gaensler@sydney.edu.au
WWW: http://www.physics.usyd.edu.au/~bmg/
(last seen in Penticton, BC, Canada; click here for travel schedule)

I am an astronomer, working as Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for All-sky Astrophysics (CAASTRO), and also as an Australian Laureate Fellow in the Sydney Institute for Astronomy within the School of Physics at The University of Sydney.

As Director of CAASTRO, I am working to establish Australia as the world-leader in wide-field radio and optical astronomy. The CAASTRO team aims to answer major unsolved problems in astronomy, to develop innovative ways of processing enormous data-sets, and to enable a diverse set of opportunities for students and early career researchers. By bringing Australia's top astronomers together into a focused collaboration, CAASTRO aims to cement Australia's reputation as an international leader in astrophysical research, and to build unique expertise in wide-field radio and optical astronomy. CAASTRO also aims to position Australia to lead the science programmes planned for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), a radio telescope for the 21st century that will answer fundamental questions about the origin and evolution of the Universe.

As a Laureate Fellow, I aim to use the unique capabilities of the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) to conduct the Polarisation Sky Survey of the Universe's Magnetism (POSSUM). POSSUM is based around an effect called "Faraday rotation", in which light from a background object is subtly changed when it passes through a cloud of magnetised gas. By measuring the Faraday rotation in the emission from millions of distant galaxies over 70% of the sky, POSSUM aims to transform our understanding of magnetic fields in galaxies, clusters and in diffuse intergalactic gas, and to thus address key unanswered questions on Milky Way ecology, galaxy evolution and cosmology. The data from POSSUM will provide a substantial legacy to the astronomical community, while the new instrumentation required for this project will test the technology needed for the SKA.

If you are a Sydney student interested in working in my research team, please feel free to email me.

I am the editor-in-chief for PASA. If you have an exciting result on the Universe that you are planning to publish, please consider submitting it to PASA!

I did my postgraduate work at The University of Sydney and at CSIRO's Australia Telescope National Facility. I subsequently held postdoctoral fellowships at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, was an associate professor of astronomy at Harvard University, and then was an ARC Federation Fellow at The University of Sydney.

Now follow the links...

• "Science needs more women" (op-ed for The Australian newspaper)
• "Bryan Gaensler elected as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science" (U. Sydney news story)
• "TV program helps children follow their dreams through to university" (U. Sydney news story)
• "Access to galaxy of expertise key to world-class reputation" (article on my team in The Australian newspaper)

• "Galactic geysers fuelled by star stuff" (CAASTRO press release)
• "Physics Buzz: Extreme Cosmos" (podcast on my book, "Extreme Cosmos")
• "New astrophysics facility in Sydney could hold the key to secrets of the universe" (NSW Trade and Investment press release)
• "Still Starstruck After All These Years" (profile on me and my university studies in The Australian)
• "What I Drink When" (interview for the Sydney Morning Herald on my research and my favourite beer)
• "Music of the Universe" (U. Sydney media release)
• "Remnant of an explosion with a powerful kick" (NASA press release)
• "Space Invaders" (story for Australia Unlimited magazine)
• Author profile in Cosmos magazine for Extreme Cosmos
• Communication and religion in science (interview with Philip Adams on ABC Radio National's Late Night Live; mp3 of interview)
• "Geeks, Freaks and Eggheads" (a discussion on the perception of scientists on ABC TV's Big Ideas)
• "Churning Galaxy is a Snake Pit" (U. Sydney media release)
• "New All-sky Astrophysics Research Centre To Tackle The Big Questions" (interview for The Conversation)
• "An Astronomer's Guide to The Extreme Cosmos" (U. Sydney media release)
• CAASTRO: A New Way of Looking at the Sky" (U. Sydney media release)
• "The Extreme Stargazer's Guide to the Cosmos" (review of my book Extreme Cosmos)
• Conversations with Richard Fidler (interview on ABC Radio; mp3 of interview)
• "Heavy, fast and furious: Stars of the Milky Way" (U. Sydney news story)
• "Bryan Gaensler in Top 100 most influential people" (U. Sydney news story)
• "School of Physics wins prestigious Pawsey Medal for tenth time" (U. Sydney news story)
• "Charting Astronomical Collaboration in China" (U. Sydney news story)
• "Star physicist awarded science prize"
• "Star Meeting: Australia-China Astronomy Roundtable" (U. Sydney news story)
• "ARC announces funding of $20.6 million for Centre of Excellence for All-sky Astrophysics" (anzSKA media release)
• "Sydney Researchers Awarded Top Australian Fellowships" (U. Sydney media release)
• "Sydney's Stars" (astronomy highlights from the The University of Sydney's 2009 Annual Report)
• "Mapping Magnetism to Reveal Cosmic History" (part of Stories of Australian Astronomy)
• "Science Goals Align for POSSUM" (from the May 2010 ASKAP Science Update)
• "POSSUM, FLASH and ASKAP" (highlights from the International Year of Astronomy)
• "Magnetism in the Universe" (a Brainsmatter podcast on my recent research)
• "New Neutron Star Discovered in the Frying Pan" (U. Sydney media release)
• Behind the Scenes of Contact: The Movie (a memorable moment during National Science Week 2009)
• Astronomical Writing (a panel discussion on the ABC Book Show; mp3 of discussion)
• "Galaxy reveals its dark heart" (CSIRO media release)
• "Music & the Cosmos" (a special event for the ABC Science Show; mp3 of music & talks)
• "Around The World in 80 Telescopes" (webcast from Molonglo Observatory)
• In Conversation with Robyn Williams (interview on Radio National; mp3 of interview)
• "Tall Poppies Receive Recognition" (The Glebe news article)
• "Detective astronomers unearth hidden celestial gem" (ESA media release)
• "Bok Prize for IoA Honours Student" (U. Sydney media release)
• "Your top idea, in 100 words or less" (Sydney Morning Herald news article)
• "Australia 2020 Summit: Sydney academics make list" (U. Sydney media release)
• The Morning Interview with Margaret Throsby (interview on Classic FM; mp3 of interview)
• "The Milky Way is twice the size we thought it was" (U. Sydney media release; mp3 of ABC Radio interview)
• "Pulsed heartbeat of a weird new type of star" (ESA media release)
• "Distant ball of dust not dusty enough" (UC Berkeley media release)
• "The case of the neutron star with a wayward wake" (NASA media release; Astronomy Picture of the Day)
• "Bryan Gaensler receives 2006 AAS Newton Lacy Pierce Prize" (CfA media release)
• "Neutron Stars Gone Wild" (Science magazine's #4 breakthough of 2005)
• Chandra Chronicles Spotlight
• "Hassled galaxy thriving on chaos" (CSIRO media release)
• "Dying star flares up, briefly outshining rest of Galaxy" (New York Times news article)
• "Biggest stars produce strongest magnets" (CfA media release)
• "Chasing, catching, an American dream" (Sydney Morning Herald news article)
• The Mouse that Soared" (NASA media release)
• "New Fellowship Scheme Reverses the Brain Drain" (Queensland Government media release)
• "A New Spiral Arm for Our Galaxy" (ATNF media release)
• "Cosmic Corpses in A Spin" (Sydney Morning Herald news article)
• "Northern Stars Return Home" (University of Sydney News article)
• "A Cocoon Found Inside the Black Widow's Web" (NASA media release)
• "Age Discrepancy Throws Pulsar Theories into Turmoil" (NRAO media release)
• "New Australia Telescope eyes look at exploded star" (CSIRO media release)
• "Chandra examines a quadrillion-volt pulsar" (NASA media release; Astronomy Picture of the Day)
• "Pulsars are lying about their ages" (NRAO media release)
• "Life of Bryan" (profile in The Australian)
• Sydney astronomer named 1999 Young Australian of the Year (CSIRO media release)
• "Sting-ray in the Sky Sparks New Theory" (CSIRO media release)
• "Exploded Stars are Cosmic Compasses" (CSIRO media release)

• "How Hot Is The Hottest Star?" (extract in Scientific American from my book Extreme Cosmos)
• "When the Universe Began" (extract in Salon from my book Extreme Cosmos)
• "For Science, Even Eureka Moments Are Bitter-Sweet" (op-ed on the Higgs Boston in the Sydney Morning Herald)
• "Cosmic Questions" (blog for The Huffington Post)
• "Gazing Deeply" (opinion piece on the SKA for the Australian Financial Review)
• "Splitting the Square Kilometre Array - Why a Dual-Site Setup is a Win for Everyone" (opinion piece for The Conversation)
• "Does the Cosmos Care?" (an op-ed for the 2012 Next Wave festival)
• Reviews of recent science fiction (on ABC Radio National's Books and Arts Daily; mp3 of discussion)
• "Extreme Speed" (extract in Cosmos magazine from my book Extreme Cosmos)
• "The Milky Way's Mad Scientists" (extract on ABC Science from my book Extreme Cosmos)
• "The Astronomer's Holy Grail" (article for The Conversation)
• "An Eye To The Future of Astronomy ... A Cosmic Pick `n' Mix" (article for The Conversation)
• "A New Way of Looking at the Stars" (my speech at TEDxSydney 2011; see also U. Sydney news item)
• "The Magnetic Universe" (popular article, published in Cosmos magazine)
• "Hip Hip Hooray for the (Aussie?) Square Kilometre Array" (article for The Conversation)
• "How To Make The Most of Your Overseas Experience" (Editorial for Academy of Science Early Career Newsletter)
• "The Magnetic Universe" (a popular article, published in Australasian Science)
• "Big Ideas and New Ways Forward" (Op-Ed for The Melbourne Review)
• "Reward Ideas, Not CVs" (Op-Ed in Australasian Science)
• "Dark Matter" (essay in response to Giles Ryder's exhibition Dark Matter)
• "Our Boomerangs Don't Come Back (Op-Ed in the Sydney Morning Herald)
• "Does Sydney Stack Up?" (article in the(sydney)magazine)
• "An Astronomer Gazes at Heavens" (essay in response to Asher Bilu's artwork Heavens)
• "Why Pluto Had To Go" (Op-Ed published in Cosmos magazine)
• "A Star Is Burst" (a popular article, published in Cosmos magazine)
• "Keeping the Faith in a World Less Certain" (Op-Ed in the Sydney Morning Herald)
• "Time for Scientists to Rock the Boat" (Op-Ed in Australasian Science)
• 2001 Australia Day Address
• "Reaching for the Stars" (autobiographical musings in the University of Sydney Gazette)
• "Of Dead Stars and Cosmic Lighthouses" (a popular article, published in Newton magazine)
• "Astronomy in Australia - Past and Future" (part of a symposium on Australia's Science Future)
• "When Big Stars Die" (a popular article, published in The Bulletin magazine)
• "Australian Science: Our Future" (an address to the National Press Club)
• "Exploding Stars and Smoke Rings" (a public lecture for the Museum of Victoria)

In science-speak...

• Publications
• Contact information
• Travel schedule
• One-page curriculum vitae (PDF format)
• My PhD thesis, in all its glory... (5.5 MB, pdf format) (on-line version available here)
• Observing projects
• GaS research group
• CfA/MIT Joint Seminar Series on Neutron Stars and Supernova Remnants
• Square Kilometre Array (SKA)
• GALFA Continuum Transit Survey (GALFACTS)
• Murchison Widefield Array (MWA)
• The Australia Telescope Large Area Survey (ATLAS)
• Workshop on Neutron Stars in Supernova Remnants, 14-17 Aug 2001, Boston MA
• "The Origin and Evolution of Cosmic Magnetism", 29 Aug - 2 Sep 2005, Bologna, Italy
• MOST Supernova Remnant Catalogue
• Molonglo Calibrator Database
• International Galactic Plane Survey (IGPS)
• New South Wales Expatriate Return Awards
• Australian Science Media Centre
• Cosmos magazine - the Science of Everything!

When I'm not working...

• What I'm listening to:

  

• Some books I've been reading:

  Bryan's Bookshelf

  

  

  Vortex

  by Robert Charles Wilson

  

  

  Spin State

  by Chris Moriarty

  

  

  Freeware

  by Rudy Rucker

  

  

  Realware

  by Rudy Rucker

  

  

  Wetware

  by Rudy Rucker

  
  

accesses since 29-Feb-1996.