I'm a Professor of Astronomy at UCL, and a member of the Stars & Galaxies subgroup.
I was born -- very recently -- in Portsmouth (aka `Sunny Southsea' in the brochures), and am thereby condemned to follow the very variable fortunes of its Football Team. I now live in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire; the area's other famous residents include the glamorous and talented Cilla Black, and former England, Arsenal and Man City goalkeeper David Seaman.
My research interests span all the Hot-Star Group's projects, and I'm also interested in interstellar absorption-line spectroscopy and the applications of statistical techniques in astronomy. I was a `back-yard' astronomer before starting my professional career, and still follow amateur activities, especially variable-star work, with interest. I've been Senior Secretary to, and Vice-President of, the Royal Astronomical Society, and maintain a mirror of the Astronomy Picture of the Day.
Outside the Department, I enjoy the complete suite of dweeb passtimes: listening to Radio 4, birdwatching, politely refusing alcoholic beverages... Unfortunately, having been born too late for The Age of Steam, I never developed into train-spotting.
My favourite things include: hamsters , Rocky Mountain National Park, Here and There in The Observatory magazine.