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Prof Matt Darnley

Astrophysics Research Institute

Faculty of Engineering and Technology

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I am Professor of Time Domain Astrophysics and Head of Teaching at the Astrophysics Research Institute (ARI) of Liverpool John Moores University, UK.

Within the LJMU Faculty of Health, Innovation, Technology & Science (HITS), I have held the additional role of Associate Dean for Education and Student Experience since August 2022.

My research interests are closely focused around Classical and Recurrent Novae, particularly their progenitor systems and extragalactic populations, and their link to Type Ia Supernovae. I have also worked in the area of gravitational microlensing and general time-domain astronomy, with a focus on observations and techniques. More recently, I have moved into hydrodynamic modelling of the interacting ejecta of recurrent novae, which led to the discovery of the first three nova super-remnants.

Through my teaching, particulary with undergraduate students (taught and project work), I also have a developing interest in Space Science and Human Space Flight in particular. This work tends to focus around Astrodynamics, sustainable space flight, and human missions to the Moon and Mars.

I was the chair of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) and a member of the Science Organising Committee for the joint EAS European Week of Astronomy and Space Science (EWASS) and RAS National Astronomy Meeting (NAM) in Liverpool 2018 - the largest Astronomy meeting ever held in the UK! I continued in an advisory role for the EWASS 2019 LOC.

In 2017 I was shortlisted for the Times Higher Education Research Project of the Year (STEM) Award, and won a University of Liverpool Student Experience Staff Award for my work on the Mission to Mars programme. In 2024, I was recognised in the Faculty Teaching Excellence Awards for my work as part of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity team in ARI.

My undergraduate degree in Physics (MPhys) is from Lincoln College, University of Oxford; where my dissertation focussed on optimal object detection algorithms for cosmological surveys, working under Prof. Gavin Dalton. In 2001 I joined LJMU and three and a half years later, I received a PhD in Astrophysics based on the Classical Nova population of the Andromeda Galaxy, working with Prof. Mike Bode. In 2005 I spent six months employed as a PPARC PDRA working on the Angstrom Extragalactic Microlensing Project, before being appointed as a Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, and subsequently a Reader in and then Professor of Time Domain Astrophysics.

As ARI Head of Teaching I have overall responsibility for the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes run by the ARI. I lead the award winning 'Physics Icebreaker Project' (Mission to Mars) module on the Joint Astrophysics Degrees taught by LJMU and the University of Liverpool.

I am the Programme Leader of our Undergraduate programmes and Astrophysics MSc offering, and the Module Leader of the Time Domain Astrophysics module on our MSc programme. From 2016 until 2019, and during 2023 I served as the University of Liverpool Programme Director for our undergraduate programmes, and from 2013 until 2016 I was the undergraduate admissions tutor for Astrophysics in Liverpool.

I am also a Member of the Institute of Physics, have been elected a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. More recently I have been joined the International Astronomical Union and the European Astronomical Society, and have served on the committee of the Merseyside Branch of the Institute of Physics as a member, secretary, and treasurer. Since 2005, I have held an honorary lectureship at the University of Liverpool.

I am currently the Astrophysics External Examiner at University College London, and a member of the Management Committee at the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium.

Languages

English

Degrees

2005, Liverpool John Moores University, United Kingdom, PhD
2001, University of Oxford, United Kingdom, MPhys

Academic appointments

Associate Dean for Eduction and Student Experience, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Liverpool John Moores University, 2022 - present
Professor of Time Domain Astrophysics, Astrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, 2021 - present
Management Committee Member, Armagh Observatory, 2021 - present
External Examiner, University College London, 2021 - present
External Examiner, University of Hertfordshire, 2019 - present
Reader in Time Domain Astrophysics, Astrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, 2016 - 2021
Senior Lecturer, Astrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, 2010 - 2016
Honorary Lecturer, University of Liverpool, 2005 - present
Lecturer, Astrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, 2005 - 2010
PPARC PDRA, Astrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, 2005 - 2005

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