View source for Biography:Tim O'Brien (physicist)

{{short description|British astronomer}}
{{Infobox scientist
| honorific_prefix  =
| name              = Tim O'Brien
| honorific_suffix  =
| birth_name       = Timothy John O'Brien
| image             = Jodrell Bank Live 2011 10.jpg
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| alt               = Tim on stage at Jodrell Bank Live in 2011
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| birth_date        = {{birth date and age|1964|03|31|df=y}}
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| workplaces        = [[Organization:University of Manchester|University of Manchester]]<br>[[Organization:Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics|Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics]]<br>[[Organization:Liverpool John Moores University|Liverpool John Moores University]]
| patrons           =
| education         =
| alma_mater        = [[Organization:University College London|University College London]] (BSc)<br>[[Organization:University of Manchester|University of Manchester]] (PhD)
| thesis_title      = A model for the remnant of the recurrent nova RS Ophiuchi (1985)
| thesis_url        = http://www.librarysearch.manchester.ac.uk/MU_VU1:BLENDED:44MAN_ALMA_DS21157973630001631
| thesis_year       = 1990
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| known_for         = [[Astronomy:MERLIN|Multi-Element Radio Linked Interferometer Network (MERLIN)]]<ref name=HealyOBrien2016>{{cite journal|last1=Healy|first1=F.|last2=O'Brien|first2=T. J.|last3=Beswick|first3=R.|title=eMERLIN imaging of γ-ray nova V959 Mon's surprising evolution|journal=Journal of Physics: Conference Series|volume=728|year=2016|issue=4|pages=042002|issn=1742-6588|doi=10.1088/1742-6596/728/4/042002|bibcode=2016JPhCS.728d2002H|doi-access=free}}</ref><br>Bluedot Festival
| influences        =
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| awards            = Kelvin Prize (2014)
| spouse            = [[Biography:Teresa Anderson|Teresa Anderson]]<ref name=rochdale/>
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| website           = {{URL|http://proftimobrien.com}}
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}}
'''Timothy John O'Brien''' (born 31 March 1964) is a British astronomer, currently working at the [[Organization:University of Manchester|University of Manchester]] as Professor of [[Physics:Astrophysics|Astrophysics]]. He often appears on the BBC.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/35457742 ''Newsround'' February 2016]</ref><ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06z4ync BBC ''Inside Science'' February 2016]</ref>

==Early life and education==
He was born in Littleborough, Greater Manchester. He grew up in Castleton, Greater Manchester in the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale.<ref>[http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/84640/rochdale-professor-appears-on-stargazing-live Rochdale January 2014]</ref> He attended school in Rochdale.<ref name=rochdale>{{cite web|url=http://www.thecheshiremagazine.co.uk/article/the-science-interview-awesome-astrophysicist-professor-tim-o-brien|publisher= Cheshire Magazine |date= 2016-08-26|archivedate=2016-11-12|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161112022432/https://thecheshiremagazine.co.uk/article/the-science-interview-awesome-astrophysicist-professor-tim-o-brien|website=thecheshiremagazine.co.uk|first=Natalie|last=Anglesey|title=THE SCIENCE INTERVIEW: 'AWESOME ASTROPHYSICIST' PROFESSOR TIM O'BRIEN}}</ref> He studied Physics and Astrophysics at [[Organization:University College London|University College London]] and completed his PhD at the University of Manchester between 1985 and 1988.

==Career and research==
He taught at the [[Organization:University of Liverpool|University of Liverpool]] in the 1990s.{{citation needed|date=April 2018}} He began working at the University of Manchester in 1999 where he is currently{{when|date=June 2022}} associate director of the [[Organization:Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics|Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics]]. He is also Director of Teaching & Learning in the university's School of Physics & Astronomy. From 2009 to 2015, he taught the first year undergraduate course in Astrophysics.<ref>[http://www.physics.manchester.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/postgraduate-courses/astronomy-and-astrophysics/ Astrophysics]</ref>

His research is primarily in the area of [[Astronomy:Nova|nova]]e (thermonuclear explosions on white dwarf stars in binary star systems) and includes both theoretical work and observations using telescopes around the world and in space working across the electromagnetic spectrum.

===Broadcasting===
He has appeared on ''Stargazing Live'' on BBC Two and ''The Infinite Monkey Cage'' on BBC Radio 4.<ref>[http://www.esof.eu/speakers/speakers-details/tim-obrien.html EuroScience Open Forum 2016]</ref><ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/39049747 ''Newsround'' February 2017]</ref>

==Personal life==
O'Brien is married to Professor [[Biography:Teresa Anderson|Teresa Anderson]] (born 1 December 1962).<ref>[http://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/article/?id=12411 Wife]</ref> He lived for a time{{when|date=June 2022}} in Macclesfield{{fact|date=June 2022}} and currently{{when|date=June 2022}} lives in south Manchester.{{fact|date=June 2022}} He has a younger sister (born 1965) and a younger brother (born 1967).{{fact|date=June 2022}} 

==References==
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{{S-ttl|title= Professor of Astrophysics at the School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester|years= - }}
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{{Astronomy subfields}}
{{Supernovae}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:OBrien, Timothy John}}
[[Category:Science communicators]]

{{Sourceattribution|Tim O'Brien (physicist)}}