Speaker profile
Dr James Lees
FRAS
Available for booking
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England
Will travel anywhere in the UK
Academic Lecturer
Science Communicator
Summary
Physicist, Author, Science Communicator.
Full biography
Dr James Lees has worked across a wide range of physics projects including astrophysics, nuclear, biophysics and condensed matter research. Alongside this, James has a keen interest in science communication and outreach, having worked on several nationwide committees and written a number of physics books.
Stargazing sessions
Dr James Lees can host stargazing sessions including guided tours of the night skies and observing using telescopes or binoculars.
Affiliations
Lectures
All These Worlds (Exoplanets)
Whilst once we thought our solar system might be special in the universe we have recently discovered tens of thousands of alien worlds orbiting alien suns. What are they like? And how did we even find them in the first place? Join Dr James Lees as we explore some of the strangest exoplanets, from the known, to the possible, and even a little detour through sci-fi.
Why We Stargaze: The Motivations and Methods from Pre-History to Today
Humans have been looking at the stars for as long as there have been humans. Yet, how it has been done, and precisely why has changed drastically over the millennium. In this talk Dr James Lees will examine what we know of our astronomical history, considering why it has been like that, the civilisations that have contributed, and how we have reached our modern era where stargazing is more powerful than ever before.
Seeing the Invisible (The Electromagnetic Spectrum in Astronomy)
Visible light makes up just 0.3% of the entire electromagnetic spectrum. That means we can only see a fraction of the things the universe is showing us. Modern scientists have invented a range of different tools to help uncover hidden objects, reveal new lights and show never before seen details. In this talk Dr James Lees will discuss how and why.
The Language of the Stars (Mathematics)
Whilst it may have been many people’s least favourite subject at school it would simply be impossible to do astronomy without mathematics. Here we’ll explore just what that means and how the two used to be one and the same.
A Planet of Robots (Mars)
Mars is not a hospitable place to go so, for now at least, we haven't. Instead we use autonomous robots to do the exploring for us. Come along to learn how they work and what they’ve discovered.
