Quentin Cooper
{{short description|British science journalist (born 1961)}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{more footnotes|date=February 2013}}
{{Infobox presenter
| name = Quentin Cooper
| image = Quentin Cooper.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption = Cooper in 2013
| birth_name =
| birth_date = 1961
| birth_place = Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England
| death_date =
| death_place =
| show = Material World
| station = BBC Radio 4
| country = United Kingdom
| prevshow = Connect, Kaleidoscope
| parents =
| spouse(s) = Suba Subramaniam
| children = 1
| website = {{url|https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/people/presenters/quentin-cooper}}
| module = {{Listen |embed=yes |filename = Quentin Cooper.ogg|title = Quentin Cooper's voice|type = speech|description = recorded February 2013}}
}}
Quentin Cooper (born 1961, Grimsby) is a science journalist and facilitator, who presented BBC Radio 4's Material World from 2000 to 2013. He speaks at science festivals and lectures, and works regularly with science and educational organisations such as the Royal Society and the British Council.
Early life
He lived on Dene Road Grimsby, the son of HarryGrimsby Evening Telegraph Friday 26 August 1983 and Pamela Cooper.Grimsby Evening Telegraph Friday 7 October 1994, page 19 His father had worked with the BBC.Grimsby Evening Telegraph Friday 16 January 1998, page 16
Cooper attended Canon Ainslie Primary School, which closed in 1973,Grimsby Evening Telegraph Thursday 20 July 1972, page 6 and Wintringham Grammar School in Grimsby, studied for a BSc in psychology and artificial intelligence at the University of Edinburgh and obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism Studies at University College Cardiff.
Career
=Broadcasting=
At BBC Radio Scotland, in Glasgow, Cooper worked as a producer in News and Current Affairs, and youth programmes such as Bite the Wax, presented by Armando Iannucci, then Hit The North which first united Mark and Lard aka Mark Radcliffe and Marc Riley for Radio 5 in Manchester.Manchester Evening News Wednesday 14 November 1990, page 6Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph Friday 29 March 1991 On 3 July 1991, Hit The North featured the 'Fun Seekers Guide to Scunthorpe'.Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph Friday 19 July 1991
Moving to London he produced arts programmes, and presented Kaleidoscope on Radio 4 in February 1992.Grimsby Evening Telegraph Saturday 22 February 1992 In 1995 he presented 'Cling Film' on Radio 1.Lincolnshire Echo Tuesday 22 August 1995, page 17 On Radio 5 Live he presented 'The Big Byte' on Sundays from 1996-98.Lincolnshire Echo Saturday 4 May 1996, page 18
He was film critic for 5 Live, then for Radio 2's Parkinson's Sunday Supplement. Cooper presented the series Science Fix for BBC Four and New Scientist Reports for Discovery Channel.
File:Quentin Cooper (interviewing two of the original Clangers).jpg, brought in to one of his BBC radio programmes]]
From 1999 to 2013 he presented Material World on Radio 4. Described by the Radio Times as "the most accessible, funny and conversational science programme on radio" and by Bill Bryson as "quite the best thing on radio", in the 2011 BBC Trust review of impartiality and accuracy of the BBC's coverage of science it was singled out for "particular praise".{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/assets/files/pdf/our_work/science_impartiality/science_impartiality.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=25 December 2019 |archive-date=2 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130402181751/http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/assets/files/pdf/our_work/science_impartiality/science_impartiality.pdf |url-status=dead }}
Cooper is an occasional presenter of the BBC World Service discussion programme The Forum, and interviewer on the Transplant Links Community podcast.{{Cite web |url=https://www.transplantlinks.org/transplant-links-community-introduction/ |title=Transplant Links Community – an Introduction - Transplant Links Community |access-date=30 May 2018 |archive-date=1 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401135027/https://www.transplantlinks.org/transplant-links-community-introduction/ |url-status=dead }}
=Science communication=
An advisor to many national and international science organisations and festivals and host of numerous recurring and one-off events and conferences, in 2011 he was given an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science{{Cite web|url=http://www1.hw.ac.uk/ppr/docs/network-summer-2010.pdf|title=Heriot-Watt University News: Summer 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160412034552/http://www1.hw.ac.uk/ppr/docs/network-summer-2010.pdf|archive-date=12 April 2016|df=dmy-all}} by Heriot-Watt University, in 2012 he was the first radio presenter to be made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry,{{cite web|url=http://www.rsc.org/Membership/AboutRscMembership/HonFRSC/index.asp |title=RSC Honorary Fellows |publisher=Rsc.org |access-date=28 February 2013}} and in 2013 the University of Edinburgh awarded him an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science in recognition of his "major contribution to the public understanding of science and engineering".
=Publications=
In October 1994, he co-wrote Maypoles, Martyrs, and Mayhem: 366 days of British customs, myths and eccentricities ({{ISBN|978-0747518075}}) with Paul Sullivan, an almanac of British customs, myths and beliefs across the year, described by The Times as a "'A perfectly conceived compendium of culture'{{cite web|url=http://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/maypoles-martyrs-and-mayhem-9780747522065 |title=Maypoles, Martyrs and Mayhem |publisher=Bloomsbury |date=27 July 1995 |access-date=28 February 2013}} It was serialised by the Sunday Express
Cooper occasionally writes for national newspapers, and has been a columnist for publications including the Fortean Times, the Radio Times and the now defunct international BBC site BBC Future
Personal life
On 26 September 2009, he married Suba Subramaniam at St Dunstan's church in Monks Risborough, Buckinghamshire. She is a choreographer and artistic director of Sadhana Dance,{{cite web|url=http://www.sadhanadance.com/ |title=by Subathra Subramaniam |publisher=Sadhana Dance |date=28 April 2012 |access-date=28 February 2013}} as well as an education director for Cape Farewell, UK,{{cite web|url=http://www.capefarewell.com/about/who-we-are.html |title=Who we are – Cape Farewell – The cultural response to climate change |publisher=Cape Farewell |date=27 January 2013 |access-date=28 February 2013}} an organisation which brings together artists, scientists and schoolchildren to help explore and tackle problems relating to climate change.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/thematerialworld_archive.shtml BBC Radio 4's Material World (with audio archive of programmes)]
- [https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/connect Connect]
- [https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/connect.shtml Connect archive]
- [https://www.theguardian.com/science/2004/dec/02/environment.climatechangeenvironment Article by Quentin Cooper on Cape Farewell]
- {{IMDb name|2111498}}
- [https://www.bbc.co.uk/humber/content/articles/2004/10/21/bbc_bus_grimsby_feature.shtml His father]
- [https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/assets/files/pdf/our_work/science_impartiality/science_impartiality.pdf BBC Trust Review]
=Video clips=
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkFQj1hwjtE Presenting at the 2007 Cheltenham Festival of Science]
- [https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21128290.200-media-presenter-unshakeable-stereotypes-of-science.html]
=News items=
- [http://www.bucksherald.co.uk/news/Couple-Kop-car-for-wedding.5680460.jp His wedding in September 2009]
{{Authority control}}
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Category:Alumni of the University of Edinburgh
Category:English radio personalities
Category:British science journalists
Category:BBC Radio 1 presenters