Robert J. Thacker
{{Short description|Canadian astronomer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name = Robert J. Thacker
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| fields = Astronomy
| workplaces = Saint Mary's University
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| known_for = Past President of the Canadian Astronomical Society (CASCA)
Science Outreach
| awards = CASCA Qilak Award for Astronomy Communications, Public Education, and Outreach {{small|(2018)}}
| website = {{url|http://www.ap.smu.ca/~thacker/| Personal website}}
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| education = University of Nottingham {{small|(BA)}}
King's College London {{small|(MSc)}}
University of Alberta {{small|(PhD)}}
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Robert J. Thacker is a Canadian astronomer, professor in the Department of Astronomy and Physics at Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, director of the Science Outreach Centre at Saint Mary’s, and Past President of the Canadian Astronomical Society (CASCA).{{Cite web|url=https://www.smu.ca/academics/departments/astronomy-and-physics-faculty-and-staff.html|title=Saint Mary's University {{!}} Astronomy & Physics - Faculty and Staff|website=www.smu.ca|language=en|access-date=2018-10-11}}{{Cite web|url=http://casca.ca/?page_id=57|title=The CASCA Board - CASCA|website=casca.ca|language=en-US|access-date=2018-10-11}} He is also a board member of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rasc.ca/board-directors|title=Board of Directors {{!}} RASC|website=www.rasc.ca|date=2 May 2011 |language=en|access-date=2018-10-11}}
Education
Thacker received a Bachelor of Science in Mathematical Physics from the University of Nottingham in 1992. He went on to receive a Masters of Science in mathematics from King's College London in 1993 and a PhD in physics from the University of Alberta in 1999.{{citation needed|date=February 2021}}
Career
Thacker uses computer simulations to study the large-scale structure of the Universe and galaxy formation.{{Cite web|url=http://www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca/chairholders-titulaires/profile-eng.aspx?profileId=2224|title=Canada Research Chairs|last=Government of Canada|first=Industry Canada|date=2012-11-29|access-date=2018-10-11}}
= Public engagement =
Since championing the International year of Astronomy in 2009, Thacker has given numerous public lectures and has participated in over 350 media interviews and sciences programs.{{Cite news|url=https://news.smu.ca/news/2018/3/28/smu-astronomer-wins-qilak-award-for-astronomy|title=SMU Astronomer Wins Qilak Award for Astronomy|work=SMU News & Events|access-date=2018-10-11|language=en-CA}}
Thacker co-hosted 46 episodes of the show Science Files on CJNI-FM in Halifax in 2016, and co-hosted an hour-long segment Science Files within the Rick Howe Show, after the original show was canceled.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ap.smu.ca/~thacker/outreach.html|title=Rob Thacker's homepage - Outreach|website=www.ap.smu.ca|access-date=2018-10-11}} He is also the host of a weekly segment Sounds of Science on the CBC Radio Halifax program Mainstreet NS.
Awards and recognition
Thacker held a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Astronomy and Astrophysics from 2007 - 2017.
He received the Nova Scotia "Science Champion" award from the Discovery Centre of Nova Scotia in 2015.[http://thediscoverycentre.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Discovery-Awards-Past-Recipients-List.pdf Discovery Awards Past Recipients List] In 2018, he received the Qilak Award for Astronomy Communications, Public Education, and Outreach from the Canadian Astronomical Society.{{Cite web|url=http://casca.ca/?page_id=578|title=The Qilak Award for Astronomy Communications, Public Education and Outreach - CASCA|website=casca.ca|language=en-US|access-date=2018-10-11}}
References
External links
- [https://www.news957.com/audio/science-files/ Science Files]
- [https://news.smu.ca/sounds-of-science/ Sounds of Science Podcast]
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Category:21st-century Canadian astronomers
Category:Alumni of King's College London