Geraint F. Lewis

Prof. Geraint Lewis talking to the Macarthur Astronomy Forum in Campbelltown, NSW, Australia.

Geraint F. Lewis (born 14 March 1969) is a Welsh astrophysicist, who is best known for his work on dark energy, gravitational lensing and galactic cannibalism. Lewis is a Professor of Astrophysics (Teaching and Research) at the Sydney Institute for Astronomy, part of the University of Sydney's School of Physics. He is head of the Gravitational Astrophysics Group,^[1] is the Associate Head for Research, and holds an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship.

Education

Originally from Wales, Geraint Lewis was born in Neath and raised in Seven Sisters and Crynant, completing schooling at Llangatwg Comprehensive and Neath Tertiary College. He completed his first degree at the University of London and PhD at the University of Cambridge's Institute of Astronomy. He has worked in the State University of New York, the University of Victoria in Canada, and the University of Washington in Seattle. After research positions in the US and Canada, he then became a Research Astronomer at the Anglo-Australian Observatory in 2000. In 2002, Lewis joined the University of Sydney where he is currently the head of the Gravitational Astrophysics Group.^[2]

Research Fields

Lewis undertakes a broad spectrum of research in cosmology. On the largest scales, his program involves looking at the influence of dark energy and dark matter on the evolution and ultimate fate of the universe.

Another aspect of Lewis's research uses the phenomenon of gravitational lensing to probe the nature and distribution of the pervasive dark matter, and employing individual stars to magnify the hearts of quasars, the most luminous objects in the universe.

Closer to home, Lewis's research focuses upon galactic cannibalism, where small dwarf galaxies are torn apart by the much more massive Milky Way and Andromeda Galaxy. Using telescopes from around the world, including the 10-m Keck telescope in Hawaii, he has mapped the tell-tale signs of tidal disruption and destruction, providing important clues to how large galaxies have grown over time.

Publications

As of November 2016, Lewis has published more than 400 scientific articles,^[3] numerous articles in the popular press, and two books.

• Dark Matter in Astroparticle and Particle Physics - Proceedings of the 6th International Heidelberg Conference, World Scientific Publishing Company, Australia, 2007, ISBN 978-981-281-434-0^[4]
• "A Fortunate Universe: Life in a finely tuned cosmos" by Geraint F. Lewis and Luke A. Barnes, Cambridge University Press (Oct 2016, ISBN 978-1107156616)

Related Lists

• List of astronomers

See also

• Crynant Notable Residents
• General Theory of Relativity

References

1. ↑ http://www.physics.usyd.edu.au/GravAst/meetGA.html
2. ↑ University of Sydney Gravitational Astrophysics website
3. ↑ Publication list on SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
4. ↑ DARK MATTER IN ASTROPARTICLE AND PARTICLE PHYSICS - Proceedings of the 6th International Heidelberg Conference from World Scientific Books webpage

External links

• Geraint F. Lewis's Home Page at the University of Sydney
• School of Physics, University of Sydney
• Directory link at IAU