Fowler Award Winner to join Space Environment and Radio Engineering Group at Birmingham
Dr Oliver Allanson is the recipient of The Royal Astronomical (RAS) Society's Fowler Award for early achievement in geophysics.
The award is made in recognition of noteworthy contributions to the field within ten years of completing a PhD.
Dr Allanson is due to join the Space Environment and Radio Engineering (SERENE) Group at the University of Birmingham from the University of Exeter later this month.
Dr Allanson has been recognised by the RAS for pioneering advances in quasilinear and non-linear physics of wave-particle interactions in radiation belts. These innovative numerical experiments have highlighted the importance of these interactions on high-energy radiation belt electrons and informed how we include non-linear interactions in radiation belt modelling and forecasting.
Numerous Space Weather forecasting models exist, but none include the effects that Dr Allanson is investigating. Such advances could improve forecasting accuracy in the near-Earth space environment, a crucial development as society becomes more dependent on satellite technologies.
It is a massive pleasure to be able to do the work that I do for a living, with the wonderful colleagues that I have in the UK Magnetosphere, Ionosphere and Solar-Terrestrial community, and also internationally. And to hear that those colleagues value this contribution … well that is very special indeed.
Dr Allanson said: “I am deeply honoured to receive this award, and full of gratitude. It is a massive pleasure to be able to do the work that I do for a living, with the wonderful colleagues that I have in the UK Magnetosphere, Ionosphere and Solar-Terrestrial community, and also internationally. And to hear that those colleagues value this contribution … well that is very special indeed. I would like to thank all of my mentors, from school through to University and beyond – you know who you are!”
Dr Sean Elvidge, Head of Space Environment Research, University of Birmingham said: “We are delighted that Dr.Allanson is joining SERENE. His world-leading expertise in radiation belt physics, as demonstrated by winning the prestigious Fowler Award in geophysics, is a coup for the University. Sitting on the interface between Engineering, Physics and Mathematics SERENE strive to better understand, model and predict the near-Earth space environment enabling us to mitigate its impact on engineering systems. Dr. Allanson’s research will enable hitherto unexplored possibilities to make step-changes in this area and the whole group are excited to work with him.”
Each year the RAS presents several awards, medals and prizes as part of its remit to support and encourage scientists working in astronomy and geophysics. The awards encompass different types of talent in research, education and outreach. The latest prizes were announced at the Ordinary Meeting of the Society on Friday 13 January 2023.
Notes for editors
Notes for editors
- For media enquiries please contact Beck Lockwood, Press Office, University of Birmingham, tel: +44 (0)781 3343348.
- The University of Birmingham is ranked amongst the world’s top 100 institutions. Its work brings people from across the world to Birmingham, including researchers, teachers and more than 6,500 international students from over 150 countries.
- The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), founded in 1820, encourages and promotes the study of astronomy, solar-system science, geophysics and closely related branches of science. The RAS organises scientific meetings, publishes international research and review journals, recognises outstanding achievements by the award of medals and prizes, maintains an extensive library, supports education through grants and outreach activities and represents UK astronomy nationally and internationally. Its more than 4,000 members (Fellows), a third based overseas, include scientific researchers in universities, observatories and laboratories as well as historians of astronomy and others