Professor Sean Elvidge PhD

School of Engineering
Professor of Space Environment
Head of Space Environment Research (SERENE)

Contact details

Telephone: +44 (0)121 414 7724
Email: s.elvidge@bham.ac.uk
Twitter: @seanelvidge

Address: School of Engineering building
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

Sean Elvidge is Professor of Space Environment and leads the Space Environment and Radio Engineering (SERENE) group in the School of Engineering.

Space weather events are one of the major risks facing society as it becomes increasingly dependent on technology. Sean's research is focused on using innovative mathematical methods to create the next generation space weather forecast models. He was selected for the inaugural Forbes Europe 30 Under 30 list in the Science and Healthcare category.

Sean is a passionate communicator of science on a range of topics. He frequently gives talks to groups and schools across the country, reaching over 1,500 people a year.

Qualifications

Professor of Space Environment

PhD in ionospheric modelling, University of Birmingham, 2014
MSci (Hons) in Mathematics, University of Birmingham, 2011

Teaching

LM Space Environment - Lead Lecturer
LI Engineering Mathematics 2 - Lecturer

Other activities

International Union of Radio Science (URSI) Commission G Vice-Chair (2023-2026), Chair (2026-2029)
UK Space Environment Impacts Expert Group (SEIEG) Core Member
American Geophysical Union (AGU) Radio Science journal Associate Editor
URSI Council Representative to the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG)
URSI UK National Committee Chair for Commissions G (Ionospheric radio and propagation)
COSPAR International Space Weather Action Teams (ISWAT) G2A-01, G2A-05

Publications

Recent publications

Article

Elvidge, S & Themens, D 2025, 'The Probability of the May 2024 Geomagnetic Superstorm', Space Weather, vol. 23, no. 1, e2024SW004113. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024SW004113

Brown, M, Lewis, HG, Kavanagh, AJ, Cnossen, I & Elvidge, S 2024, 'Future Climate Change in the Thermosphere Under Varying Solar Activity Conditions', Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, vol. 129, no. 9, e2024JA032659. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024ja032659

Culverwell, ID, Healy, SB & Elvidge, S 2024, 'One-Dimensional Variational Ionospheric Retrieval Using Radio Occultation Bending Angles: Part 1 -Theory', Space Weather, vol. 22, no. 1, e2023SW003572. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023SW003572

Elvidge, S, Healy, SB & Culverwell, ID 2024, 'One‐Dimensional Variational Ionospheric Retrieval Using Radio Occultation Bending Angles: 2. Validation', Space Weather, vol. 22, no. 1, e2023SW003571. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023SW003571

Ruck, JJ, Themens, DR, Ponomarenko, P, Burrell, AG, Kunduri, B, Ruohoniemi, JM & Elvidge, S 2024, 'On the Use of SuperDARN Ground Backscatter Measurements for Ionospheric Propagation Model Validation', Space Weather, vol. 22, no. 9, e2024SW003916. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024sw003916

Wood, AG, Dorrian, GD, Boyde, B, Fallows, RA, Themens, DR, Mevius, M, Sprenger, T, Main, R, Pryse, SE & Elvidge, S 2024, 'Quasi-stationary substructure within a sporadic E layer observed by the Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR)', Journal of Space Weather and Space Climate, vol. 14, 27. https://doi.org/10.1051/swsc/2024024

Comment/debate

Elvidge, S 2024, 'Space weather can affect our daily lives — we need a better warning system', Nature, vol. 630, no. 8016, pp. 271-271. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-01715-z

Conference contribution

Elvidge, S, Reid, B & Themens, DR 2024, Assimilation of Radio Occultation Bending Angles in a Global Ionospheric Model. in 2024 4th URSI Atlantic Radio Science Meeting (AT-RASC)., Th-G03-PM1-1, URSI, 4th URSI Atlantic Radio Science Conference, Gran Canaria, Spain, 19/05/24. https://doi.org/10.46620/URSIATRASC24/FFLA3909

Elvidge, S 2024, Leveraging Space Weather Expertise. in Proceedings of Military Space Situational Awareness Conference 2024. SAE Media Group, Military Space Situational Awareness, London, United Kingdom, 22/04/24.

Elvidge, S & Brown, MK 2024, Operational Space Weather Forecasts to Support Satellite Operations. in AMOS 2024 Proceedings. AMOS conference proceedings, Maui Economic Development Board, Inc, 25th Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies Conference, Maui, Hawaii, United States, 17/09/24.

Paper

Elvidge, S & Themens, DR 2024, 'A Probabilistic Approach for T-Scale Development', Paper presented at 45th COSPAR Scientific Assembly, Busan, Korea, Republic of, 13/07/24 - 21/07/24.

Elvidge, S, Healy, S, Culverwell, I & Themens, D 2024, 'Assimilation of Radio Occultation Bending Angles in a Global Ionospheric Model', Paper presented at 8th EUMETSAT ROM SAF Workshop on GNSS RO Measurements, Reading, United Kingdom, 11/06/24 - 13/06/24.

Elvidge, S & Themens, D 2024, 'Placing the May 2024 Superstorm in Context', Paper presented at UK Space Weather and Space Environment Meeting II, Exeter, United Kingdom, 9/09/24 - 12/09/24.

Elvidge, S 2024, 'Rethinking the Space Weather Scales', Paper presented at UK Space Weather and Space Environment Meeting II, Exeter, United Kingdom, 9/09/24 - 12/09/24.

Preprint

Reid, B, Themens, DR, Elvidge, S, Ahmed, MA, Wong, J & Ball, W 2024 'AIDA: A Real-Time Global Ionosphere/Plasmasphere Data Assimilation Model' ESS Open Archive. https://doi.org/10.22541/essoar.170516089.91436324/v1

View all publications in research portal

Media experience

Stargazing Live at The University of Birmingham

Professor Elvidge has a wide range of media experience. This work has primarily been with BBC Learning as part of Stargazing Live which has included numerous radio and television interviews.

As well as regularly advising local radio on science and astronomy topics, Sean has also written a number of articles for magazines (Experimental, iSquared, Plus Magazine, Space Weather Quarterly and the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications Magazine).

Expertise

Professor Elvidge has a plethora of experience advising the UK Cabinet Office and Ministry of Defence on issues related to space weather and the probability of extreme events. Among his experience:

Advice to UK Government (Ministry of Defence & Civil Contingencies Secretary) on Space Weather modelling and risk
Advice on Space Weather and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) risk for UK National Risk Register
Taken part in Royal Society sponsored Parliamentary Pairing Scheme – pairing scientists with senior civil servants