Astronomy

Nothing compares to the exquisite pleasure of observing the grand universe for yourself. Whether through binoculars, telescopes, cameras or your naked eyes, the view is always breathtaking.

Cosmology

The deepest mysteries of the cosmos can be found in the further places we can see. How did the universe begin? How did it evolve? What is gravity? Cosmology answers the biggest questions.

Astrophysics

The great workings of the celestial objects are a fascination to us all. The birth and death of stars and planets present astronomers with myriad puzzles to be investigated and marvelled at.

Talk date: Friday
Talk Time: 5:05 pm

Adam Amara

The UK in space

Biography

Adam Amara is a Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Surrey and the Chief Scientist at the UK Space Agency. His research spans cosmology, the evolution of the universe, and exoplanet discovery. Adam has contributed to major international projects, including the Euclid space telescope and the Dark Energy Survey, advancing our understanding of dark energy, dark matter, and the universe’s large-scale structure.

He co-developed PynPoint, a tool for imaging exoplanets, which has been applied to real-world discoveries. Passionate about science education, Adam has worked in academic institutions worldwide and is dedicated to fostering collaboration and inspiring future scientists.

Synopsis

Join Adam in celebrating the successes of ESA’s Cosmic Vision programme, now in full swing, and exploring the exciting road ahead for space science.

He’ll delve into the story of Euclid, sharing the challenges and achievements of launching a mission into space, and look towards ESA’s Voyage 2050 initiative. Notably, ESA will issue a call for new medium and small missions early next year, inviting fresh ideas to shape the future of exploration.

This talk will highlight the UK Space Agency’s broad support for science across the space domain. While the focus will be on astronomy missions, he’ll reflect on how space science underpins a wide range of research and plays a vital role in our daily lives.

He’ll also discuss how UKSA’s growing bilateral programmes with NASA, CSA, JAXA, and other global agencies are opening new opportunities for science and planetary exploration.