William Barns
- Born:
- October 26, 1955, London, England
- Nationality:
- British
- Profession(s):
- Theoretical Physicist, Cosmologist
Early Life and Education
- Attended Eton College, graduating in 1973.
- Earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from Imperial College London in 1976.
- Completed a PhD in Theoretical Cosmology at Cambridge University in 1980, supervised by Professor Stephen Hawking.
Career and Major Achievements
- Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), 1980-1983.
- Appointed Professor of Theoretical Physics at Oxford University in 1987, a position he held until retirement in 2020.
- Developed the Barns-Carter Inflationary Model (BCIM) of the early universe.
- Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2002 for his contributions to the understanding of dark energy.
- Served as a scientific advisor to the UK Space Agency.
Notable Works
- Authored numerous research papers in peer-reviewed journals, including Physical Review Letters and The Astrophysical Journal.
- Published the influential textbook, Cosmology: A Modern Synthesis (1995).
Legacy and Impact
William Barns made significant contributions to theoretical cosmology, particularly in the areas of inflationary theory and dark energy. His work has had a profound impact on our understanding of the universe's origin and evolution.
Publications
| Title | Year | Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmology: A Modern Synthesis | 1995 | Oxford University Press |
| The Inflationary Universe: New Perspectives | 2005 | Cambridge University Press |
Awards and Recognition
- Nobel Prize in Physics (2002)
- Dirac Medal (2005)
- Royal Medal of the Royal Society (2010)
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