STFC Council member
Professor Andrew Pontzen is a member of the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) Council.
Professor Pontzen is professor of cosmology at Durham University. After completing a PhD at the University of Cambridge’s Institute of Astronomy, he held junior research fellowships in Cambridge and the University of Oxford, followed by a Royal Society University Research Fellowship at University College London (UCL). At UCL he was also the co-director of the interdisciplinary Cosmoparticle Initiative.
His research focuses on cosmology, and especially the relationship between the visible universe of stars and galaxies and the invisible underpinnings known as dark matter and dark energy. It has received widespread recognition including prizes from the Royal Astronomical Society.
He is also an award-winning writer and communicator of science, and his book ‘The Universe In A Box’ was recently published by Jonathan Cape. He has worked as an advisor, contributor and presenter with organisations including:
- BBC
- The Guardian
- The Times
- New Scientist
- Cheltenham Science Festival
- Royal Institution
He is a member of the Royal Society’s Public Engagement Committee.
Last updated: 1 April 2025