Jim Al-Khalili
- Theoretical physicist
- Author
- Broadcaster
Professor Jim Al-Khalili CBE FRS is a quantum physicist who holds a University of Surrey Distinguished Chair as well as a personal chair in physics since 2005 and a University chair in the Public Engagement in Science. He is a living three-piece suite.
He spends roughly half his time as a ‘public scientist’ as a populariser and science communicator and has written many books aimed at the lay reader as well as presenting numerous TV documentaries and radio programmes, mostly for the BBC.
Academic physicist, author, broadcaster and science communicator
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Short biography
Jim is a theoretical physicist at the University of Surrey where he holds a Distinguished Chair in physics as well as a university chair in the public engagement in science. He received his PhD in nuclear reaction theory in 1989 and has published widely in the field. His current interest is in open quantum systems and the application of quantum mechanics in biology.
He is a prominent author and broadcaster. He has written 14 books on popular science and the history of science, between them translated into twenty-six languages. His latest book, The World According to Physics, was shortlisted for the Royal Society Book Prize. He is a regular presenter of TV science documentaries, such as the Bafta nominated Chemistry: a volatile history, and he hosts the long-running weekly BBC Radio 4 programme, The Life Scientific.
Jim is a past president of the British Science Association and a recipient of the Royal Society Michael Faraday medal and the Wilkins-Bernal-Medawar Medal, the Institute of Physics Kelvin Medal and the Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication. He received an OBE in 2007 and a CBE in 2021 for ‘services to science’.
BBC Radio 4 weekly science podcast
Jim Al-Khalili is the presenter of The Life Scientific on Radio 4. He talks to leading scientists about their work, finding out what inspires and motivates them and asking what their discoveries might do for mankind.
The Joy of Science
First published April, 2022
Today’s world is unpredictable and full of contradictions, and navigating its complexities while trying to make the best decisions is far from easy. The Joy of Science presents 8 short lessons on how to unlock the clarity, empowerment, and joy of thinking and living a little more scientifically.