James Gilmour

James Gilmour is a Professor of Planetary Science at the University of Manchester, leading the Isotope Geochemistry and Cosmochemistry research group. He holds roles as Coordinator of the Planetary Science research theme and Head of Group for Isotope Geochemistry and Cosmochemistry. His work focuses on solar system formation, noble gas analysis, and planetary material studies. With a PhD from the University of Sheffield, he has pioneered resonance ionization mass spectrometry techniques for xenon and krypton analysis.

Research interests include the nucleosynthetic origins of the solar system, cosmic ray exposure ages of meteorites, and iodine-xenon chronology. He leads high-profile projects involving returned asteroid samples (Hayabusa2, OSIRIS-REx) and lunar regolith studies. Awards include a Royal Society University Research Fellowship (1994).

• Education: BSc Physics (Sheffield), PhD (Sheffield, 1994)
• Outreach: Earth & Solar System blog, school engagement programs, and STFC Sample Loan Scheme advisory roles
• Labs: Isotope Geochemistry Lab, Planetary Materials Analysis Group

Recent work explores Martian atmospheric evolution via breccia noble gases and links between iodine cycles and early life evolution. Over 169 peer-reviewed publications and multiple international collaborations mark his impactful career.