Paul Francis

Professor Paul Francis is an astronomer and educator at the Australian National University (ANU), affiliated with the Research School of Astronomy & Astrophysics within the ANU College of Science and Medicine. He holds the title of ANU Distinguished Educator and has received awards including the 2016 Australian Award for University Teaching and the 2000 ANU Vice Chancellor's Award for Teaching. His research focuses on innovative education methods, active galactic nuclei (AGN), high-redshift galaxies, and Lyman-alpha blobs. He teaches courses such as PHYS1101, ASTR1001, and ASTR1003, and leads massive open online courses (MOOCs) in astronomy. Francis has contributed to major projects like the Southern Sky Survey and SkyMapper telescope initiatives.

His research explores phenomena such as galaxy formation, quasar environments, and interstellar medium dynamics. Notable publications investigate Lyman-alpha blob gas dynamics, AGN emission mechanisms, and survey methodologies. Francis has supervised projects on topics like comet demographics and stellar occultations. His educational work emphasizes inquiry-based learning and MOOC development, with studies on student demographics in online courses.

• Scientific Awards: ANU Distinguished Educator, 2016 Australian Teaching Award, 2000 ANU Teaching Award
• Grants: Involved in the Southern Sky Survey (2003–2011) and SkyMapper projects
• Labs/Teams: Research School of Astronomy & Astrophysics, ANU Researcher Portal