معرفی
Dr. Ryan Milligan is a Senior Lecturer in Astrophysics at Queen’s University Belfast’s School of Mathematics and Physics, with a dual affiliation to the Astrophysics Research Centre. His research focuses on solar flares, space weather, and their impacts on Earth’s atmosphere, including phenomena like the Northern Lights. He has over 20 years of research experience, including a decade at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Notably, he is a part-time truck driver and avid solar eclipse chaser, having traveled to 12 solar eclipses since 2006. Dr. Milligan lectures on High-Energy Astrophysics and Special Relativity.
Education & Affiliations:
- PhD in Astrophysics (Implied from career timeline)
- Former Research Fellowships: NASA and STFC (UK)
- Member of the UK Solar Physics Council
Research Interests: Solar flare dynamics, Lyman-alpha emission analysis, ionospheric effects of solar activity, and the geoeffectiveness of space weather. His work bridges observational astronomy with applied physics, leveraging cutting-edge instruments like the Solar eruptioN Integral Field Spectrograph (SNIFS) sounding rocket mission.
Media Engagement: Hosted BBC NI’s Space Truckers, frequent contributor to BBC Radio Ulster, and author of op-eds in New York Times and The Conversation UK. Featured in major media outlets including BBC, Washington Post, and Newsweek.
Grants & Projects:
- PI for Modelling and Multi-wavelength Observations of Solar Flare Heating (2019–present)
- Co-Investigator on PATT Travel Grant for Observational Astrophysics at QUB (2020–2023)
Labs & Collaborations: Leading the development of the SNIFS sounding rocket payload for high-cadence solar observations. Active in international collaborations, including work with NASA and institutions in Australia, Canada, and Ireland.
