View source for User:Robminchin

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{{Infobox scientist
|name              = Robert Minchin
|image             = 
|residence         = United States
|nationality       = British
|fields            = [[Radio Astronomy]]
|workplaces        = [[Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy]], [[Arecibo Observatory]], [[Cardiff University]], [[Cornell University]], [[Universities Space Research Association]]
|education         = [[Reading School]], [[Penglais School]]
|alma_mater        = [[Cardiff University]], [[University of Wales]] ([[PhD]] 2001)<br/> [[Durham University]] ([[MPhys|MSci]] 1997)
| thesis_title = Properties of galaxies found in a deep blind neutral hydrogen survey
| thesis_year      = 2001
|thesis_url        = https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/#abs/2001PhDT.......101M/abstract
|doctoral_advisor  = [[Mike Disney]]
}}

{{quote|text=Radio astronomer Robert Minchin shared photos of people putting wooden and metal storm shutters over the control room windows [at Arecibo Observatory] … But around 11:05 p.m. Tuesday, Minchin said he'd lost power. “Will be tweeting by SMS if network stays up,” he said. As of Thursday afternoon, that was the last message he'd sent.|source=[[Washington Post]] (22 September 2017)<ref>{{cite news|work=[[Washington Post]]|title=Arecibo Observatory, Puerto Rico’s famous telescope, is battered by Hurricane Maria|author=Sarah Kaplan|date=22 September 2017|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2017/09/20/arecibo-observatory-puerto-ricos-famous-radio-telescope-is-battered-by-hurricane-maria/?utm_term=.7767a79bbe30}}</ref>}}

I am a Senior Scientist with [[Universities Space Research Association|USRA]] at [[NASA]]'s [[Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy]] (SOFIA),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sofia.usra.edu/science/contact|title=Contact|work=SOFIA Science Center|accessdate=7 October 2018}}</ref><ref name=FAST2019>{{cite journal|title= On the FAST Track|journal=[[Mercury (magazine)|Mercury]]|publisher=[[Astronomical Society of the Pacific]]|volume=48|issue=3|year=2019|author=Steve Murray}}</ref>  having previously worked for USRA and [[Cornell University]] at [[Arecibo Observatory]], and at [[Cardiff University]] on [[HIPASS]] and other surveys for extra-galactic neutral hydrogen. I was first author on the paper announcing the discovery of the dark galaxy candidate [[VIRGOHI21|VIRGOHI 21]] in 2005<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/south_east/4288633.stm|title= Astronomers find star-less galaxy|work=[[BBC]] |date=23 February 2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn7056-astronomers-claim-first-dark-galaxy-find/|title= Astronomers claim first ‘dark galaxy’ find|date=23 February 2005|work=[[New Scientist]]|author=Stuart Clark}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/weltall/dunkle-materie-forscher-entdecken-galaxie-ohne-sterne-a-343333.html|title= Forscher entdecken Galaxie ohne Sterne|publisher=[[Der Spiegel]]|language=German| date=23 February 2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com.pr/books?id=5PqGSi_jWGkC&pg=PA121#v=onepage&q&f=false|pages=121-122|publisher=[[National Academies Press]]|date=27 July 2006|author1=[[Paul Halpern]]|author2= [[Paul S. Wesson|Paul Wesson]]|title=Brave New Universe: Illuminating the Darkest Secrets of the Cosmos|ISBN= 0-309-10137-9}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2005/feb/26/science/sci-galaxy26|date=26 February 2005|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|author=John Johnson |title=Cosmos' Missing Matter Could Be in Their Sights}}</ref> and a follow-up paper carrying out high-resolution synthesis imaging of it using the [[Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope]] in 2007.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn12100-dark-galaxy-continues-to-puzzle-astronomers/|title=‘Dark galaxy’ continues to puzzle astronomers|work=[[New Scientist]]|author=Stuart Clark|date=20 June 2007}}</ref> I have also been involved in the discoveries of [[methanimine]] in [[Arp 220]] in 2008<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2008/02/06/ciencia/1202326872.html|work=[[El Mundo]]|language=Spanish|date=8 February 2008|title=Hallan moléculas básicas para la vida en una galaxia lejana a 250 millones de años luz}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/2008/01/distant-galaxy-holds-key-ingredients-life-astronomers-report|work=[[Cornell Chronicle]]|publisher=[[Cornell University]]|date=14 January 2008|title= Arecibo telescope finds critical ingredients for the soup of life in a galaxy far, far away}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tagesspiegel.de/wissen/wissen-und-forschen-der-kosmos-lebt/1145788.html|title= Der Kosmos lebt|date=21 January 2008|language=German|author=Rainer Kayser|work=[[Der Tagesspiegel]]}}</ref> and of a [[Active galactic nucleus|nuclear outburst]] in [[NGC 660]] in 2013.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.space.com/19158-monster-black-hole-burp.html|title= Monster Black Hole Burp Surprises Scientists|author=Tia Ghose|date=7 January 2013|work=[[Space.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/01/07/burst-brighter-than-supernova-discovered-in-far-off-galaxy|title=Burst Brighter Than Supernova Discovered in Far Off Galaxy|author=Jason Koebler|date=7 Jan 2013|work=[[US News and World Report]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.meteoweb.eu/2013/01/unenorme-esplosione-nel-nucleo-di-una-galassia-lontana/175902/|title=Un’enorme esplosione nel nucleo di una galassia lontana|language=Italian|date = 8 January 2013|author=Renato Sansone |work=MeteoWeb}}</ref> I lead the Arecibo Galaxy Environment Survey, which discovered a giant bridge of [[hydrogen]] between galaxies in 2014<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.forbes.com/sites/paulrodgers/2014/08/10/hydrogen-bridge-is-20-times-longer-than-the-milky-way/#5faf78b06fa6|title= Hydrogen Bridge Is 20 Times Longer Than The Milky Way|work=[[Forbes]]|date=10 August 2014|author=Paul Rodgers}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://motherboard.vice.com/read/colliding-galaxies-left-a-stream-of-gas-26-million-light-years-long|title= Colliding Galaxies Left a Stream of Gas 2.6 Million Light Years Long|author= Becky Ferreira|date=7 August 2014|work=Motherboard|publisher=[[Vice Media]]}}</ref> and a large ring of gas close to the [[Triangulum Galaxy]] in 2016.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://phys.org/news/2016-05-giant-hydrogen-cloud-triangulum-galaxy.html|work=[[Phys.org]]|title= Giant hydrogen cloud spotted around the Triangulum Galaxy|author=Tomasz Nowakowsk|date=12 May 2016}}</ref>

I have also been quoted in the media commenting on research at [[Cambridge University]] on the possibility of "tepid" [[Warm dark matter|dark matter]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn8685-tepid-temperature-of-dark-matter-revealed/|title=‘Tepid’ temperature of dark matter revealed|author=Zeeya Merali|date=6 February 2006|work=[[New Scientist]]}}</ref> on the funding problems at Arecibo Observatory<ref>{{cite news|url=http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2016/06/10/with-earths-largest-telescope-threatened-its-homeland-rallies/|work=[[National Geographic]]|title=With Earth’s Largest Telescope Threatened, Its Homeland Rallies|author=Nadia Drake|date=10 June 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media|url=http://english.cctv.com/2016/07/04/VIDEd3Rc4KtBFxS2wnvSUdU8160704.shtml|title=Radio telescope in Puerto Rico faces funding cuts|work=[[China Central Television]]|date=7 April 2016|type= Television production}}</ref>, on the opening of the [[Five hundred metre Aperture Spherical Telescope]]<ref name=FAST2019/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/2107075-biggest-radio-telescope-on-earth-ready-to-receive-alien-signals/|title=Biggest radio telescope on Earth ready to receive alien signals|work=[[New Scientist]]|date=26 September 2016|author=Emily Benson}}</ref> and on the science being done with Arecibo.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=[[Physics World]]|publisher=[[IOP Publishing]]|title=Upgrading Arecibo|author=Mark Williamson|date=December 2016|issue=Focus on: Astronomy and Space Science}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.imeche.org/news/news-article/arecibo-funding-cuts-threaten-future-of-giant-radio-telescope|author=Mark Williamson|work=PE Magazine|date=8 September 2017|title=Arecibo: Funding cuts threaten future of giant radio telescope|publisher=[[Institute of Mechanical Engineers]]|accessdate=10 September 2017}}</ref> I was interviewed for [[Tom Scott (entertainer)|Tom Scott]]'s [[YouTube]] channel in 2017,<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3WiRunOsWY|title= How The Arecibo Telescope Could Help Save The World|work=[[YouTube]]|date=8 May 2017|type=YouTube video|last=Scott|first=Tom|author-link=Tom Scott (entertainer) }}</ref> and for the [[Astronomical Society of the Pacific]]'s [[Mercury (magazine)|Mercury magazine]] in 2018<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.astrosociety.org/publication/mercury-magazine-winter-2018/|title=Arecibo Endures|author=Steve Murray|work=Mercury|volume=47|issue=1|date=Winter 2018}}</ref> and 2019.<ref name=FAST2019/>

All contributions to Wikipedia are my own and do not reflect the views of my employers or funding agencies.

[[Special:Contributions/Robminchin|My contributions]]

[[Special:Prefixindex/User:Robminchin|My subpages]]

{{User:UBX/WPUNI}}
{{Template:User astronomer}}
{{Template:User iop}}
{{User ORCID|0000-0002-1261-6641}}
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{{Template:User Cardiff University}}

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{{UserboxCOI|Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy|Universities Space Research Association|VIRGOHI21|Joan T. Schmelz|Gerrit Verschuur}}

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==References==

{{Reflist}}

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