I have presented lectures on space exploration for over 35 years, and held exhibitions since 1975, using items from my extensive collection of space material.
Whilst studying at what is now the Universtiy of Hertfordshire, I was elected chairman of the Astronomical Society. Later I was appointed Director of European Exhibitions for the United States Space Education Association and President of the European Space Promotion Organisation.
In the 1980's, I was a member of the curatorial staff at the Science Museum in London, where I was responsible for the Astronomy, Space and Exploration galleries, which included the Apollo 10 Command Module.
I have been on radio and TV in Britain; I was interviewed on radio in America and on TV in Romania, where they broadcast my video footage of the 1999 total eclipse. In 2004 I was interviewed on radio for the Transit of Venus and on Sky News when the Expedition 10 crew reached the International Space Station.
I have visited space centres and museums in Moscow, The Netherlands, Washington, Alabama and in Florida, where I have witnessed launches from Cape Canaveral. I have stood on the roof of the Vehicle Assembly Building and in the flame trench at the shuttle launch pad, so I have literally visited Kennedy Space Centre from top to bottom!
These various activities have led to me becoming known as The Urban Spaceman!
Current positions and affiliations :
Fellow of the British Interplanetary Society
Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society
Director of the Mars Society UK
Director of the Sir Arthur Clarke Awards
Chair of the Space Education Council
Promoter of UK For Aurora
STEMNET Science & Engineering Ambassador
Chairman of the Letchworth and District Astronomical Society
Member of the Society for Popular Astronomy
I give lectures wherever I can, with around 30 presentations a year when I was doing it in my spare time! Venues have included the British Festival of Space, Oxford University and the Mars Society's USA conference in Colorado.
In have also presented an 8-part evening course on Space Exploration at the University of Hertfordshire.
I held my first public exhibition on space exploration in 1975. From November 2003 to January 2004 I held a major exhibition marking the centenary of powered flight; From the Wright Brothers to the International Space Station. This was the only event outside the United States to be officially recognised by NASA.
In June 2004 I set up UK For Aurora programme, a campaign to increase public awareness and support for UK involvement in this long-term European Space Agency programme. In October 2004, when Lord Sainsbury announced a £5million interim payment for the project, he cited public support from the campaign as being a contributing factor towards the decision.
In 2005 I established the Sir Arthur Clarke Awards, designed to recognise and reward the best of UK space achievement. I organised the nomination and judging procedures and set up the judging panel, which is comprised of many of the top names from the UK space community. I present the awards at the annual conference of the British Rocketry Oral History Programme.
I was co-organiser of the Mars Society's 2005 European Conference, which had the widest international participation to date, with delegates from the UK, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Canada, the USA and Australia.
I am now a freelance presenter on astronomy and space exploration, offering public talks and workshops for schools and youth organisations. Please see the other pages on this site for further details. I travel all over the UK, and presented a public space lecture tour of Northern Ireland during National Science Week.
Part of my aim is to inspire students to follow careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, for the young people of today will be those who are involved in the projects of tomorrow.
If you are interested and would like further information, or would like to arrange for a presentation on astronomy or space exploration, then please contact me.
