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When Did you Decide to Become a Cosmologist? - Professor Joseph Silk

2,521 views · Published 31 July 2015 · 1:09 · Indexed 27 October 2026

Channel: Gresham College · 2015 · Education

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Were it not for a chance lecture, Professor Joseph Silk might never have been a cosmologist: http://www.gresham.ac.uk/professors-and-speakers/professor-joseph-silk

Whilst mathematics as an undergraduate, Professor Silk was attempting to decide what was the right path for him. Luckily, he chanced upon and advanced astrophysics lecture, and what he learned there convinced him that he was meant to study the stars.

Joseph Silk is a renowned cosmologist who currently holds posts at three of the world’s top Universities: John Hopkins University, Le Sorbonne and the University of Oxford. Professor Silk is one of the world’s leading experts in theoretical cosmology, dark matter, galaxy formation and cosmic microwave background. Professor Silk’s studies of galaxy formation and his work on the dynamics of mass loss and the feedback mechanisms from star formation and evolution formed a highly significant basis for subsequent work in this important field. In 2011 he won the Balzan Prize for this pioneering work on the infant universe. You can find out more about Professor Silk by visiting his Professor page: http://www.gresham.ac.uk/professors-and-speakers/professor-joseph-silk

Professor Silk's inaugural series for Gresham College is titled 'The Biggest Questions in the Universe'. In six lectures, Professor Silk will examine the earliest moments of the Universe; discuss the first stars and the future of the field as 'galactic archaeology' expands our understanding of the Universe. You can see all of the lectures on the website: http://www.gresham.ac.uk/the-biggest-questions-in-the-universe

Gresham College has been giving free public lectures since 1597. This tradition continues today with all of our five or so public lectures a week being made available for free download from our website. There are currently over 1,800 lectures free to access or download from the website.
Website: http://www.gresham.ac.uk
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