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Matthew Griffin

Professor Matthew Griffin

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Teams and roles for Matthew Griffin

Overview

I am an emeritus member (and formerly Head) of the Astronomy Instrumentation Group, with many years experience in far infrared and submillimetre astronomy and instrumentation, both ground-based and space-borne.

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  • Church, S. E. et al., 1992. Performance testing of doped-germanium photoconductors for the ISO long wavelength spectrometer. Presented at: ESA Symposium on Photon Detectors for Space Instrumentation : ESTEC Noordwijk, The Netherlands 10- 12 November 1992. Published in: Guyenne, T. D. and Hunt, J. J. eds. Proceedings of an ESA Symposium on Photon Detectors for Space Instrumentation : ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, 10- 12 November 1992. ESA SP Vol. 356. Paris, France: European Space Agency. , pp.255-260.
  • Church, S. E. et al., 1992. Non-linear effects in doped-germanium photoconductors for the ISO long wavelength spectrometer. Presented at: ESA Symposium on photon detectors for space instrumentation: ESTEC Noordwijk, Netherlands 10-12 November 1992. Published in: Guyenne, T. D. and Hunt, J. J. eds. Proceedings of an ESA Symposium on photon detectors for space instrumentation. ESA SP Vol. 356. Paris, France: European Space Agency. , pp.261-264.
  • Engemann, D. et al., 1992. Extrinsic photoconductor detectors for the wavelength range 2 microns to 240 microns. Presented at: ESA Symposium on Photon Detectors for Space Instrumentation : ESTEC Noordwijk, The Netherlands 10- 12 November 1992. Published in: Guyenne, T. D. and Hunt, J. J. eds. Proceedings of an ESA Symposium on Photon Detectors for Space Instrumentation : ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, 10- 12 November 1992. ESA SP Vol. 356. Paris, France: European Space Agency. , pp.389-392.
  • Murray, A. G. et al., 1992. Optimisation of FIR photoconductors for atmospheric spectroscopy. Presented at: ESA Symposium on photon detectors for space instrumentation: ESTEC Noordwijk, Netherlands 10-12 November 1992. Published in: Guyenne, T. and Hunt, J. eds. Proceedings of an ESA Symposium on Photon Detectors for Space Instrumentation : ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, 10- 12 November 1992. ESA. SP Vol. 356. Paris, France: European Space Agency. , pp.159-163.
  • Padman, R. et al., 1992. A dual-polarization InSb receiver for 461/492 GHz. International Journal of Infrared and Millimetre Waves 13 (10), pp.1487-1513. (10.1007/BF01009232)
  • Price, M. C. et al., 1992. Ionising radiation-induced effects in doped germanium FIR photoconductors. Presented at: ESA Symposium on photon detectors for space instrumentation: ESTEC Noordwijk, Netherlands 10-12 November 1992. Published in: Guyenne, T. D. and Hunt, J. J. eds. Proceedings of an ESA Symposium on Photon Detectors for Space Instrumentation : ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, 10- 12 November 1992. ESA. SP Paris, France: European Space Agency. , pp.309-312.

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Research

Far infrared and submillimetre astronomy and instrumentation, especially developing technology and instruments for both ground-based and satellite-borne observatories.

Past and present activities include:

  • Principal Investigator for the Herschel-SPIRE instrument
  • Coordinator of the SPACEKIDS European Union FP-7 project
  • Co-I on FP-7 projects HELP (Herschel-related extragalactic astronomy) and FISICA (FIR interferometry technology development)
  • Member of the SPICA collaboration and of the ESA SPICA Science Study Team. SPICA was studied by ESA and the Japanese space agency JAXA, for study as a candidate for the ESA M5 mission, but not selected
  • UK Co-PI for the ARIEL exoplanet characterisation mission, adopted by ESA as its M4 mission, with launch envisaged in 2029
  • Member of the UK team for NASA's Astrophyiscs Probe mission candidate, PRIMA

Biography

I studied Electrical Engineering at University College Dublin, graduating in 1976, after which I worked in industry before doing an MSc in Astrophsyics and subsequently a PhD in Astrophysics at Queen Mary College London, graduating in 1985. I remained at Queen Mary until 2001, when I joined the Astronomy Instrumentation Group (AIG) at Cardiff University.  I have been formally retired since January 2025, but remain active in supporting AIG activities and projects.

Honours and awards

  • Royal Astronomical Society Group Achievement Award: SCUBA Team, 2009
  • Arthur C Clarke Individual Achievement Award, UK Space Conference, 2010
  • French Association for Aeronautics and Astronautics Grand Prix award to Herschel/Planck Team, 2010
  • Royal Astronomical Society Jackson-Gwilt medal, 2011
  • Arthur C Clarke Academic Study/Research Achievement Award: Herschel-SPIRE Team, UK Space Conference, 2013
  • Royal Astronomical Society, Group Achievement Award: Herschel-SPIRE Team, 2014
  • Honorary Doctorate (Docteur Honoris Causa), Université Aix-Marseille, 2018
  • COSPAR William Nordberg Medal, 2024 (minor planet 20062 named Matthewgriffin)

Professional memberships

  • Fellow of the Institute of Physics
  • Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales
  • Vice President of the Royal Astronomical Society (2024 - 2026)

Academic positions

2001 - present   Professor, Cardiff Universtiy Schol of Physics and Astronomy

1989 - 2001  Lecturer/Reader/Professor in the Department of Physics, Queen Mary, University of London

I was Head of the Cardiff School of Physics and Astronomy between 2014 and 2018.

Committees and reviewing

Currently:

  • European Space Agency (ESA) Space Science Advisory Committee (SSAC)
  • SRON, Netherlands, Science Advisory Committee
  • Chair of the UK Space Agency (UKSA) Athena Programme Management Board
  • UKSA Space Programme Advisory Committee (SPAC)
  • Editorial Board for the Journal of Astronomical Instrumentation

Previously I have served on many RCUK peer review and policy-making committees, including the JCMT Board (as chair), STFC Science Board (as chair), the UK Research Excellence Framework (REF2021) Physics sub-panel, the European Space Agency Science Programme Committee (UK delegate), and on European panels including the European Space Science Advisory Committee and the European Union FP-7 Science Advisory Group. I have also served on various national and international research evaluation panels including for Universities and agencies in Canada, France, Sweden, Ireland, and the USA.

Contact Details

Email [email protected]
Telephone +44 29208 74203
Campuses Queen's Buildings - West Building Extension, Room WX3.12, 5 The Parade, Newport Road, Cardiff, CF24 3AA