”Curiosity serves you well!” Dr Tim Gregory, Analytical Nuclear Chemist, NNL

Dr Tim Gregory is an analytical nuclear chemist working at the National Nuclear Laboratory, based on the Sellafield site. He has experience as a meteorite scientist and is active in outreach, talking in schools and on the BBC sharing his passion about space and science.

Tim lives in Cumbria and in his free time likes to go running, hiking, canoeing, and practises photography in the country.

 

Tim grew up in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire with his mum and sister. In his younger years he developed a passion for science and nature. In high school, a lot of his interests in science were stamped out as he felt unable to share his passion with anyone. Tim then went on to 6th form to do his A-levels where his passion for science returned meeting people who had a shared interest.

 

Tim then went on to study an integrated masters at Manchester in Geology with Planetory Science. During his studies, he completed a two and a half-month internship in Houston, Texas, at the NASA Johnson’s space centre studying meteorites. During his time in Manchester, Tim volunteered at the Manchester Museum where he discovered he had a knack on how to explain things in layman’s terms to the visitors about rocks.

 

Tim on to study for a PhD in Cosmochemistry at the University of Bristol. Whilst here, Tim went into schools to teach geology days and went to local organisation to present too and he soon realised he had a natural ability to present. He was also successful in securing one of twelve places on a BBC 2 programme called Astronauts where he made it to the final which included him being put in a centrifuge and spun at 4.5G for ten minutes! The TV programme gave him the opportunity to present twice on the ‘Sky at Night’. Tim’s also presented on BBC 4 and BBC Radio Bristol.

 

Tim took a sideways step into nuclear and is continued to be blown away by science.

 

Tim has also published a book called ‘Meteorite’.

 

For more information visit: https://www.tim-gregory.co.uk