Russell Stannard
Russell Stannard is a retired high-energy particle physicist, who was born in London, England, on December 24, 1931. He currently holds the position of Professor Emeritus of Physics at the Open University. In 1986, he was awarded the Templeton Prize for ‘significant contributions to the field of spiritual values; in particular for contributions to greater understanding of science and religion’. He was awarded the OBE for ‘contributions to physics, the Open University, and the popularisation of science’ (1998) and the Bragg Medal and Prize of the Institute of Physics for ‘distinguished contributions to the teaching of physics’ (1999).
Stannard is also a sculptor; two of his pieces were until recently on display in the main quadrangle of the Open University site at Milton Keynes.
In 2010, he helmed a series of ten short programmes collectively entitled "Boundaries of the knowable", dealing with subjects from both scientific and philosophical perspectives, ranging from the nature of consciousness, the nature of matter, space and time, the wave-particle duality of matter, the (alleged) existence of extra-terrestrial life and the question of "What caused the Big Bang?".
Career
- Studied Physics at University College London earning a B.Sc. (Special Physics) degree (1953); this was followed by a Ph.D in cosmic ray physics (1956).
- 1960-69 Lecturer, UCL
- 1969-71 Reader, Open University
- 1971-1997 Professor of Physics, Open University.
- 1971-1992 Head of the Physics Department, Open University
- 1974-1976 Pro-Vice Chancellor, Open University
- 1987-1988 Visiting Fellow, Center of Theological Inquiry, Princeton, USA.
- 1987-1991 Vice President of the Institute of Physics.
- 1993-1999 Trustee of the John Templeton Foundation.
- 1999–present Emeritus Professor of Physics, Open University.
Publications
Science and Religion
- Science and the Renewal of Belief
- Grounds for Reasonable Belief
- Doing Away With God?
- Science and Wonders
- contributed chapters to Evidence of Purpose, How Large is God?, and Spiritual Evolution.
- The God Experiment, Faber and Faber/HiddenSpring 1999 based on his Gifford Lectures
- The End of Discovery
Children's Books
11 Children's books including
- the Uncle Albert trilogy (The Time and Space of Uncle Albert, Black Holes and Uncle Albert, and Uncle Albert and the Quantum Quest)
- An update of George Gamow's classic Mr Tompkins
- The Curious History of God
- Our Physical Universe
- Virtutopia
Sources
External links
- Gifford Lectures biography page on Russell Stannard
- Open2.net short series of video programmes from the OU "Boundaries of the knowable"
- Russell Stannard Interview with Nigel Bovey