Keynote Speakers and Events

Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell

Department of Physics, Oxford University

Keynote talk: 'Astronomy and Poetry', Friday 13th June

Jocelyn Bell Burnell inadvertently discovered pulsars as a graduate student in radio astronomy in Cambridge, opening up a new branch of astrophysics - work recognised by the award of a Nobel Prize to her supervisor.

She has subsequently worked in many roles in many branches of astronomy, working part-time while raising a family. She is now a Visiting Academic in Oxford, Department of Astrophysics. She has been President of the UK’s Royal Astronomical Society, in 2008 became the first female President of the Institute of Physics for the UK and Ireland, and in 2014 the first female President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. She was one of the small group of women scientists that set up the Athena SWAN scheme.

She has received many honours, including a $3M Breakthrough Prize in 2018.

The public appreciation and understanding of science have always been important to her, and she is much in demand as a speaker and broadcaster.

In her spare time, she gardens, listens to choral music and is active in the Quakers. She has co-edited an anthology of poetry with an astronomical theme – ‘Dark Matter; Poems of Space’.

Professor Tom Ray

Dublin, Institute for Advanced Studies

Keynote talk: 'From Newgrange to the Extremely Large Telescope: Monuments of Ingenuity in the Quest to Understand Our Universe', Thursday 12th June

Prof. Tom Ray is a distinguished astrophysicist specialising in star and planet formation, particularly supersonic jets from young stars and surrounding disks. He is Co-Principal Investigator of the Mid-Infrared Instrument on the James Webb Space Telescope and the ARIEL mission exploring exoplanet atmospheres. At the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, he leads research on Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detectors for astronomy. His career includes fellowships at the University of Sussex and the Max Planck Institute before becoming a professor at DIAS in 1986. Prof. Ray is the Robert Ball Professor at Trinity College Dublin, a member of the Royal Irish Academy, and a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. He has served on numerous national and international scientific committees, including those for the Hubble Space Telescope, ESA, NASA, and the European Southern Observatory, where he represents the Irish government. His interests also extend to historical astronomy and ancient astronomical sites like Newgrange. He is currently head of the European Southern Observatory, which is building the largest telescope in the world.

Professor Clive Ruggles

School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester

Keynote talk: "Sighting the Sun — and Moon? — at Stonehenge"?, Monday 9th June

Professor Ruggles is an Emeritus Professor of Archaeoastronomy at the University of Leicester, where he has significantly contributed since 1982. With a diverse background in mathematics, astrophysics, and archaeology, he began his career focusing on statistical applications in archaeology before transitioning to archaeoastronomy and becoming a full professor in 1999.

Ruggles has served as President of several prestigious organisations, including the International Society for Archaeoastronomy and Astronomy in Culture. His research emphasises the integration of scientific and anthropological methods to enhance our understanding of how ancient cultures perceived the sky.

A notable aspect of his work involves research on Stonehenge, where he investigates its astronomical alignments, particularly with lunar cycles. His studies suggest that the builders may have aligned the monument with significant lunar events, revealing its cultural significance in prehistoric Britain.

Ruggles has published extensively, impacting the preservation of astronomical heritage. His achievements include receiving the Royal Astronomical Society’s Agnes Mary Clerke Medal, recognising his distinguished contributions to archaeology, astronomy, and the history of science.

Social and Cultural Events

Sunday, 8 June, 6:00-9:00 pm

Welcome Reception at the Rotunda of Belfast City Hall

Delegates will have the chance to explore Belfast's rich history through a private, guided tour of this iconic building. The tour includes exclusive access to areas usually off-limits to the public, such as The Council Chamber and the Robing Room, where the civic chains and official jewels are showcased.

Friday, 13 June

Armagh Observatory and Planetarium

The conference will take place in the Copernicus Hall at Armagh Observatory and will feature a tour of the Observatory. Bus transportation to and from Queen's University Belfast to Armagh Observatory has been arranged for attendees.

Saturday, 14 June

Optional trip to some of Ireland's most breathtaking archaeoastronomical sites

Organised bus transport provided.

The Megalithic Passage Tombs of Newgrange, Knowth, and Dowth in County Meath date back to around 3,200 BC, predating Stonehenge and the Pyramids of Giza. These ancient structures, part of the Boyne Valley Mounds, are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Newgrange is famous for its winter solstice sunrise alignment, which illuminates its passage and chamber.

Knowth has two passages and is surrounded by seventeen satellite cairns.

Dowth, the Fairy Mound of Darkness, is similar in size and age to the other tombs. A damaging excavation in 1847 revealed two tombs, Dowth North and Dowth South. Dowth South aligns with the setting sun of the winter solstice, illuminating its passage and chamber.

These sites, rich in history and megalithic art, are subjects of debate regarding their original purpose, whether as burial tombs, sacred temples, or astronomical observatories.