Professor John Barrow FRS

John Barrow conducted research in cosmology, gravitation, and the large-scale structure of the Universe. His work furthered our understanding of the Universe’s deviations from perfect homogeneity and isotropy. He devised new ways to evaluate the amplitudes and patterns of possible cosmological anisotropies and inhomogeneities, and identified the conditions for cosmological chaos to occur.

He investigated many applications of particle physics to the early Universe, especially the study of nucleosynthesis, the matter–antimatter asymmetry of the Universe, and ‘inflation’. He was also an effective populariser of science through his many books, newspaper articles, lectures, and radio broadcasts.

Professor John Barrow FRS died on 26 September 2020.

Professional position

  • Em. Prof of Geom. & Astron., Academic Board Member, Gresham College
  • Professorial Fellow, Clare College, University of Cambridge
  • Professor of Mathematical Sciences and Director, Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge
  • Director, Millennium Mathematics Project, University of Cambridge

Subject groups

  • Astronomy and physics

    Elementary particle physics, Gravitation, Cosmology

  • Mathematics

    Applied mathematics and theoretical physics

Awards

  • Michael Faraday Prize and Lecture

    On 'Every picture tells a story'.

Professor John Barrow FRS
Elected 2003

Credit: Max Alexander