Dr. Tim Gregory works full-time as a nuclear chemist in the heart of the British nuclear industry. He spends his work days in the lab measuring the chemical and isotopic composition of nuclear materials on a variety of different projects. His love for science shines through in his day job, public speaking, and media activities.
Tim’s background is in academia. After completing a Ph.D. at the University of Bristol researching the formation of the Solar System using meteorites, Tim became a postdoctoral researcher at the British Geological Survey in Nottingham. His background on the cutting edge of academic research prepared him perfectly for his sideways career step into the nuclear industry.
In 2020, Tim’s debut book – Meteorite: How Stones from Outer Space Made Our World — was published by John Murray to critical acclaim.
In 2017, Tim surpassed thousands of applicants for a place in the six-part BBC2 series Astronauts: Do You Have What It Takes? where he was put through the full rigors of astronaut selection and reached the final three.
Since then, he has gone on to present a segment about meteorites on BBC4’s The Sky at Night and has made live television appearances on BBC Breakfast, BBC Look North, and BBC Points West. He frequently features on local and national radio to talk about events in the world of space, science, and nuclear.
Tim loves nothing more than sharing his love of science and the wonders of the natural world. He regularly speaks to audiences of all sizes and ages on topics such as nuclear science, planetary science, and the importance of science in society. His enthusiasm is infectious and his deep knowledge shines through.
Originally from West Yorkshire (and with the accent to prove it), Tim completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Manchester where he achieved a first-class with honors in Geology with Planetary Science (MEarthSci). He discovered his love for cosmochemistry during a ten-week internship at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, where he investigated the history of water-rich asteroids.
When he is not in the lab, Tim is either outside enjoying the Cumbrian mountains, or inside reading or playing his guitar.
