PROFESSOR SIMON DRIVER F.R.A.S., F.A.S.A., BSc(Hons, Leicester), PhD (Cardiff)

Professor in the School of Physics & Astronomy, within the University of St Andrews
Director of Postgraduate Studies, School of Physics and Astronomy
Director of St Andrews Observatory,
adjunct Professor in the School of Physics , within the University of Western Australia
Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society,
Fellow of the Astronomical Society of Australia,
Associate Editor of Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia
Member of the International Astronomical Union (Commission 28)
Member of STFC Astronomy Grants Panel

TEL: +44-1334-461680, FAX: +44-(0)1334-463104, E-mail: spd3@st-and.ac.uk


Research

I conduct research into the space density, diversity and evolution of galaxies.

Key themes:
1. Measuring the space-density of galaxies to the lowest possible limits.
2. Quantitative galaxy morphology via structural decomposition.
3. Understanding and overcoming selection bias in galaxy catalogues.
4. Exploring galaxy diversity through comprehensive studies of nearby galaxy populations.
5. Comparing near and far samples of galaxies to directly identify the key milestones and mechanisms of galaxy evolution.

To pursue these goals requires the construction of comprehensive catalogues using the latest ground-based (AAT, UKIRT, Gemini, VLT, VST, VISTA) and space-based (HST, Spitzer, JWST) facilities, followed by the application of advanced image analysis software.


Major projects

Galaxy and Mass Assembly
The VISTA Kilo-degree survey (VIKING) (Website pending)
The UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey
The Millennium Galaxy Catalogue
The 6df Galaxy Survey
The two-degree field galaxy redshift survey


Publications

NASA Abstract Data Server

Recent talks

Galaxy And Mass Assembly: Pitfalls and Progress Review Talk, Hunting for the Dark, Malta, Oct 2009
A Blueprint for galaxy formation? Invited Talk, Astronomical Society of Australia AGM, Perth, June, 2008 (Powerpoint asa08_driver.ppt)
The MGC and GAMA: Structural Surveys Invited Talk, The Galaxy Disc in Cosmological Context, Copenhagen, June 2008
VISTA, GAMA and XMM Invited Talk, An XXL ExtraGalactic Survey: prospects for the XMM next decade, Paris, April 2008
Luminous Matter and Luminous Energy Colloquium at Univ. Sydney and Swinburne Univ. Tech., March 2008 (Powerpoint usyd.ppt)
The Millennium Galaxy Catalogue: Galaxy Bulges (Coarse Properties) Formation and Evolution of Galaxy Bulges, Oxford, July 2007
The Millennium Galaxy Catalogue: Bimodality, Dust and Stellar Mass Functions Colloquium, Heidelberg, June 2007 (Powerpoint mpi.ppt )
The Millennium Galaxy Catalogue: Bimodality, Dust and Stellar Mass Functions A New Zeal for Old Galaxies, New Zealand, March 2007
Untangling Galaxy Formation and Evolution Colloquium, ROE, October 2006
The Millennium Galaxy Catalogue: Bimodality, Dust and SMBHSFrom Stars to Galaxies: Building the pieces to build up the Universe, Venice, October 2006
The luminosity-size relation of galaxies to z=1 ? At the edge of the Universe, Sintra, October 2006
Did bulges form first and discs later ? International Astronomy Union, Symposium 235, Prague, Aug 2006 RealPlayer video stream (<300kbps)
Did bulges form first and discs later ? UK National Astronomy Meeting, April 2006
Untangling galaxy formation St Andrews Astrolunch, March 2006
The optical propeties of galaxies Astronomical Society of Australia Harley-Wood Winter School, June 2005
The Millennium Galaxy Catalogue Colloquium at the Anglo-Australian Observatory, Oct 2004


Duties

Observatory Director
2nd Year Astronomy Co-ordinator
Undergraduate Recruitment Officer
Transferable Skills Tutor



Teaching

AS1001 - Galaxies and Cosmology
AS2001 - Observational Techniques
AS2001 - Chemical Evolution of the Universe
AS3011 - Galaxies
AS3013 - Computational Astrophysics
AS4022 - Cosmology (Course notes in library)
AS4025 - Observational Astrophysics Labs