Dr Tim Gregory

Nuclear chemist Dr Tim Gregory is a Chemical Analyst at the National Nuclear Laboratory at Sellafield. He spends his workdays in a lab measuring the chemical and isotopic composition of nuclear materials on a variety of different projects. He shares his passion for science, and in particular atomic science, through his books, broadcasting and lectures, making the most complex of subjects accessible, engaging and relevant.

After completing a PhD 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 for his sideways step into the nuclear industry. He discovered his love for cosmochemistry during a ten-week internship at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, where Tim investigated the history of water-rich asteroids.

In his debut book Meteorite: How Stones from Outer Space Made Our World, Tim tells the story of the stones from outer space scattered across our planet. From the big to the very small, Tim then focused on the atomic with his book Going Nuclear - How the Atom Will Save the World, exploring the often controversial arena of nuclear energy, it's history, and why, rather than a threat to be managed, it may hold the key to tackling many of the most urgent, even existential problems we face.

Tim surpassed thousands of applicants for a place in the BBC2 series Astronauts: Do You Have What It Takes?, where he tackled the rigours of astronaut selection and reached the final three. He has gone on to present features on The Sky at Night, and has appeared on BBC Breakfast, Radio 4 and more, talking about events in the world of space, and nuclear science. Tim's love of science and the wonders of the natural world is infectious, as he explores nuclear science, planetary science, and the importance of science in society.