Ian Paul GriffinCRSNZ (born 1966) is a New Zealandastronomer, discoverer ofminor planets and a public spokesman upon scientific matters. He is currently the Director ofOtago Museum,Dunedin, New Zealand. Griffin was the CEO ofScience Oxford, in Oxford, United Kingdom, and the former head of public outreach at NASA'sSpace Telescope Science Institute.
Griffin began his professional life atUniversity College London (UCL) where he decided to pursue a career combining both astronomical research and public outreach. He obtained his PhD in astronomy from UCL in 1991.[1] His doctoral thesis was titledThe circumstellar environments of late type stars.[2] He was director of theArmagh Planetarium from 1990 to 1995. He then worked atAstronaut Memorial Planetarium and Observatory atBrevard Community College inCocoa, Florida andAuckland Observatory in New Zealand before accepting the position as head of public outreach at theSpace Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, US.[3]
From 2004 to 2007, Griffin was director of theMuseum of Science and Industry in Manchester.[4]
Griffin has a strong Twitter presence and regularly updates followers with photos of theAurora Australis and of other astronomical phenomena.
| 10924 Mariagriffin | 29 January 1998 | MPC |
| 11678 Brevard | 25 February 1998 | MPC |
| 13376 Dunphy | 15 November 1998 | MPC |
| 14179 Skinner | 15 November 1998 | MPC |
| 17020 Hopemeraengus | 24 February 1999 | MPC |
| 23988 Maungakiekie | 2 September 1999 | MPC |
| 23990 Springsteen | 4 September 1999 | MPC |
| 25273 Barrycarole | 15 November 1998 | MPC |
| 27120 Isabelhawkins | 28 November 1998 | MPC |
| 31239 Michaeljames | 21 February 1998 | MPC |
| 31268 Welty | 16 March 1998 | MPC |
| 33179 Arsènewenger | 29 March 1998 | MPC |
| 44527 Tonnon | 22 dicembre 1998 | MPC |
| 49291 Thechills | 8 November 1998 | MPC |
| 53109 Martinphillipps | 12 January 1999 | MPC |
| 66856 Stephenvoss(*) | 13 November 1999 | MPC |
| 85773 Gutbezahl | 25 October 1998 | MPC |
| 101461 Dunedin | 25 November 1998 | MPC |
| 101462 Tahupotiki | 25 November 1998 | MPC |
| 101491 Grahamcrombie | 1 December 1998 | MPC |
| (108736) 2001 OG32(*) | 24 July 2001 | MPC |
| (134483) 1998 WK2 | 19 November 1998 | MPC |
| (135045) 2001 OF32(*) | 24 July 2001 | MPC |
| (155487) 1998 WP8 | 27 November 1998 | MPC |
| (192609) 1999 GY3 | 12 April 1999 | MPC |
| (*) in collaboration withN. Brady | ||
|---|---|---|
In his time at Space Telescope, Griffin contributed to the observation and study of a scientifically significant binary asteroid system, known as1998 WW31.[6] This was only the second such binary system discovered in theKuiper belt (the other being thePluto andCharon system) and provided valuable data helping astronomers understand the mass and behaviour of objects in the Kuiper belt.[7]
Via search programmes using small telescopes, Griffin also discovered 26 numbered minor planets between 1998 and 2001.[5] Three of his discoveries were made in collaboration with Australian astronomerNigel Brady. His discovery include:
However the Mars-crossing asteroid4995 Griffin is unrelated to him, as it was named after Griffin Swanson the son of its discovererSteven Roger Swanson.[11]
In 2015, Griffin was awarded theNew Zealand Prime Minister's Science Communication Prize, worth NZD 100,000, for his work at Otago Museum.[12]
In 2019, Griffin was elected a Companion ofRoyal Society Te Apārangi.[13]
