# Peter Coles

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{{Short description|British astrophysicist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{EngvarB|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox scientist/Wikidata|fetchwikidata=ALL|suppressfields=doctoral_students}}
'''Peter Coles''' (born 1963<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JIfvAAAAMAAJ|title=Cosmology: the origin and evolution of cosmic structure|last1=Coles|first1=Peter|last2=Lucchin|first2=Francesco|date=30 May 1995|publisher=John Wiley|isbn=9780471954736|language=en}}</ref>) is a theoretical cosmologist at [Maynooth University](/source/Maynooth_University).<ref name="mupage" /> He studies the large scale structure of the [Universe](/source/Universe).

He studied for his PhD from 1985 to 1988, subsequently becoming a postdoctoral researcher at Sussex and Queen Mary, subsequently becoming a lecturer there. He was a professor at [Cardiff University](/source/Cardiff_University) starting in 2007, and from 2013 he was the head of the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences at the [University of Sussex](/source/University_of_Sussex). In 2017 he started working at Maynooth University, becoming head of the Department of Theoretical Physics in 2019.

== Early life and education ==
He was born in [Newcastle upon Tyne](/source/Newcastle_upon_Tyne) and educated at the [Royal Grammar School, Newcastle](/source/Royal_Grammar_School%2C_Newcastle).<ref name="coles_blog_26oct2008"/>

He did his first degree at [Magdalene College, Cambridge](/source/Magdalene_College%2C_Cambridge), in Natural Sciences, specialising in Theoretical Physics.<ref name="Sussex_16Oct12" /> In 1985<ref name="Cardiff" /> he started studying for his doctorate at the [University of Sussex](/source/University_of_Sussex), supervised by [John D. Barrow](/source/John_D._Barrow), and completed his [DPhil](/source/DPhil) thesis in 1988.<ref name="Sussex_16Oct12" />

Coles advises LGBT scientists not to worry excessively that their sexual orientation will impair their careers.<ref name="science_2004" /> 

== Career ==
Coles has been a [cosmologist](/source/cosmologist) and theoretical astrophysicist since 1985.<ref name="irishtimes" /> During 1988 and 1990 he was a [postdoctoral researcher](/source/postdoctoral_researcher) at the [University of Sussex](/source/University_of_Sussex), before moving to the mathematics department of the [Queen Mary & Westfield College, University of London](/source/Queen_Mary%2C_University_of_London), where he worked from 1990 until 1999,<ref name="Sussex_16Oct12" /> first as a temporary lecturer, then as a [PPARC](/source/PPARC) Advanced Fellow from 1993 to 1998, becoming Lecturer-in-waiting in 1994 and Reader-in-waiting in 1997.<ref name="Cardiff" /> He then worked at the [University of Nottingham](/source/University_of_Nottingham) between 1999 and 2007<ref name="Sussex_16Oct12" /> as a professor of astrophysics, where he set up a new group in astronomy.<ref name="Cardiff" />

Coles was a professor of theoretical astrophysics at [Cardiff University](/source/Cardiff_University) from 2007 to 2013, and was the deputy head of the school of physics and astronomy.<ref name="Sussex_16Oct12" />

In February 2013 he became the head of the school of mathematical and physical sciences at the [University of Sussex](/source/University_of_Sussex).<ref name="Sussex_16Oct12" /> He left the University of Sussex in 2016 to return to Cardiff to hold a joint position with the school of physics and astronomy and the Data Innovation Research Institute.<ref name="Cardiff" /> On 1 December 2017 he started working part-time at both [Maynooth University](/source/Maynooth_University) and Cardiff,<ref name="telescoper_1Dec17" /> moving full-time to Maynooth in July 2018.<ref name="telescoper_about" /> He became head of the Department of Theoretical Physics on 1 September 2019.<ref name="telescoper_about" /> He edits the [Open Journal of Astrophysics](/source/Open_Journal_of_Astrophysics).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Editorial Board {{!}} The Open Journal of Astrophysics |url=https://astro.theoj.org/editorial-board |access-date=2026-05-02 |website=astro.theoj.org |language=en}}</ref>

He was a Fellow of the [Royal Astronomical Society](/source/Royal_Astronomical_Society) and of the [Institute of Physics](/source/Institute_of_Physics),<ref name="coles_blog_13jun2013"/> but resigned from both in 2024 due to their use of high [article processing charge](/source/article_processing_charge)s for their [gold open access](/source/gold_open_access) journals.<ref name="fras" /> He has served on the Council of the Royal Astronomical Society.<ref name="ras_council_2013_elections"/>

He currently resides in [Maynooth](/source/Maynooth). Among the places he has previously lived in are [Brighton](/source/Brighton), [Beeston](/source/Beeston%2C_Nottinghamshire) in Nottinghamshire, [Bethnal Green](/source/Bethnal_Green) in London, and [Cardiff](/source/Cardiff).<ref name="coles_blog_10jan2017"/><ref name="coles_blog_30oct2008"/><ref name="coles_blog_05aug2016"/><ref name="coles_blog_23mar2017"/>

== Research ==
His primary research interest is in [cosmology](/source/cosmology) and the [large-scale structure of the Universe](/source/large-scale_structure_of_the_Universe),<ref name="Sussex_16Oct12" /> specifically on theoretical models that try to account for the properties of the [observable universe](/source/observable_universe), including the [cosmic microwave background](/source/cosmic_microwave_background) and [galaxy cluster](/source/galaxy_cluster)s. He also researches [cosmological models](/source/cosmological_models) that feature [magnetic field](/source/magnetic_field)s, [Non-Gaussianity](/source/Non-Gaussianity) and [asymmetries](/source/asymmetries),<ref name="Cardiff" /> as well as the application of probability and statistics in astronomy and physics.<ref name="Sussex_16Oct12" />

He has taught undergraduate courses in mathematics, statistics, and [astronomy](/source/astronomy).<ref name="Sussex_16Oct12" /> Along with [Francesco Lucchin](/source/Francesco_Lucchin) he wrote a textbook on "Cosmology: the origin and evolution of cosmic structure" ({{ISBN|978-0-471-48909-2}}), and a second edition of it was published by [John Wiley & Sons](/source/John_Wiley_%26_Sons) in July 2002.<ref name="Wiley" />

He is the only Irish-based member of the [Euclid (spacecraft)](/source/Euclid_(spacecraft)) collaboration, where he studies the clustering of galaxies.<ref name="irishtimes" />

== Personal life ==

He has a blog named ''In the Dark'', where he writes under the name ''Telescoper'' (an anagram of his name), covering a range of topics including astronomy, science funding, opera, jazz, rugby and crosswords. In 1999 it was one of "Five great physics blogs" listed by the ''Daily Telegraph''.<ref name="Telegraph_25Mar99" /> He enjoys a wide range of music, especially classical and jazz and he listens to Radio 3,{{citation needed|date=March 2017}} but he does not like the sound produced by [harpsichord](/source/harpsichord)s.<ref name="telescoper_18Mar17" />

==References==
{{Reflist|30em|refs=
<ref name="Sussex_16Oct12">{{cite web|title=New Head of Mathematical and Physical Sciences appointed|url=http://www.sussex.ac.uk/newsandevents/?id=16086|publisher=The University of Sussex | date=16 October 2012}}</ref>
<ref name="coles_blog_26oct2008">{{cite web
  | last = Coles
  | first = Peter
  | title = A Friend of Dorothy
  | work = In The Dark
  | publisher = Wordpress
  | date = 26 October 2008
  | url = https://telescoper.wordpress.com/2008/10/26/a-friend-of-dorothy/
  | accessdate = 28 March 2017
  }}</ref>
<ref name="coles_blog_13jun2013">{{cite web
  | last = Coles
  | first = Peter
  | title = Hawking at BAFTA
  | work = In The Dark
  | publisher = Wordpress
  | date = 13 June 2013
  | url = https://telescoper.wordpress.com/2013/06/13/hawking-at-bafta/
  | accessdate = 28 March 2017
  }} (About Fellowship of the Institute of Physics.)</ref>
<ref name="ras_council_2013_elections">{{cite web
  | title = Election results: new President and Council
  | publisher = [Royal Astronomical Society](/source/Royal_Astronomical_Society)
  | date = 2013
  | url = https://www.ras.org.uk/component/content/article/224-news-2013/2248-election-results-new-president-and-council
  | accessdate = 28 March 2017
  }}</ref>
<ref name="coles_blog_10jan2017">{{cite web
  | last = Coles
  | first = Peter
  | title = The "Pont" in Pontcanna
  | work = In The Dark
  | publisher = Wordpress
  | date = 10 January 2017
  | url = https://telescoper.wordpress.com/2017/01/10/the-pont-in-pontcanna/
  | accessdate = 28 March 2017
  }} (About residence in Cardiff.)</ref>
<ref name="science_2004">{{cite web
  | last = Arney
  | first = Kat
  | title = It's Great if You're Straight?
  | work = Science Magazine
  | date = 6 August 2004
  | url = https://www.science.org/content/article/its-great-if-youre-straight
}}</ref>
<ref name="coles_blog_30oct2008">{{cite web
  | last = Coles
  | first = Peter
  | title = In the Dark
  | publisher = Wordpress
  | date = 30 October 2008
  | url = https://telescoper.wordpress.com/2008/10/30/in-the-dark/
  | accessdate = 28 March 2017
  }} (About residence near Nottingham.)</ref>
<ref name="coles_blog_05aug2016">{{cite web
  | last = Coles
  | first = Peter
  | title = Last Day in Brighton
  | work = In The Dark
  | publisher = Wordpress
  | date = 5 August 2016
  | url = https://telescoper.wordpress.com/2016/08/05/last-day-in-brighton/
  | accessdate = 28 March 2017
  }} (About residence in Brighton.)</ref>
<ref name="coles_blog_23mar2017">{{cite web
  | last = Coles
  | first = Peter
  | title = London looking back
  | work = In The Dark
  | publisher = Wordpress
  | date = 23 March 2017
  | url = https://telescoper.wordpress.com/2017/03/23/london-looking-back/
  | accessdate = 28 March 2017
  }} (About residence in Bethnal Green, London.)</ref>
<ref name="Cardiff">{{cite web|title=Prof Peter Coles|url=http://www.astro.cf.ac.uk/contactsandpeople/?page=full&id=86|publisher=University of Cardiff|accessdate=19 March 2017}}</ref>
<ref name="Telegraph_25Mar99">{{cite news | url=http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/technology/iandouglas/9288497/five_great_physics_blogs/ | title=Five great physics blogs | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303225925/http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/technology/iandouglas/9288497/five_great_physics_blogs/ | archivedate=3 March 2016}}</ref>
<ref name="telescoper_18Mar17">{{cite web|title=Wikipedia Update|url=https://telescoper.wordpress.com/2017/03/18/wikipedia-update/|website=In the Dark|date=18 March 2017}}</ref>
<ref name="Wiley">{{cite web|url=http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0471489093.html|title=Cosmology: The Origin and Evolution of Cosmic Structure, 2nd Edition | publisher=Wiley|accessdate=19 March 2017}}</ref>
<ref name="telescoper_1Dec17">{{cite web|title=A Message from Maynooth|url=https://telescoper.wordpress.com/2017/12/01/a-message-from-maynooth/|website=In the Dark|date=1 December 2017}}</ref>
<ref name="mupage">{{cite web|title= Prof Peter Coles|url=https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/people/peter-coles|website=Maynooth University|access-date=2020-01-15}}</ref>
<ref name="telescoper_about">{{cite web|title=About Me|date=15 September 2008 |url=https://telescoper.wordpress.com/about/|access-date=2020-01-15}}</ref>
<ref name="irishtimes">{{cite news |last1=Duke |first1=Seán |title=Space mission hopes to solve the riddle of 'missing' matter |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/science/space-mission-hopes-to-solve-the-riddle-of-missing-matter-1.4757906 |access-date=6 January 2022 |newspaper=The Irish Times |language=en}}</ref>
<ref name="fras">{{cite web |title=Don’t call me FRAS |url=https://telescoper.blog/2024/03/22/dont-call-me-fras/ |website=In the Dark |access-date=26 December 2024 |language=en |date=22 March 2024}}</ref>
}}

==External links==
*{{MathGenealogy | ID= 124008 }}
*[http://telescoper.wordpress.com/ Coles' blog]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Coles, Peter}}
Category:People educated at the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle upon Tyne
Category:Alumni of Magdalene College, Cambridge
Category:Alumni of the University of Sussex
Category:Academics of the University of Nottingham
Category:Academics of Queen Mary University of London
Category:Academics of the University of Sussex
Category:Academics of Cardiff University
Category:Academics of Maynooth University
Category:Living people
Category:21st-century British physicists
Category:21st-century Irish astronomers
Category:British cosmologists
Category:People from Beeston, Nottinghamshire
Category:Fellows of the Royal Astronomical Society
Category:Fellows of the Institute of Physics
Category:1963 births
Category:British LGBTQ scientists
Category:20th-century British physicists
Category:20th-century Irish astronomers

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Peter Coles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Coles) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Coles?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.