Martin John Rees

Theoretical astrophysicist

Astronomer Royal and Royal Society Research Professor and former director of the Institute of Astronomy at the University of Cambridge.

He has modeled quasars and has made important contributions to the theories of galaxy formation, galaxy clustering, and the origin of the cosmic background radiation. His early study of the distribution of quasars helped discredit the steady state cosmological theory. He was one of the first to propose that enormous black holes power the quasars. He has investigated the anthropic principle, the idea that we find the universe the way it is because if it were much different we would not be here to examine it, and the question of whether ours is one of a multitude of "universes".

He is the author of several books including Before the Beginning : Our Universe and Others and Just Six Numbers : The Deep Forces that Shape the Universe .

Awards :
- Peter Gruber Foundation, Cosmology Prize, 2001.
- American Astronomical Society, High-Energy Astrophysics Division, Rossi Prize, 2000.
- Franklin Institute, Bower Science medal, 1998.
- 1993 Bruce Medalist
- International Balzan Foundation, Balzan Prize, 1989.
- Indian National Science Academy, Vainu Bappu Memorial Award, 1986.
- Astronomische Gesellschaft, Karl Schwarzschild Medal, 1989.
- Royal Astronomical Society, Gold medal, 1987.
- American Institute of Physics & American Astronomical Society, Dannie Heineman Prize for Astrophysics, 1984.
- National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Jansky Prize, 1981.

Selected publications :
- Rees, Martin J., "Clusters Of Galaxies: An Introductory Survey," in Clusters and Superclusters of Galaxies, ed. A.C. Fabian (Kluwer, Dordrecht, 1992).
- Rees, Martin J., "Causes and Effects of the First Quasars," Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 90, 11, 4840-47 (1993).
- Podsiadlowski, Philipp, Martin J. Rees, & Malvin Ruderman, "Gamma-Ray Bursts and the Structure of the Galactic Halo," Annals NY Acad. Sci. 759, 283 (1995).
- Rees, Martin, Perspectives in Astrophysical Cosmology (Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, UK, 1995, 1999).
- Rees, Martin J., "Galaxy Formation and Quasars - Progress and Prospects," in The Universe at Large, Münch, G., A. Mampaso, & F. Sánchez, eds. (Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, UK, 1997), 311-342.
- Rees, Martin J., "Introductory Lecture," Proceedings of NATO ASI on Cosmology held at the Isaac Newton Institute, ed R. Crittenden.
- Rees, Martin J., "'First Light' in the Universe; What Ended the 'Dark Age'?" for "Physics Reports"' special issue in memory of D.N. Schramm