Personal profile
Biography
Hello, my name is Mike Garrett. I am the inaugural Sir Bernard Lovell chair of Astrophysics at the University of Manchester and the Director of the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics (JBCA).
JBCA is a group of 190 people, including postgraduate students. We are based at two sites: the Alan Turing Building on the University campus in Manchester and Jodrell Bank Observatory (JBO) which is home to the iconic Lovell Telescope. We run e-MERLIN, the UK's radio astronomy National Facility, on behalf of STFC.
My scientific interests are very broad but include the study of the distant universe via high resolution radio observations. I am also active in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), and I am currently vice-chair of the IAAs SETI Permanent Committee. I am a visiting Professor at the University of Leiden.
Positions held:
Sir Bernard Lovell Chair of Astrophysics, Director of Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics
2016 → Present
General & Scientific Director, ASTRON (The Netherlands Foundation for Research in Astronomy)
2007 → 2016
Visiting Professor in Radio Astronomy Techniques, Leiden Observatory, Leiden University
2007 → Present
Director, Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe (JIVE)
2003 → 2007
Education/Academic qualification
Doctor of Philosophy, Ph.D. in Radio Astronomy, “A Study of the Gravitational Lens 0957+561", University of Manchester (UOM)
1986 → 1990
Bachelor of Science, BSc (1st Class Hons) Astronomy, University of Glasgow
1982 → 1986
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
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SDG 13 Climate Action
Fingerprint
- 1 Similar Profiles
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Radio activity from the rapidly rotating T dwarf 2MASS 2228-4310
Wandia, K., Garrett, M. A., Golden, A., Hallinan, G., Williams-Baldwin, D., Lucatelli, G., Beswick, R. J., Radcliffe, J. F., Siemion, A. & Myburgh, T., 1 Mar 2026, In: MNRAS. 546, 4, p. stag085Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Upper limits on radio emission from the K2-18 system
Wandia, K., Tremblay, C., Garrett, M. A., Andersson, A., Li, M. G., Gajjar, V., Beswick, R. J., Radcliffe, J. F., Czech, D., DeBoer, D. R., Demorest, P. B., Wael Farah, Heywood, I. & Siemion, A., 3 Feb 2026, In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Conducting high-frequency radio SETI searches using ALMA
Mason, L., Garrett, M., Wandia, K. & Siemion, A., 1 Jan 2025, In: Royal Astronomical Society. Monthly Notices. 536, 3, p. 2127–2134Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
High-resolution imaging of the radio source associated with Project Hephaistos Dyson Sphere Candidate G
Ren, T., Garrett, M. & Siemion, A., 1 Mar 2025, In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters. 538, 1, p. L56–L61Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Radio emission from a nearby M dwarf binary
Wandia, K., Garrett, M. A., Beswick, R. J., Radcliffe, J. F., Gajjar, V., Williams-Baldwin, D., Tremblay, C., McDonald, I., Andersson, A. & Siemion, A., 1 Nov 2025, In: MNRAS. 543, 3, p. 1935-1944 10 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Projects
- 1 Finished
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Astrophysics and Cosmology Research at the JBCA 2020-2023
Battye, R. (PI), Beswick, R. (CoI), Breton, R. (CoI), Brown, M. (CoI), Browne, I. (CoI), Browning, P. (CoI), Chluba, J. (CoI), Dickinson, C. (CoI), Fuller, G. (CoI), Garrett, M. (CoI), George, D. (CoI), Grainge, K. (CoI), Gray, M. (CoI), Jackson, N. (CoI), Kay, S. (CoI), Keith, M. (CoI), Kerins, E. (CoI), Kramer, M. (CoI), Leahy, P. (CoI), Lyne, A. (CoI), Muxlow, T. (CoI), O'Brien, T. (CoI), Piccirillo, L. (CoI), Scaife, A. (CoI), Smith, R. (CoI), Spencer, R. (CoI), Stappers, B. (CoI), Weltevrede, P. (CoI) & Zijlstra, A. (CoI)
1/04/20 → 31/03/23
Project: Research
Activities
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Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC) (External organisation)
Garrett, M. (Academic expert member)
1 Jan 2020 → …Activity: Membership › Membership of committee › Research
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Institute for Data Intensive Astronomy (IDIA) (External organisation)
Garrett, M. (Academic expert member)
1 Jan 2019 → …Activity: Membership › Membership of committee › Research
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SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute (External organisation)
Garrett, M. (Academic expert member)
1 Jan 2018 → …Activity: Membership › Membership of committee › Research
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National Astronomy Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT) (External organisation)
Garrett, M. (Academic expert member)
1 Jan 2017 → …Activity: Membership › Membership of committee › Research
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Royal Astronomical Society (External organisation)
Garrett, M. (Member)
2017 → …Activity: Membership › Membership of professional association › Research
Press/Media
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ITV NEWS: 'Sleeping giant' Jodrell Bank starts to re-awaken
4/06/20
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Other
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BBC WORLD SERVICE: CrowdScience: Could aliens find us?
4/03/19
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert comment
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NEWSWEEK: NASA 60th Anniversary: Why Haven't We Found Aliens Yet?
28/09/18
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert comment
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SCIENCE FOCUS: Is there anybody out there?
12/07/18
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert comment
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XINHUA: China's CETC signs agreement to research at Britain's Jodrell Bank radio telescope
Brown, A. & Garrett, M.
5/06/18
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Other