Chris Rapley

Prof. Christopher Graham Rapley (known as Chris Rapley) CBE (born 1947) is a British scientist. He was Executive Director of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme IGBP from 1994 to 1998, and Director of the British Antarctic Survey from 1998 to 2007. He was appointed Director of the Science Museum in 2007. In 2008 he was awarded the Edinburgh Science Medal – “For professional achievements judged to have made a significant contribution to the understanding and well-being of humanity”

Life and career

Born in 1947, Rapley was educated at King Edward's School, Bath, Jesus College, Oxford (obtaining a BA in Physics in 1969) at Manchester University (obtaining a MSc in Radio Astronomy in 1976) and University College, London (obtaining a PhD in X-ray Astronomy in 1976).^[1][2][3]

Between 1975 and 1981, Rapley was a scientist on NASA's Solar Maximum Mission, and was then a lecturer at the Department of Space and Climate Physics of University College London from 1981 to 1987.^[3] He was professor of Remote Sensing Science at University College London from 1991 to 1997 and was Director of the British Antarctic Survey from 1998 to 2007.^[1][2] During his time in the Antarctic, he helped Al Gore with the "Live Earth" concert by arranging for the Rothera Research Station's in-house band, Nunatak, to perform in Antarctica as part of the event.^[3]

Rapley became a Fellow of St Edmund's College, Cambridge in 1999 and was awarded the CBE. In 2007, he was appointed as Director of the Science Museum.^[1]

Portrait of Rapley

Rapley agreed to sit for Jon Edgar in Fittleworth during 2009 as part of the sculptor's environmental series^[4] of heads.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Rapley, Prof. Christopher Graham". Who's Who 2009. Oxford University Press. December 2008. http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U31913. Retrieved 2 March 2009. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "New Director of Science Museum". Jesus College, Oxford. 23 July 2007. http://www.jesus.ox.ac.uk/news/news07.php. Retrieved 2 March 2009. 
3. ^ ^{a b c} Randerson, James (31 August 2007). "Profile: Chris Rapley, the Science Museum's new director". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2007/aug/31/uknews?gusrc=rss&feed=science. Retrieved 2 March 2009. 
4. ^ authors, various (2008). Responses - Carvings and Claywork - Jon Edgar Sculpture 2003-2008. UK: Hesworth Press. ISBN 978-0-9558675-0-7. 

External links

• Rapley's profile, Science Museum

Cultural offices
Preceded by Jon Tucker	Director of the Science Museum 2007 – present	Succeeded by incumbent

Persondata
Name	Rapley, Christopher
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1947
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death