Brian Cox: From Rock Star to Champion of Science

Brian Edward Cox, born on March 3, 1968, is an English physicist and musician, best known for popularizing science through his engaging presentations on television and radio. He is a professor of particle physics in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Manchester and the Royal Society Professor for Public Engagement in Science. His journey is a testament to the idea that passion and determination can lead to success, even after initial setbacks.

Early Life and Education

Brian Cox was born in the Royal Oldham Hospital and spent his childhood in nearby Chadderton. His parents worked for Yorkshire Bank, his mother as a cashier and his father as a middle manager. He recalls a happy childhood in Oldham, filled with dance, gymnastics, and plane and bus spotting.

A pivotal moment in Cox's life occurred at the age of 12 when he encountered Carl Sagan's book Cosmos. This book ignited a spark, inspiring him to pursue a career in physics.

From 1979 to 1986, Cox attended Hulme Grammar School. However, his early academic performance in mathematics was not stellar. He recounts performing poorly on his maths A-level exam, receiving a grade of D. This setback motivated him to dedicate more time and effort to mastering mathematical concepts.

Musical Career

In the 1980s and early 1990s, Cox pursued a career in music. He was a keyboard player with the rock band Dare, which released two studio albums: Out of the Silence in 1988 and Blood from Stone in 1991.

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He subsequently joined D:Ream, a dance act that achieved considerable success in the UK charts. D:Ream had a number one hit with “Things Can Only Get Better” in 1994. The band was asked to do electron rallies and even performed at the party when Labour won the election. Cox wrote the foreword of the official Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark biography, OMD: Pretending to See the Future (2018), revealing his long-standing admiration for the band. Cox continues to perform sporadically.

Academic Pursuits

While pursuing his music career, Cox began studying physics at the University of Manchester. In 1991, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree with first-class honors in physics. He completed a doctorate in high energy particle physics at the University of Manchester in 1998. His thesis, supervised by Robin Marshall, was entitled, “Double Diffraction Dissociation at Large Momentum Transfer”.

His academic achievements include:

1991: Bachelor of Science degree with first-class honors in physics, University of Manchester.
1998: Ph.D. in high energy particle physics, University of Manchester.

Career in Physics

In 2005, Cox was appointed as a professor of particle physics at the University of Manchester, a position that he still holds. He works on the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN near Geneva, Switzerland. He previously held a Royal Society University Research Fellowship and a Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC) advanced research fellowship.

His research interests include:

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The ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).
High-energy particle physics.

Science Communication

Cox has become a prominent figure in science communication, captivating audiences with his engaging and accessible explanations of complex scientific concepts. He has appeared in numerous science programs for BBC radio and television, including:

In Einstein's Shadow
The BBC Horizon series ("The Six Billion Dollar Experiment", "What on Earth is Wrong with Gravity?", "Do You Know What Time It Is?", and "Can we Make a Star on Earth?")
Voice-over work for the BBC's Bitesize revision programs

He co-presented Stargazing Live, a three-day live astronomy series, with comedian Dara Ó Briain. Since November 2009, Cox has co-presented The Infinite Monkey Cage, a BBC Radio 4 "comedy science magazine programme", with comedian Robin Ince.

Cox has also appeared numerous times at TED, giving talks on the LHC and particle physics. In 2009, he appeared in People magazine's Sexiest Men Alive. In 2010, he was featured in The Case for Mars by Symphony of Science.

He was the science advisor for the science fiction film Sunshine. On the DVD release, he provides an audio commentary where he discusses scientific accuracies (and inaccuracies) depicted in the film. On 14 November 2013, BBC Two broadcast The Science of Doctor Who in celebration of Doctor Who's 50th anniversary, in which Cox tackles the mysteries of time travel.

Television Programs

Wonders of the Solar System
Wonders of the Universe
Wonders of Life
Human Universe
Forces of Nature
The Planets
Brian Cox's Adventures in Space and Time
Seven Days on Mars

Radio Programs

The Infinite Monkey Cage

Books

Cox has co-written several books on physics, including:

Why Does E=mc2?: (And Why Should We Care?)
The Quantum Universe: everything that can happen does happens
Black Holes: The Key to Understanding the Universe (with Jeff Forshaw)
Forces of Nature (with Andrew Cohen)
Human Universe (with Andrew Cohen)
Universal: A Guide to the Cosmos

Awards and Recognition

Cox has received numerous awards for his efforts to popularize science, including:

2002: International Fellow of The Explorers Club
2006: British Association's Lord Kelvin Award
2010: Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
2011: Best Presenter and Best Science/Natural History programme by the Royal Television Society for Wonders of the Universe
2012: President’s Medal from the Institute of Physics
2012: Royal Society Michael Faraday Prize
2020: Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Personal Life

In 2003, Cox married American television presenter and writer Gia Milinovich in Duluth, Minnesota. They have a son, born in 2009, and Milinovich has a son from a previous relationship.

Views on Brexit

Cox has voiced his concerns about Brexit, saying he feels it is a "weakening of our interaction with our neighbouring countries" and that "it cannot be the right trajectory". On 23 June 2018, the People's Vote march was held in London to mark the second anniversary of the referendum to leave the European Union. Cox tweeted, "if [a people's vote were] held on known exit terms and leave commanded majority, I'd back it as settled, informed decision".

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