Dr Francisco Diego

Born in Mexico City, where he earned a BSc in Mechanical Engineering. His career in Astronomy started at the Sociedad Astronomica de Mexico and the Planetario Luis E. Erro. He worked for several years at the Instituto de Astronomia, UNAM and then came to University College London where he earned a PhD in Astronomy. Currently, he is a Lecturer at the Department of Physics and Astronomy, UCL, vice president of the UK Association for Astronomy Education, member of the International Astronomical Union and fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. He is a keen populariser of natural sciences and extensive experience as a planetarium producer/presenter, lecturer, author and broadcaster. 

Francisco has appeared on TV series such as Stephen Hawking's Universe, BBC's The Planets and more recently, Genius by Stephen Hawking (PBS), the world-wide version of BBC's Wonders of the Universe, The Seven Ages of Starlight and The Secret Life of the Sun. He is a regular contributor to BBC, Sky, TRT World and Aljazeera  News channels. Veteran of 20 solar eclipse expeditions. Founder and director of Your Universe, the UCL festival of Astronomy. Producing and delivering The Mind of the Universe, a collection of public and school lectures and teacher workshops on astrophysics, cosmology and life in the Universe. His most recent project is Paradise Planet Earth, involving all levels of education and public outreach. Blending the natural sciences with the arts, philosophy and ancestral wisdom, this project is becoming a valuable anchor where audiences find inspiration to face the global environmental and societal challenges already growing out of control.