Jim Al-Khalili facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jim Al-Khalili CBE FRS FInstP
Jim Al-Khalili at the Royal Society admissions day in London, July 2018
Born	Jameel Sadik Al-Khalili (1962-09-20) 20 September 1962 (age 62) Baghdad, Iraq
Citizenship	United Kingdom
Education	Priory School, Portsmouth
Alma mater	University of Surrey (BSc, PhD)
Known for	The Life Scientific
Spouse(s)	Julie Frampton
Awards	Michael Faraday Prize (2007) Kelvin Medal and Prize (2011) Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication (2016)
Scientific career
Fields	Nuclear physics Quantum mechanics Quantum biology
Institutions	University of Surrey University College London Humanists UK BBC
Thesis	Intermediate Energy Deuteron Elastic Scattering from Nuclei in a Three-Body Model (1989)

Jameel Sadik "Jim" Al-Khalili (born 20 September 1962) is a famous Iraqi-British theoretical physicist. He is also well-known for making science easy to understand for everyone. He works as a professor of theoretical physics at the University of Surrey.

Jim Al-Khalili is often seen on BBC radio and television. He presents many science shows and talks about science in the news. In 2014, he was recognized as a top scientist and engineer by the UK's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). He was also the president of Humanists UK from 2013 to 2016.

Jim's Early Life and School

Jim Al-Khalili was born in Baghdad, Iraq, in 1962. His father was an engineer in the Iraqi Air Force. His mother, who was English, worked as a librarian. Jim moved to the United Kingdom for good in 1979.

He studied physics at the University of Surrey and earned his first degree in 1986. He then continued his studies at Surrey. In 1989, he received his PhD, which is a very high degree in science. His PhD research was about how atomic nuclei react.

Jim's Career in Science

Jim Al-Khalili talking about science at QED 2011

After finishing his PhD, Jim Al-Khalili worked as a researcher at University College London. In 1991, he returned to the University of Surrey. There, he became a lecturer and later a professor of physics. He also holds a special position for helping the public understand science.

Jim is an expert in mathematical models of exotic atomic nuclei. These are special types of atomic nuclei. He has written many scientific papers about his work. He has also been a leader in many science organizations. For example, he was a trustee and vice president of the British Science Association.

In 2007, Jim received the Royal Society of London Michael Faraday Prize. This award is given for excellent science communication. He has also been honored by the Institute of Physics for making physics popular. He gives talks about science all over the world.

In 2008, he was given the title Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). This is a special award from the Queen. In 2018, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a very important honor for scientists. In 2021, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). This was for his great work in science and helping people learn about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

Jim as a Broadcaster

Jim Al-Khalili is very well-known for his work on TV and radio. He also writes articles for newspapers. In 2004, he helped present a TV show called The Riddle of Einstein's Brain.

His big chance to present shows came in 2007 with Atom. This was a three-part series on BBC Four. It explored the history of how we understand the atom. After that, he presented a special episode of Horizon called "The Big Bang."

In 2009, Jim presented Science and Islam. This series looked at the amazing scientific discoveries made in the Islamic world long ago. He has also appeared on many other shows, like Tomorrow's World and Bang Goes the Theory.

Since October 2011, he has hosted a popular radio show on Radio Four called The Life Scientific. On this show, he interviews famous scientists. Some of the scientists he has interviewed include Richard Dawkins and Brian Cox.

Jim also hosts an interview series on the University of Surrey's YouTube channel. He has interviewed many important people there, including David Attenborough. In 2011, he hosted Shock and Awe: The Story of Electricity, a three-part series about electricity. In 2012, he presented a Horizon special about the search for the Higgs Boson particle.

Awards and Special Honors

Jim Al-Khalili has received many awards for his work:

• 2007 – Royal Society Michael Faraday Prize for explaining science to the public.
• 2008 – Appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
• 2013 – Shortlisted for the Warwick Prize for Writing for his book Pathfinders.
• 2013 – Received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Royal Holloway, University of London.
• 2014 – Received the RISE leader award.
• 2016 – Was the first person to win the Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication.
• 2017 – Received an honorary doctorate from the University of York.
• 2018 – Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS).
• 2019 – Received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of St Andrews.
• 2019 – Won the Outstanding Achievement in Science & Technology award at The Asian Awards.
• 2021 – Appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).
• 2022 – Received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of Birmingham.
• 2023 – Elected an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.

Jim's Personal Life

Jim Al-Khalili lives in Southsea, Portsmouth, with his wife, Julie. They have a son and a daughter.

Jim is a humanist. This means he believes in human values and reason, and he does not follow a specific religion. He has said that even though his parents had different religious backgrounds, he grew up without being religious himself. He also supports The Guildford Institute, which is a community center for education and culture.

Documentaries Jim Has Presented