Quentin Parker

Prof. Q.A. Parker arrived at HKU in March 2015 from the Australian Astronomical Observatory and Macquarie University, Sydney, where he was director of leading astrophysics and astrophotonics research centre. After spells as Head of Physics and Associate Dean (global) in the FoS he currently directs the Laboratory for Space Research (see www.lsr.hku.hk). Here he has established a world-leading group in late-stage stellar evolution that includes post-AGB stars, planetary nebulae and massive star ejecta. This task is greatly assisted by the appointment of several postdoctoral research fellows.

These currently comprise Dr. Chih-hao Hsia, Dr. Partha Sarathi Pal, and Dr. Andreas Ritter, together with PhD, MPhil students and several RAs. Significant contributions to this research field and other LSR activities have been made by his group including seven HKU press releases and several papers in Nature and Nature Astronomy between 2018 and 2022. Exciting research opportunities exist for additional research postgraduate students to join the team. This group also has strong synergies to existing astrophysics and space science expertise elsewhere in the FoS.

Research Interests

• Astronomy, Astrophysics & Space Science
• Planetary Nebulae
• Supernova Remnants
• Large Scale Widefield Surveys
• Astronomical Instrumentation
• Galactic Archaeology
• Chinese Bronze and Antiquities
• Science education pedagogy