University of Leicester space scientist appointed trustee of Royal Museums Greenwich

A leading Leicester space scientist has been appointed a trustee of Royal Museums Greenwich, which includes the Royal Observatory Greenwich among the museums it comprises of.

Director of the University of Leicester’s Institute for Space Professor Emma Bunce OBE is one of three new trustees recently appointed by the Prime Minister, alongside Professor Teresa Anderson MBE and Dr Julia Mundy.

They will each serve four-year terms from 20 November 2024 to 19 November 2028.

Professor Bunce also joins fellow University of Leicester academic Professor Clare Anderson, historian and Director of the Leicester Institute for Advanced Studies, who has been a trustee since 2022.

Royal Museums Greenwich comprises the Royal Observatory, Cutty Sark, National Maritime Museum and Queen’s House. Together, they are dedicated to enriching people’s understanding of the sea, the exploration of space, and Britain's role in world history.

Royal Observatory Greenwich is Britain’s oldest purpose-built scientific institution. Founded in 1675, it is the birthplace of modern astronomy, and the home of Greenwich Mean Time and the Prime Meridian.

Professor Bunce studies the electromagnetic interaction between the Sun and the planets and has worked on multiple international space missions, including the NASA Cassini mission to Saturn, the ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission to Mercury, and the ESA Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer mission to Jupiter and Ganymede. 

She is a former President of the Royal Astronomical Society, recipient of the RAS Chapman medal and the European Geophysical Union David Bates medal, and was awarded an OBE in the 2024 King’s New Year’s Honours for ‘services to Astronomy and Science Education’.

Professor Bunce said: “It is a great honour to have been appointed to the Board of Trustees at the Royal Museums of Greenwich and I am excited to get involved in supporting the overall mission of the museums during my term. It is particularly good timing to be joining the Board now, given that the Royal Observatory celebrates its 350th Anniversary this year.

“The individual museums are steeped in history, showcasing vast collections pertaining to the sea and to the stars. The artefacts, and the historic buildings in which they are housed, allow stories to be told that educate the public and inspire a future generation of explorers and scientists. I feel very fortunate to be involved.”

Professor Sarah Davies, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Head of the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Leicester, said: “In choosing Professor Emma Bunce as a Trustee, the Royal Museums Greenwich have appointed a leading researcher who has a wealth of knowledge, international experience and passion for the exploration of space. Emma will bring the in-depth subject expertise, the ability to work across disciplines and a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, and widening participation - just as she does as the Institute for Space Director here at the University of Leicester. It is fantastic that the wider public will benefit from her input, perspectives and insight, particularly to the Royal Observatory.”

Paddy Rodgers, CEO, Royal Museums Greenwich, said: “We are greatly pleased that Professor Bunce has agreed to become a Trustee of the Museum particularly in this the 350th anniversary of the Royal Observatory where the staff are ‘over the Moon’ with this prestigious appointment.”