Dr Tim Cornwell, Senior Software Scientist.

Dr Tim Cornwell: working on a next-generation radio telescope

Dr Tim Cornwell is a Senior Software Scientist and Research Manager within CSIRO’s Division of Astronomy and Space Science, responsible for developing revolutionary computing systems that will enable the next generation of radio telescopes.

• 20 July 2010 | Updated 14 October 2011

• Current activities 
• Background
• Academic qualifications
• Achievements

With a professional career spanning more than 25 years, Dr Tim Cornwell is a world-renowned imaging expert, best known for his work on synthesis data processing algorithms.

He is a key player in ensuring the success of CSIRO's Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) radio telescope project and is highly involved in preparatory work for the future Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope.

Current activities

Dr Cornwell is Project lead for ASKAP computing.

In addition, his energies are directed toward a number of other activities. These include:

• serving as Research Program Leader for Software Development
• leading the Single Digital Backend initiative
• participating in the definition of SKA Science Centre in Perth, Western Australia
• participating in the process defining ASKAP ICDs
• participating in ASKAP Calibration and Imaging activity
• providing support and consultation for ATCA science observations
• participating in the ASKAP Central Processor activity
• leading the SKA Calibration and Imaging Task Force, and participating in the SKA Computing Task Force and PrepSKA WP2.

His work is crucial in terms of ASKAP achieving its outcomes and he has the potential to influence the design of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), a huge international project to build an A$2.5 billion radio telescope. 

A greater understanding of the scale of the task he is responsible for can be found at ASKAP computing.

Since joining CSIRO, Dr Cornwell has also worked on a wide range of research topics - the radio/infrared correlation, the ATLAS survey, the nearby radio galaxy Centaurus A, and an advanced formalism for calibration and imaging in radio synthesis.

Background

Dr Cornwell joined CSIRO in 2005, arriving from an active and engaged career of twenty five years at The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO).

He has a wide range of experience and expertise (radio astronomy techniques, design of synthesis telescopes, scientific software development, and project management) but is best known for his work on synthesis data processing algorithms.

He has been influential in the design and use of a number of radio telescopes including MERLIN, VLA, ALMA, VLBA, SKA, and now ATCA and ASKAP.

His other positions include:

• Deputy Assistant Director (National Radio Astronomy Observatory - NRAO) for Computing and Operations in Socorro, New Mexico where he directed the commissioning of VLBA, 1992-95
• NRAO Assistant Director for AIPS++ for which he was responsible for management and technical development of this benchmark software, 1995-2000
• Project Manager for the AIPS++ Project 1995-2001
• NRAO Associate Director for Data Management taking responsibility for the overall data management strategy at NRAO2000-03
• NRAO Scientist, Basic Research investigating wide field imaging for EVLA and SKA development. 2003-05.

Academic qualifications

Dr Cornwell was awarded a:

• Bachelor of Physics, Victoria University of Manchester, United Kingdom, 1976
• Doctor of Philosophy, Physics, Victoria University of Manchester, 1980.

Achievements

Dr Cornwell is best known as a world renowned imaging expert for his work on synthesis data processing algorithms.

The measure of the high regard in which he is held by his peers is demonstrated by his membership of the ADASS Program Organizing Committee and the IEEE Signal Recovery and Synthesis Program Committee. 

Dr Cornwell is a referee for:

• the US National Science Foundation
• Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
• Astronomy & Astrophysics
• The Astronomical Journal
• The Astrophysical Journal
• IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation
• Journal of the Optical Society of America
• Experimental Astronomy.

He holds positions on the following Advisory Boards and major national/international committees:

• Member, CSIRO CSS TCP Steering Committee
• Member, Pawsey Centre System Project Control Group
• Member, SKA Engineering Working Group
• Member, SKA Operations Working Group
• Head, SKA Computing Task Force
• Head, SKA Calibration and Imaging Task Force
• Lead, Image Processing panel, NSF/Intelligence Community meeting on Approaches to Combat Terrorism, November 2002
• Member, LOFAR Calibration Review Group, November 2006.

Dr Cornwell is also a member of the following professional bodies:

• American Astronomical Association
• International Radio Science Union.

Find out more about Australian SKA Pathfinder.