Member Article

Astronomy research firm moves to Liverpool

A world leader in astronomy research, Astrophysics Research Institute (ARI), has announced it is moving to Liverpool Science Park.

The park said this move will be its largest letting to date, as ARI relocates from its offices in Birkenhead to an 11,000 sq ft space.

As part of Liverpool John Moores University, ARI will be controlling the Liverpool Telescope, which they designed and built and is based on La Palma in the Canary Islands.

The company is also working on technology projects for robotic telescope software development for the next generation of large telescopes, codenames Liverpool Telescope-2, along with other research into star and galaxy formations.

Director of the ARI, Professor Mike Bode said: “This is another milestone in the development of the ARI and our move to Liverpool Science Park will put us right at the heart of future developments in the University and more widely in the city and region.

“Part of the reason for the move is the continued expansion of the Institute, for example we have attracted nine additional world-class scientists to work in the Institute over the last few months under the University’s Strategic Development Initiative.

“It also enables us to enhance collaborations with several partners, including the University of Liverpool, and in that case particularly on our unique Joint undergraduate Degrees in astronomy and astrophysics.

“The development of the telescope and its instrumentation would pose new challenges and opportunities for industry, and we would obviously be particularly pleased to maximise the impact of the project on the region’s continuing high tech industrial development.”

Liverpool Science Park’s chief executive, Chris Musson, said: “It’s absolutely fantastic to welcome the R & D excellence from LJMU’s Astrophysics Research Institute into the science park’s thriving community.

“The ARI is one of the world’s leading authorities on astronomy and astrophysics, and it’s a real privilege to have them join us. With this new addition, it means the two buildings at the science park are now 90 per cent occupied.

“Their work exemplifies everything that the Mount Pleasant ‘Knowledge Quarter’ and LSP is about we’re looking forward to welcoming more tenants of the same calibre in future.”

Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter is part of a “hub” that combines the science park, the three universitie and the Royal Liverpool Hospital, amongst others, all of which are a target for £1bn worth of investment programmes.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Miranda Dobson .