Professor Danielle George CBE, MBE

Engineer, Astrophysicist and TV presenter

Film work

Professor George’s television credentials include Sky at Night (BBC Four), Fortress Britain with Alice Roberts (Channel 4), Revolutions: Ideas that Changed our World (BBC Four), Horizon: Avalanche: Making a Deadly Snowstorm (BBC Two), Hyper Evolution: Rise of the Robots (BBC Four), Search for a New Earth with Professor Stephen Hawking (BBC Two) and Nation of Inventors (BBC One).

In 2016, Danielle presented Television’s Opening Night: How the Box was Born (BBC Four) and in 2014 she presented the prestigious Royal Institution Christmas lectures How to Hack your Home becoming the first woman in over 20 years to do so. 

Danielle has also presented a series of programmes for Fresh Air Production’s The Global Safety Podcast, which investigates the biggest safety issues facing the planet.

Speaking

Danielle has delivered TED and TEDx talks, and spoken to audiences ranging from schools and universities to scientists and corporates. Often to broaden understanding of the incredible opportunities available in STEM-related fields.

Awards

Danielle was awarded a Professorship at the age of 38. She received an OBE in the 2016 Queen’s Honours List, and a CBE in the 2024 New Year Honours List - both for services to engineering.

In 2016 she received the Royal Academy of Engineering Rooke Medal, in 2017 she received the Harold Hartley Medal for outstanding contribution to the field of Measurement and Control, and in 2018 she was awarded the Royal Society’s Michael Faraday Prize.

Research

To date, Danielle’s research has focused on delivering world-leading, ultra-low noise receivers for NASA and ESA Space and Aerospace applications. She has worked with agriculturists on the development of instrumentation to measure water usage, and with companies such as Rolls Royce to help develop industrial gas turbine engines.

Background

Having studied astrophysics, Danielle went on to work at Jodrell Bank Observatory. Danielle is the co-founder of the ‘Manchester Robot Orchestra’ which has enjoyed huge success around the world, and her hometown (Newcastle) recognised her as a ‘Great North Contemporary Great’ in the 2015 Great North Culture Exhibition.

Photos by Paul Wilkinson /University of Manchester, MBE investiture, Sally Lockey