Background
Burbidge was born in Chipping Norton Oxfordshire, a small market town in the Cotswolds roughly midway between Oxford and Stratford-on-Avon, where he attended grammar school. His father was Geoffrey Ronald Burbidge, a builder.
Burbidge was born in Chipping Norton Oxfordshire, a small market town in the Cotswolds roughly midway between Oxford and Stratford-on-Avon, where he attended grammar school. His father was Geoffrey Ronald Burbidge, a builder.
He first attended the University of Bristol to study history, but changed to physics, receiving his degree in 1946. In 1947, he went to London and received his Doctor of Philosophy from University College London (University College London) in 1951. While at University College London he worked with Professor H. South. West. Massey who was then head of the department of mathematics.
During this period, he met Margaret Peachey and they married in 1948.
Assistant lecturer, U. College, London, 1950-1951;
Agassiz fellow, Harvard, 1951-1952;
research fellow, University of Chicago, 1952-1953;
research fellow, Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge, England, 1953-1955;
Carnegie fellow, Mount Wilson and Palomar Observatory, California Institute Technology, 1955-1957;
assistant professor department astronomy, University of Chicago, 1957-1958;
associate professor, University of Chicago, 1958-1962;
associate professor, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, 1962-1963;
professor physics, University of California San Diego, 1963-1983, 88-;
director, Kitt Peak National Observatory, Tucson, 1978-1984. Phillips visiting professor Harvard University, 1968. Board directors Associated Universities Research in Astronomy, 1971-1974.
Trustee Associated Universities, Inc., 1973-1982.
(Book by Burbidge, Geoffrey, Layzer, David)
(Book by Burbidge, Geoffrey, Layzer, David)
Fellow Royal Society London, American Academy Arts and Sciences, Royal Astronomical Society, American Physical Society. Member American Astronomical Society, International Astronomical Union, Astronomical Society of Pacific (president 1974-1976).
Married Margaret Peachey in 1948 Eleanor Margaret Peachey Burbidge).