David Southwood

David Southwood CBE FRAeS
Southwood as President of the Royal Astronomical Society
88th President of the Royal Astronomical Society
In office May 2012 – May 2014
Preceded by	Roger Davies
Succeeded by	Martin Barstow
Personal details
Born	(1945-06-30) 30 June 1945 (age 79) Torquay, Devon, UK
Website	www3.imperial.ac.uk/people/d.southwood
Alma mater	Queen Mary, University of London, Imperial College London
Known for	Magnetospheres of planets and moons Director of Science at the European Space Agency President of the Royal Astronomical Society
Awards	James B. Macelwane Medal (1981) NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal (2011) Sir Arthur Clarke Award (2011)
Scientific career
Fields	Space science, robotic spacecraft
Institutions	University of California, Los Angeles, Imperial College London, European Space Agency, Royal Astronomical Society

David John Southwood CBE (born 30 June 1945) is a British space scientist who holds the post of Senior Research Investigator at Imperial College London. He was the President of the Royal Astronomical Society from 2012–2014, and Director of Science and Robotic Exploration at the European Space Agency from 2001–2011. Southwood's research interests have been in solar–terrestrial physics and planetary science, particularly magnetospheres. He built the magnetic field instrument^[specify] for the Cassini Saturn orbiter.^{[not verified in body]}