Queen star hands in science PhD, 36 years late

Quite a nice human interest story, but well, better late than never. I never managed to submit the first one which I started way back in 1990. But that's such a long time back, I was going to do an analysis of the capital asset pricing model as applied to Indian stocks. Took me 8 months to physically create a database by typing each end of day price for the top mumbai stocks! and well, then got to get to Manchester to do a real one!, lol. I wonder whether I can go back to Indore, finish that piece of work and submit? or wait for another 15 years like this chap?

But at Manchester, they were extremely pushy to make sure we graduate out in 3 years. In any case, my scholarship would have finished, but more importantly, Karn was conceived between the 1st and 2nd chapters of my dissertation and born between the 8th and 9th chapters. And since you cant raise a child on a scholarship, had to finish it. To top it all, I am crazy enough to go do another one!.

But nice story none the less :)


Queen star hands in science PhD

Brian May (left) handed over his thesis to Professor Paul Nandra Queen guitarist Brian May has handed in his astronomy PhD thesis - 36 years after abandoning it to join the band. May recently carried out observational work in Tenerife, where he studied the formation of "zodiacal dust clouds". The subject forms the basis of a thesis for London's Imperial College, where May, 60, had been studying before deciding to pursue a career with Queen. The musician may have to wait several weeks before he finds out if he will be awarded his doctorate.
"I have no doubt that Brian May would have had a brilliant career in science had he completed his PhD in 1971," said astrophysicist Dr Garik Israelian, who worked with May in La Palma in Tenerife. "Nevertheless, as a fan of Queen, I am glad that he left science temporarily," he added. May recently co-authored a book with Sir Patrick MooreMay handed in the thesis, called Radial Velocities in the Zodiacal Dust Cloud, to Imperial's head of astrophysics Professor Paul Nandra. He is scheduled to discuss his thesis with the examining board on 23 August, his spokesman said. The results should be known some time shortly after that date.
The rock star is also preparing a concert to mark the inauguration of a telescope at the Observatory of the Roque de Los Muchachos in La Palma, where he completed his studies last month. May made his first astronomical observations for his thesis at the Observatorio del Teide in Tenerife in 1971, before his rock career took off. He recently published a book on astronomy with The Sky at Night presenter Sir Patrick Moore.