Roland Jackson is a historian of science, with interests also in contemporary science and innovation policy, and in bioethics. His recent posts include: Head of the Science Museum, London; Chief Executive of the British Science Association; and Executive Chair of Sciencewise. He is a General Editor of The Correspondence of John Tyndall, being published in 19 volumes by the Royal Institution.

"Mr. Jackson amasses a wealth of detail to give a fuller picture of this extraordinary man... [He] has done a great service in his detailed and careful presentation of John Tyndall's life at a time when science is under attack, neglected and misunderstood, especially by those in government." -- Peter Pesic, Wall Street Journal

"Roland Jackson has done a thorough job... it is certainly the best biography of Tyndall." -- John Gribbin, Literary Review

"Jackson's book arrives just in time to help situate Tyndall's work on heat in the atmosphere-which has recently seen him dubbed an anachronistic "father" of global warming-within the context of a life bursting with science and much else besides . . . Roland Jackson's admirably complete biography is the first serious biography to appear since a patchy production appeared in 1945, soon after [Tyndall's wife] Louisa's death. It's about time." -- Science

"A massive biography of one of the Victorian era's most significant all-around scientists. Science historian Jackson sets himself the monumental task of sorting through the volumes of writing of Irish scientist John Tyndall." -- Kirkus

"Roland Jackson brings a unique set of credentials to his chronicle of Tyndall's life. The author is himself an accomplished mountaineer, who has served as Head of London's Science Museum . . . It was not until 1945, more than half a century after his death, that a semi-authorised biography of Tyndall was published. Now Jackson has authoritatively redressed this injustice." -- Geographical

"Splendid monument of a biography." -- Barbara Kiser, Nature

"In Jackson's hands, Tyndall becomes the perfect lens through which to analyse the questions and controversies we are still dealing with today: the role of the humanities and sciences both in broader culture and in our education systems; the role of gases in global warming; and the increasingly close ties between science, industry, and government." -- Michael Reidy, Metascience

"One of the most important mountaineering biographies to have been published in recent years... Roland Jackson's biography of John Tyndall is not only a tour de force of scholarship, it's also an eminently readable book... It's a magnificent piece of work and a must-read for every scholar of Alpine history." - Alex Roddie, The Great Outdoors

"Excellent biography... The Ascent of John Tyndall is a long-overdue, magnificent tribute to an important, but largely under-appreciated scientist. Highly recommended." -- Richard Carter, Friends of Darwin