allan chapman fras born 30 may 1946 is a british historian of scienceallan chapman was born in swinton lancashire england and grew up in the pendlebury and clifton districts of the then swinton and pendlebury borough having attended the local cromwell road secondary modern school for boys sefton road pendlebury 19571962 he then gained his first degree from the university of lancaster subsequently he undertook a history of science dphil at wadham college oxford he is a historian by training and his special interests are astronomy and scientific biographychapman has been based at oxford university for most of his career as a member of the faculty of history based at wadham college he is an accomplished lecturer and public speaker including as visiting professor at gresham college in london in january 1994 he delivered the royal society history of science wilkins lecture on the subject of edmund halleyhe is also a television presenter notably gods in the sky covering astronomical religion in early civilisations and great scientists presenting the lives of five of the greatest thinkers not averse to other forms of television he also participated in the tv quiz university challenge the professionals as part of the royal astronomical society team broadcast in junejuly 2006chapman teaches for the study abroad programme of eurospring for minnesota state university moorhead minnesota usa and bemidji state university bemidji minnesota usa he has written many books including biographies such as englands leonardo on robert hookechapman is a fellow of the royal astronomical society he is a founder member and president of the society for the history of astronomy sha he received an honorary doctorate from the university of central lancashire in 2004 he is the honorary president and a member of salford astronomical society honorary president of reading astronomical society honorary president of the mexborough swinton astronomical society honorary president of orwell astronomical society ipswich and vicepresident of the newbury astronomical society