Amina Helmi appointed as Deputy Scientific Director NOVA

Amina Helmi will become Deputy Scientific director of the Dutch Research School for Astronomy (NOVA) on 1 October. Amina Helmi, Professor of Dynamics, structure and formation of the Milky Way at the Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, will fulfill this function in collaboration with the current Scientific Director Ewine van Dishoeck (Professor of Molecular astrophysics in Leiden, Kavli prize winner and President of the International Astronomical Union IAU ).

NOVA also welcomes Ronald Stark (currently still working at NWO) as new Executive Director from 1 September. NOVA Board Chairman Huub Röttgering (Director of Leiden Observatory, Leiden University) is delighted with the appointment of the two new members of the directorate: “It's great to see that NOVA will enter the future with such a strong team.” Director Ewine van Dishoeck : “With the arrival of Helmi and Stark, the strong link between top science and top instrumentation at NOVA remains guaranteed for the future.”

NOVA

The Netherlands Research School for Astronomy (NOVA) coordinates and stimulates university astronomy in the Netherlands through a joint research and instrumentation programme. The top research school combines the forces of astronomers at the universities of Amsterdam (UvA), Groningen (RUG), Leiden (UL) and Nijmegen (RU). NOVA works closely with NWO institutes SRON and ASTRON.

Amina Helmi

Amina Helmi is one of the founders of so-called galactic archeology: the reconstruction of the history of galaxies based on the current positions, movements and composition of stars. As an astronomical archaeologist, she searches for the remains of ancient galaxies in order to reconstruct the evolution of our Milky Way. Helmi manages to attract important grants for her research, including the NWO Vidi and Vici grants and an ERC Starting Grant. In addition, she has won several prestigious prizes. This year Helmi, who was born in Argentina, received the Spinoza prize, the highest distinction in Dutch science.