Dr Rubén Sánchez-Janssen has been announced as the new Director of the Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes (ING).
Dr Sánchez-Janssen is an Astronomer and Project Scientist at the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s (STFC) UK Astronomy Technology Centre (UK ATC) site in Edinburgh.
He leads the development of scientific instrumentation and facilities for ground and space-based astronomy.
His work spans the ultraviolet to the near-infrared, with a particular emphasis on future missions. He specialises in galaxy evolution, with particular focus on low-mass galaxies and star cluster systems in the nearby Universe.
Leading role
At UK ATC recently he has been focused on multiple instruments for the European Southern Observatory’s (ESO) Extremely Large Telescope (ELT). He has played a leading role developing the ELT’s multi-object spectrograph MOSAIC.
He also serves as Principal Investigator for the UK’s ELT instrumentation programme, which oversees the development of:
- High Angular Resolution Monolithic Optical and Near-infrared Integral field Spectrograph (HARMONI)
- Mid-infrared ELT Imager and Spectrograph (METIS)
- ArmazoNes high Dispersion Echelle Spectrograph (ANDES)
- MOSAIC
- Planetary Camera and Spectrograph (PCS)
He further extends his contributions to the ELT’s development as coordinator of the Sky Subtraction ELT Working Group.
He also serves on the Steering Committees and Science Teams for the Widefield Spectroscopic Telescope and CUBES for ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) and is a member of the William Herschel Telescope Enhanced Area Velocity Explorer (WEAVE) Science Team.
Extensive observational experience
Drawing from extensive observational experience, including his time as an ESO Fellow and VLT Support Astronomer, Dr Sánchez-Janssen previously coordinated the Horizon 2020 OPTICON Technology and Innovation Network. There he fostered collaboration in astronomical technology development across Europe.
Dr Sánchez-Janssen, the new Director of the ING, said:
I am thrilled to join the ING and look forward to working with its talented team and partner communities.
Building on Dr Balcells’ vision, we will continue pushing forward to establish the observatory as a leading force in spectroscopic survey astronomy. I am truly excited about the scientific discoveries ahead of us.
New era of discovery
Professor Grahame Blair, STFC Executive Director, Programmes, said:
I am delighted that Dr Rubén Sánchez-Janssen will be the new Director of the Isaac Newton Group.
His expertise and leadership in instrumentation and astronomy combined with his strong links with STFC from his time at the UK ATC make him uniquely qualified for this role.
The ING has a suite of exciting new instruments poised to extend our exploration of the cosmos into new domains and we look forward to working with him and the team on La Palma in this new era of discovery.
Dr Sánchez-Janssen will start at the ING in May. Dr Don Carlos Abrams is currently acting Director of the ING until Dr Sánchez-Janssen starts.
Top image: The Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes. Photo courtesy of the Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes, La Palma. Credit: Max Alexander