LOFAR ERIC coordinates the development and efficient operation of LOFAR (the LOw Frequency ARray), a vital radio astronomy instrument for world-class scientific research with cohesively operated facilities located in several countries.
The LOFAR ERIC Council has appointed Dr. Michiel van Haarlem as the new Executive Director of the European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC), established by the European Commission in December 2023. Dr. Van Haarlem will play a crucial role in representing LOFAR ERIC to stakeholders, ensuring the efficient operation of the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) facilities, and advancing the consortium's mission to coordinate the use of this vital radio astronomy instrument for world-class scientific research.
| LOFAR is a pan-European project featuring 52 antenna stations across eight countries: The Netherlands, Germany, Poland, France, Ireland, Latvia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Plans are underway to expand with additional stations in Italy and Bulgaria.
LOFAR ERIC is set to implement a major upgrade known as LOFAR 2.0, enhancing its capabilities in observation and data processing. This upgrade will provide the astronomy community with a suite of advanced tools, characterized by a vast field of view, enhanced sensitivity, and the ability to observe multiple directions simultaneously. Future developmental paths are also under study. Jacqueline Mout, Chair of the LOFAR ERIC Council, expressed her enthusiasm about the appointment: “I am very glad we found an excellent new executive director in Michiel van Haarlem to guide the newly established LOFAR ERIC in its first 5 years. Council and myself are looking forward to working together and we have our work cut out for us with the transition from the Stichting ILT to LOFAR ERIC and the roll-out of LOFAR2.0 with all the issues surrounding it. I wish Michiel all the best in this new adventure. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Wim van Cappellen who served as interim Director since March this year and did a great job.” LOFAR ERIC delivers transparent access to a broad array of scientific services for the European and global community, fostering collaboration and empowering researchers to undertake innovative, large-scale projects. Its research spans various scientific domains, including the study of the young Universe, galaxy formation, pulsar physics, transient radio phenomena, ultra-high energy cosmic particles, the interstellar medium, and cosmic magnetic fields. Additionally, LOFAR ERIC contributes valuable insights into issues of societal relevance, such as lightning, ionospheric disturbances, and space weather. Access is facilitated through a user-friendly, publicly available archive of extensive science data products. About Dr. Van Haarlem Michiel van Haarlem is currently Head of the Netherlands SKA Office, which coordinates the Dutch contribution to the Square Kilometre Array project. His appointment as director marks a return to LOFAR: between 1997 and 2011 he was deeply involved in its design and construction. Initially as the LOFAR Project Scientist & Programme Manager and between 2007 and 2011 as Managing Director of the LOFAR Foundation which built the first batch of LOFAR stations (33 in the Netherlands as well as the first 8 international stations in Germany, France, Sweden and the United Kingdom). Dr. Van Haarlem shared his excitement about leading LOFAR ERIC: “I’m honoured to lead LOFAR through this exciting next phase. The LOFAR 2.0 upgrade is about to be carried out and will increase the telescope’s capabilities that are eagerly awaited by the scientific community. The establishment of the ERIC has given LOFAR a stable and secure basis for continued growth. Beyond LOFAR 2.0 there are already lots of ideas for further enhancements and improvements that will allow the ERIC members to deepen and extend their existing collaborations.” |
The LOFAR ERIC Council has appointed Dr. Michiel van Haarlem as the new Executive Director of the European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC), established by the European Commission in December 2023.
On December 20, 2023 the European Union officially established the LOFAR ERIC: a European Research Consortium Infrastructure. The activities of the Dutch International LOFAR Telescope (ILT) foundation are now continued by the European LOFAR ERIC.
To celebrate this milestone, delegates of all ten participating countries came to the Netherlands, the hosting country of the LOFAR ERIC and location of the LOFAR core.
The LOFAR Family meeting 2024 will take place from 3 - 7 June 2024 in Leiden. It is hosted by Leiden Observatory, the astronomical institute of Leiden University, in the Netherlands. Established in 1633 to house the quadrant of Rudolph Snellius, it is the oldest operating university observatory in the world.
The Low Frequency Array European Research Infrastructure Consortium (LOFAR ERIC) is looking for a new executive director, who will play a pivotal role in representing LOFAR ERIC to all relevant stakeholders and ensure the efficient joint operation of the LOFAR facilities.
We write to follow the announcement you have received from René Vermeulen describing his imminent extended leave, starting on 1 March.
We take this first opportunity to extend our heartfelt thanks and appreciation for René in leading LOFAR to its current heights. René’s painstaking work has enabled LOFAR to build from a nascent Dutch facility into an ever-growing and strong European collaboration of members, now numbering 10 countries.
LOFAR ERIC (European Research Infrastructure Consortium) has been officially launched at its first Council meeting today. The world-leading LOFAR (LOw Frequency ARray) Distributed Research Infrastructure has already revolutionised low-frequency radio astronomy research, resulting in an avalanche of scientific publications in the past decade. LOFAR ERIC is now a single legal entity across the European Union.
