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.
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. In many cases it was the first time that the delegates met their colleagues face to face, and the first time they got to see the heart of the largest radio telescope at low frequencies in the world. “We finally got the chance to show all those involved what the LOFAR core looks like,” says Wim van Cappellen, interim director of LOFAR ERIC. “All telescope operations are done from here.” With ‘here’, Van Cappellen refers to Dwingeloo in the Dutch province of Drenthe, where the LOFAR control room is located. Images courtesy of Coby Bergsma of Bergsma Lifestyle Fotografie.
Becoming an ERIC, brings big advantages to LOFAR. First of all, as an ERIC it is VAT exempt. Secondly and more importantly, being an ERIC makes it easier for LOFAR to operate internationally; it is now easier for other countries to become a member of LOFAR ERIC. Also, certain European grant applications will become more accessible to LOFAR ERIC.
At the moment, LOFAR ERIC counts six full member countries: Bulgaria, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, and the Netherlands (the hosting country). Currently, France, Latvia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom are collaborating 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.
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.
