Didier Queloz
Born: 23 February 1966
Study: Physics at the University of Geneva
PhD: 1995 at the University of Geneva
Current Position: Professor of Physics at the Cavendish Laboratory of Cambridge University and Geneva University.
Didier Queloz (Photo: University of Cambridge)
Didier Queloz is at the origin of the exoplanet revolution in astrophysics. Until recently, the Solar System has provided us with the only basis for our knowledge of planets and life in the universe. In 1995 Didier Queloz and Michel Mayor have dramatically changed this view with the seminal discovery of the first giant planet outside the solar system. Since then Didier Queloz has been involved in a successful series of developments of precise spectrographs, considerable improving the precision of the Doppler technique.
In 2007, in the emerging area of planetary transit detection, he established an international new program in collaboration with the WASP team from UK, providing the spectroscopic confirmation and precise photometry follow-up to confirm and characterize transiting planetary candidates. He also took an active part in the Corot mission, pioneering planet transit detection from space. In particular, he took an active part of the work that led to the first transit detection of a rocky planet (Corot-7b).
In 2012 he received with Michel Mayor the 2011 BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award of Basic Sciences for developing new astronomical instruments and experimental techniques that led to the first observation of planets outside the Solar System.
In 2013 he became professor at Cambridge University. With his team he is leading a comprehensive research program on exoplanet with the goal of making new progress and discoveries trying as well to promote and share the excitement of this theme with the public. He has participated to numerous documentaries movies, articles and interviews.
Categories: 20th anniversary
