Professor Michele Dougherty in the lab at Imperial College. Credit: Imperial College.
His Majesty The King has approved Professor Michele Dougherty as the new Astronomer Royal. Professor Dougherty will be the sixteenth person and the first woman to hold this role since its creation 350 years ago. The previous Astronomer Royal, Professor Lord Martin Rees, is retiring from the position.
The role of Astronomer Royal
The role of Astronomer Royal was first created with the goal of discovering how to determine longitude at sea when out of sight of land, and the holder of this position was based at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich. Today, the role is an honorary one, awarded to a prominent astronomer who is expected to advise the Monarch on astronomical matters and promote the value of astronomical science to the public.
Professor Dougherty will hold the role alongside her current positions as Executive Chair of the Science and Technology Facilities Council, President-elect of the Institute of Physics and a Professor of Space Physics at Imperial College London.
“I am absolutely delighted to be taking on the important role of Astronomer Royal. As a young child, I never thought I’d end up working on planetary spacecraft missions and science, so I can’t quite believe I’m actually taking on this position. In this role, I look forward to engaging the general public in how exciting astronomy is, and how important it and its outcomes are to our everyday life,” said Dougherty.
A leading planetary scientist
Dougherty’s research has significantly advanced our understanding of the outer Solar System. Originally from South Africa, she studied at the University of Natal. After completing her PhD in 1989, she moved to Imperial College London, where she later became Head of the Department of Physics.
She took a leading role on NASA’s Cassini mission to Saturn, becoming the principal investigator for the spacecraft’s magnetometer. She hit the headlines by leading the team that identified unexpected magnetic signatures around Enceladus, which provided the first evidence of a subsurface ocean on that moon.
Together with earlier findings about a potential subsurface ocean at Jupiter’s moon Europa, the Enceladus work has contributed to a re-evaluation of the Solar System’s potential habitability to microbial life.
Dougherty currently serves as principal investigator for the magnetometer on ESA’s JUICE mission, which is set to explore Jupiter’s icy moons, including Ganymede and Europa, following its arrival in July 2031.
Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2012, Dougherty has received numerous awards for her contributions to space science, including a CBE in 2018.
In the official announcement of the role, the Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Professor Dame Angela McLean, stated: “Warm congratulations to Professor Michele Dougherty on her appointment to the distinguished position of Astronomer Royal. This is a fitting recognition of her outstanding work and enduring commitment to the field of astronomy.”
All of us at Astronomy Now echo these sentiments. We send Michele our very best wishes and congratulations on this honour. We can think of no one better qualified or suited to hold this office. We also send our best wishes to the retiring Lord Rees for his service, having held the position for 30 years.