Advisory Board

Jean-Pierre Swings is Honorary Professor at the University of Liege (Belgium) where he obtained his Master’s degree in space engineering and his PhD and DSc in astrophysics. His subjects of interest are among others solar physics and emission-line and/or infrared excess objects. He gradually switched from observational astrophysics to “astropolitics”, as General Secretary of the International Astronomical Union, member of numerous committees of the European Space Agency, Council Member of the European Southern Observatory and Member of the European Astronomical Society of which he was one of the four founders. Jean-Pierre Swings was until recently, Chairman of the European Space Sciences Committee of the European Science Foundation and member of the Space Advisory Group of the European Commission 7th Framework Program. (Odysseus Member of International Jury 2012-2013).

Athena Coustenis is Director of Research with the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) of France. She is the Chair of the ESF Space Sciences Committee. Her speciality is Planetology (exploration of the Solar System from ground-based and space observations). Her astronomy research is devoted to the investigation of planetary atmospheres and surfaces, with emphasis on the icy moons around the giant planets and exoplanets. In the recent years she has been leading efforts towards future space missions. (Odysseus Member of International Jury 2012-2013)

Frank De Winne is an ESA astronaut. He was an experienced test pilot with the Belgian Air Force before he joined the Astronaut Corps of the European Space Agency. In 2002, De Winne participated in the Odissea mission, a support flight to the International Space Station ISS. During the 11-day mission, he carried out a programme of 23 experiments. De Winne’s second mission took place from May to December 2009, a long-duration spaceflight to the ISS called OasISS. During this flight De Winne became the first European Commander of the ISS. During the mission, a comprehensive utilisation and outreach programme was implemented dedicated to science. On August 1, 2012 De Winne became Head of the European Astronaut Centre Department. (Odysseus Member of International Jury 2012-2013)

Manolis K. Georgoulis is a Senior Researcher at the Research Center for Astronomy and Applied Mathematics of the Academy of Athens. Moreover, he is the Greek National Delegate to the Science Programme Committee of the European Space Agency (ESA/SPC) (2011 – present), President of the European Solar Physics Division (ESPD) of the European Physical Society (EPS) (2014 – 2017), appointed member of the Greek National Committee for Astronomy (GNCA) (2012 – present), and Project Coordinator of the FLARECAST EU project on solar flare forecasting (2015 – 2017). He holds a B.Sc. (Physics) from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (1993) and a Ph.D. (solar plasma physics) from the same institution (2000). Dr Georgoulis was PostDoctoral Research Associate at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL) in Laurel, MD, USA (2000 – 2003). Thereafter, a Senior Professional Staff Physicist at JHU/APL (2003 – 2009), when he accepted a researcher position at the Academy of Athens. Honored with a Marie Curie fellowship from the European Commission (2010 – 2014), a Certificate of Appreciation for Exceptional Contribution to JHU/APL Mission Proposal Efforts (2008),  a Special Achievement Award (JHU/APL, 2007), an ERASMUS Scholarship of the European Astrophysical Doctoral Network (EADN, 1996 – 1997), and a Ph.D. Scholarship of the Greek National Foundation of Scholarships (IKY, 1996 – 2000). He has participated in the Science Team of three NASA and two ESA space missions, including a Deputy Project Scientist position in the Solar Probe Plus (SPP) mission (2008 – 2009), currently built at JHU/APL. He has authored or co-authored 55 refereed-journal papers, enjoying more than 1,500 citations [Source: NASA/ADS]. (Odysseus Member of International Jury 2012-2013)

Yaël Nazé is Research Associate FNRS at the University of Liège (Belgium). She studies massive stars, through multiwavelength observations obtained by ground-based and space-based observatories (as of March 2014: 44 refereed publications as first author, 64 as co-author, h-index=27). She has served as expert on the stellar panels of several observatories (ESA, ESO, NASA) and as referee for astrophysical journals. She is also involved in multidisciplinary research and in outreach activities (incl. 10 books published).

Rosa M. Ros Ferré is the Vice-President of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) Comm. 46. Furthermore she is the Vice-President of the European Association for Astronomy Education (EAAE) and Director of programs of “Ciencia en Acción” and “Adopta una Estrella”. She also teaches Mathematics for Engineering degrees on Aeronautics, Telematics and Telecommunications at Escola Politècnica Superior de Castelldefels. She holds a Chair of Publications of the “Junta Directiva” of the “Asociación para la Enseñanza de la Astronomía” (ApEA), she is a Member of Education Committee of “Universe Awareness”(UNAWE), a Consulting Member of the Executive Committee of EIROforum and a Member of the “Advisory Panel” of “Physics Education”. She has been the Spanish National Representative for IAU Comm. 46 since 1994, the Spanish National Representative for Physics on Stage and Science on Stage since 1999 and the Spanish National Representative for “UNAWE – Explora el Universo” since 2006.