‘World leader in star-planet interactions’ appointed professor
Aline Vidotto has been appointed professor of Stellar and Planetary Astrophysics at the Observatory from 1 February. Vidotto has been with the university for 3.5 years and for her, the appointment is ‘a milestone in her career.’
With her team, Vidotto researches interactions between stars and planets. 'We want to understand all the “stuff” that lies between a star and its exoplanets. People often think that planets just lie in a vacuum, but this is not the case. On the one hand, stars emit magnetised material that spreads through the interplanetary medium. This material then interacts with every exoplanet it encounters along the way.
On the other hand, exoplanets are also surrounded by their own ‘stuff’, such as atmospheric material that they slowly lose and their own magnetic fields that carve out bubbles or voids in the interplanetary medium.'
By developing 3D simulations, Vidotto and her research group are mimicking this in the computer. ‘Our models will help us understand how stars and exoplanets interact.’
Proud and appreciated
The fact that she can now call herself a professor makes her feel proud. 'This appointment is a milestone in my career. But just as importantly, I feel valued by the university and the Institute.'
Ignas Snellen, scientific director of the Observatory, is pleased with the appointment. 'We are extremely proud of our brand-new professor. She is a world leader in the field of star-planet interactions. This is an area of research that is going to help us understand the habitability of planets around other stars.'
Besides research, Vidotto also continues to focus on teaching. 'I remain involved in our master's programme in astronomy. Since my arrival, I have been teaching our master's programme, supervising master's students and chairing the MSc Astronomy programme committee.'