AEI researcher receives COSPAR award for his excellence and achievements in the field of fundamental physics in space
Vitali Müller will receive one of the eight biennial 2020 Zeldovich Medals awarded by the international Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) for his work in the field of interferometry between satellites and its applications. These recognize young researchers for excellence and achievements. Vitali Müller is a postdoctoral researcher in the “Interferometry in Space” group at the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute) in Hannover and at the Institute for Gravitational Physics at Leibniz University Hannover and leads the “Space Laser Gravimetry” group in the Cluster of Excellence “Quantum Frontiers”. The award consists of a medal and a certificate and will be presented during the online opening of the 43rd COSPAR General Assembly in Sydney by COSPAR President Lennard Fisk on January 28, 2021.
“I am thrilled to receive the Zeldovich Medal. This is a very nice recognition for the efforts and hard work one always has to face in science,” says Vitali Müller. “Space interferometry has made tremendous progress in recent years and is well on its way to an exciting future. This is a great time to be doing research in this field.”
The awardee
Dr. Vitali Müller (born 1986) studied physics at Leibniz University Hannover and received his PhD from the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics and Leibniz University in 2017. Since then, he has been a researcher in the “Interferometry in Space” group at the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics and at the Institute for Gravitational Physics at Leibniz University Hannover. His research focuses on simulations and data analysis for geodetic satellite missions such as GRACE Follow-On, which use ultra-precise laser measurements in Earth orbit to observe the gravitational field of our home planet and its changes. This enables worldwide studies of global warming indicators such as melting ice sheets and sinking groundwater levels. He currently leads the research group “GRACE Follow-On Data Analysis” at the Albert Einstein Institute and the “Space Laser Gravimetry” topical group in the Cluster of Excellence “Quantum Frontiers”.
The Yakov B. Zeldovich Medal
The Yakov B. Zeldovich Medal commemorates the distinguished Soviet astrophysicist of the same name. COSPAR awards one Zeldovich Medal in each of its eight scientific commissions every two years to young researchers under the age of 36. The award is intended to recognize excellent research and achievements.
Further information:
