Ewine Fleur van Dishoeck

Ewine Fleur van Dishoeck is a Dutch astronomer and chemist, currently serving as Professor of Molecular Astrophysics at Leiden Observatory in the Netherlands. She is a pioneer in astrochemistry, specializing in the study of interstellar molecules and their role in star and planet formation. Her work integrates submillimeter and infrared astronomy with chemical physics to explore cosmic evolution.

• Research Focus: Interstellar molecular spectra, radiative transfer, and the chemistry of planet-forming disks.
• Awards: Kavli Prize (2018), James Craig Watson Medal (2018), Albert Einstein World Award of Science (2015), and the Spinoza Prize (2000).
• Leadership: President of the International Astronomical Union (2018–2021), co-editor of the Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics.

Van Dishoeck's groundbreaking research on carbon monoxide's survival in space has advanced understanding of prebiotic molecule formation, bridging astrophysics and chemistry.