Markus Kissler-Patig

Markus Kissler-Patig serves as Head of Science and Operations at the European Space Agency (ESA), based at the European Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC) in Madrid, Spain. He oversees operations of ESA's helioscience, planetary science, and astrophysics missions. Previously, he held leadership roles including Deputy Director for Science at the European Southern Observatory (ESO) and Director of the Gemini Observatory. He is an adjunct professor at Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, teaching astrobiology and related courses since 2005.

• Education:
  • PhD in Astronomy, University of Bonn (1997)
  • Postdoctoral research at UC Santa Cruz (1995-1997)

His research focuses on exoplanet atmospheres, astrobiology, galaxy evolution, and telescope instrumentation. He led the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) project from 2008-2012 and contributed to instruments like VIMOS and SINFONI at ESO. His work bridges observational astronomy with cutting-edge technology development.

Teaching highlights include courses on astrobiology at LMU and the University of Hawaii at Hilo (2014-2015). He advises students on topics like exoplanet composition and astrobiological exploration strategies. His career spans academic, industrial, and intergovernmental organizational leadership in astronomy.

Key projects include managing international observatories (Gemini/ESO) and advancing next-generation telescope infrastructure. He actively promotes interdisciplinary research at the intersection of astronomy, planetary science, and life sciences.