Michiel Hogerheijde

Michiel Hogerheijde: Academic Overview

Dr. Michiel Hogerheijde is an Associate Professor and Education Director at Leiden University's Leiden Observatory. His primary research focuses on the origin of planetary systems, utilizing (sub)millimeter and infrared astronomy to study protostellar cores, protoplanetary disks, and cometary composition. He leads observational campaigns with instruments like the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope, ALMA, and Spitzer, and develops radiative transfer models to interpret data.

Education & Affiliations

Leiden Observatory, part of Leiden University's Faculty of Science, is his primary affiliation. He has held roles such as Programme Director for the MSc Astronomy program and temporary Programme Director. His work involves collaborations with institutions like UC Berkeley (as a Miller Fellow) and the Netherlands Research School for Astronomy (NOVA).

Research Interests

Hogerheijde's research spans star formation, disk dynamics, and astrochemistry. Key themes include:
- Protoplanetary disk structure and evolution,
- Molecular line and dust continuum observations,
- Interferometric techniques (e.g., ALMA, SMA),
- Cometary volatile content as a probe of solar system history.

Awards & Grants

• VIDI Grant (NWO, 2004) for studying planet-forming disks with submillimeter facilities.

Advising & Grants

He supervises PhD and postdoc researchers, including current candidates Osmar Guerra Alvarado and Luna van Haastere. Notable former advisees include Olja Panic (PhD 2009) and Demerese Salter (PhD 2011). His research group focuses on observational and theoretical studies of disks, with grants supporting instrumentation development and data analysis.

Labs & Teams

He leads the Allegro project, the ALMA Regional Center node in the Netherlands, and collaborates with the laboratory astrophysics group of Prof. Ewine van Dishoeck. His team includes postdocs (e.g., Pamela Klaassen, Attila Juhasz) and students working on disk chemistry, hydrodynamics, and radiative transfer modeling.