Research Fellows - ESAC Science Faculty
Research Fellows
Dedicating 100% of their time at ESA to pure research, the ESA Research Fellows are a cornerstone of the ESAC scientific community.
If you want to know more about RFs at ESAC please contact the ESAC Research Fellowship Coordinator (Currently Jan-Uwe Ness) or Faculty Sentinel for further details.
Alumni Portal
A list of former ESAC Research Fellows can be found in the Alumni Portal
Current ESAC Research Fellows
![]() |
William Alston | X-ray astronomy Time series analysis Accretion and feedback physics Signatures of strong gravity Machine learning and statistics |
![]() |
Nuria Alvarez | AGN Blazars X-ray astronomy |
![]() |
Ines Belgacem | Icy moons Photometry Remote sensing Image processing |
![]() |
Georgina Graham | Heliophysics Solar Wind Plasma Physics |
![]() |
Alexander James | The Sun Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) Space Weather |
![]() |
Nils Janitzek | Space Plasma In-Situ Measurements Solar Wind Solar Energetic Particles Space Weather |
![]() |
Emilia Järvelä | AGN Narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies Multiwavelength observations |
![]() |
Andrew Lobban | X-ray data analysis Ultra-fast outflows from AGN Spectroscopy and timing analysis of black hole systems Multiwavelength variability studies of AGN |
![]() |
Lyndsay Old | Galaxy clusters Galaxy evolution Cosmology Large-scale structure |
![]() |
Emily Rickman ESA@STScI, USA |
Exoplanets Brown dwarfs Direct imaging and emission spectroscopy Proper motion anomalies in astrometry |
![]() |
Martin Voelker | Planetary geology Planetary surface processes Remote sensing Geography |
The Research Fellow Experience at ESAC
Quotes from former RFs on their time at ESA(C):
"Warm and friendly work environment, with colleagues ready to help out"
"Good atmosphere among RFs"
"Large freedom in organizing and choosing the topics for your scientific work and no other duties than doing research"
"Excellent trainee and visitor program that enhance (everyone's) research output"
"Lots of sun"
"Many experts on space missions (the science instruments in particular) are present on site and very easily to contact"
"Many opportunities to establish and cultivate research collaborations within and outside ESAC"
"Excellent opportunity to learn about the ins and outs of operating a scientific space mission and the internal workings of a space agency"
"Possibilities to connect with other research organisations in the area, such as LAEFF on the ESAC site"
"Possibility to live in quiet residential areas or in -arguably- one of Europe's most vibrant cities, Madrid"
"Great career booster from well acknowledged fellowship program"
"The faculty consists of members in wide variety of expertise and astrophysical backgrounds, from planetary science to high-energy and infrared astronomy"