Matthias Steinmetz
Encyclopedia
Matthias Steinmetz is a German
astronomer
and astrophysicist
. He is director of the Astrophysical Institute Potsdam
(AIP) and professor at the University of Potsdam
.
Steinmetz is a specialist in the areas of cosmology
, the formation and evolution of galaxies
and computational astrophysics. Steinmetz has a B.S. in Mathematics and Physics of the Saarland University
(1988) and a M.S. in Physics of the Technical University of Munich
(1991). He received his Ph.D. in Physics in 1993 at the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics
in Garching. For his thesis "On the formation and evolution of galaxies" he was awarded the Otto Hahn medal of the Max Planck Society
. He was postdoctoral fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics
and at the Department for Astronomy at the University of California, Berkeley
. In 1996 he joined the faculty of Steward Observatory
at the University of Arizona
in Tucson. Since 2002 he is director of the Astrophysical Institute Potsdam
(AIP) and professor at University of Potsdam
. He also holds a position of adjunct professor at Steward Observatory
.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
astronomer
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
and astrophysicist
Astrophysics
Astrophysics is the branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of the universe, including the physical properties of celestial objects, as well as their interactions and behavior...
. He is director of the Astrophysical Institute Potsdam
Astrophysical Institute Potsdam
Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam is a German research institute. It is the successor of the Berlin Observatory founded in 1700 and of the Astrophysical Observatory Potsdam founded in 1874. The latter was the world's first observatory to emphasize explicitly the research area of...
(AIP) and professor at the University of Potsdam
University of Potsdam
The University of Potsdam is a German university, situated across four campuses in Potsdam, Brandenburg, including the New Palace of Sanssouci and the Park Babelsberg.- Profile :...
.
Steinmetz is a specialist in the areas of cosmology
Cosmology
Cosmology is the discipline that deals with the nature of the Universe as a whole. Cosmologists seek to understand the origin, evolution, structure, and ultimate fate of the Universe at large, as well as the natural laws that keep it in order...
, the formation and evolution of galaxies
Galaxy formation and evolution
The study of galaxy formation and evolution is concerned with the processes that formed a heterogeneous universe from a homogeneous beginning, the formation of the first galaxies, the way galaxies change over time, and the processes that have generated the variety of structures observed in nearby...
and computational astrophysics. Steinmetz has a B.S. in Mathematics and Physics of the Saarland University
Saarland University
Saarland University is a university located in Saarbrücken, the capital of the German state of Saarland, and Homburg. It was founded in 1948 in Homburg in co-operation with France and is organized in 8 faculties that cover all major fields of science...
(1988) and a M.S. in Physics of the Technical University of Munich
Technical University of Munich
The Technische Universität München is a research university with campuses in Munich, Garching, and Weihenstephan...
(1991). He received his Ph.D. in Physics in 1993 at the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics
Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics
The Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics is a Max Planck Institute, located in Garching, near Munich, Bavaria, Germany. It was founded as Max Planck Institute for Physics and Astrophysics in 1958 and split up into the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics and the Max Planck Institute for Physics...
in Garching. For his thesis "On the formation and evolution of galaxies" he was awarded the Otto Hahn medal of the Max Planck Society
Max Planck Society
The Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science is a formally independent non-governmental and non-profit association of German research institutes publicly funded by the federal and the 16 state governments of Germany....
. He was postdoctoral fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics
Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics
The Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics is a Max Planck Institute, located in Garching, near Munich, Bavaria, Germany. It was founded as Max Planck Institute for Physics and Astrophysics in 1958 and split up into the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics and the Max Planck Institute for Physics...
and at the Department for Astronomy at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
. In 1996 he joined the faculty of Steward Observatory
Steward Observatory
The University of Arizona's Steward Observatorys main office is located on the University's campus and is closely tied to the Department of Astronomy. Established in 1916 by its first director, Andrew Ellicott Douglass, and a $60,000 bequest made by Lavinia Steward in memory of her late husband...
at the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
in Tucson. Since 2002 he is director of the Astrophysical Institute Potsdam
Astrophysical Institute Potsdam
Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam is a German research institute. It is the successor of the Berlin Observatory founded in 1700 and of the Astrophysical Observatory Potsdam founded in 1874. The latter was the world's first observatory to emphasize explicitly the research area of...
(AIP) and professor at University of Potsdam
University of Potsdam
The University of Potsdam is a German university, situated across four campuses in Potsdam, Brandenburg, including the New Palace of Sanssouci and the Park Babelsberg.- Profile :...
. He also holds a position of adjunct professor at Steward Observatory
Steward Observatory
The University of Arizona's Steward Observatorys main office is located on the University's campus and is closely tied to the Department of Astronomy. Established in 1916 by its first director, Andrew Ellicott Douglass, and a $60,000 bequest made by Lavinia Steward in memory of her late husband...
.
Awards
- Otto Hahn medalOtto Hahn Peace MedalThe Otto Hahn Peace Medal in Gold is named after the German nuclear chemist and 1944 Nobel Laureate Otto Hahn, an honorary citizen of Berlin....
of the Max Planck SocietyMax Planck SocietyThe Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science is a formally independent non-governmental and non-profit association of German research institutes publicly funded by the federal and the 16 state governments of Germany....
(1993) - Sloan Fellowship award (1998)
- Packard Fellowship award (1998)