50 years “Dreaming about the stars”

Cover of the inaugural conference "Impulsando la Astrofísica en España: 50 años de thesis doctorales en el IAC" (Promoting Astrophysics in Spain: 50 years of doctoral theses at the IAC)
Cover of the inaugural conference "Impulsando la Astrofísica en España: 50 años de thesis doctorales en el IAC" (Promoting Astrophysics in Spain: 50 years of doctoral theses at the IAC). Credit: Inés Bonet Márquez (IAC)
Advertised on
Authors
References
Conference Webpage

This coming Wednesday, July 17th at 18:00 hrs, the Teatro Leal of La Laguna will host a lecture, open to the general public, in which the Founding Director of the IAC, Francisco Sánchez, will talk about how Astrophysics and the associated technologies were born in Spain, and consolidated in record time, a history which he treats in his book “DREAMING ABOUT THE STARS. This is how astrophysics in Spain was born and consolidated”

Born in Toledo in 1936 Francisco Sánchez studied Physics at the Complutense University of Madrid. At the beginning of the 1960’s he arrived in the Canaries, where he tested the exceptional quality of the sky, and promoted it internationally, leading to the construction under this sky of the largest and most advanced optical-infrared telescope in the world. In 1969 he published “A contribution to knowledge of the interplanetary medium by photometry and polarimetry of the Zodiacal Light” the first thesis produced in Spain with data taken from the Canary Island Observatories, and which was a precedent supporting the study of the universe from the islands, putting them in the front line of international astrophysics. 

The book, which will be the guiding thread of this inaugural lecture, is a historical journey from the sixties and the Transition to the present day, which describes in the first person the growth of this branch of science which is aimed at deepening our knowledge of the universe.

This is half a century of research and study which describe the evolution of astrophysics in Spain, and will be used to inaugurate the conference which will take place on the 17th, 18th, and 19th of July in the University of La Laguna (ULL) and which celebrates the defence of over 300 doctoral thesis produced in the IAC, almost all of them defended in the ULL, during the past 50 years. The aim of the meeting is to review the main results of these doctoral theses produced in the IAC, putting them in their context, analysing the impact they made at the time and the subsequent evolution of their respective fields.

More info.:

Other press releases: 50 years of doctoral theses

Information about the conference: Impulsando la Astrofísica en España: 50 años de tesis doctorales en el IAC

Contact: tesis50 [at] iac.es (tesis50[at]iac[dot]es)

News type
Press release
Scope
Talks
Outreach
General public
Scientists
Technologists
Communications media

It may interest you

  • TLP Tenerife at the Trade Fair Centre
    Photomontage
    The IAC brings the universe closer to the participants at the TLP Tenerife
    The Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) and the TLP Tenerife, the largest technology and new trends event in the Canary Islands, join forces to offer a unique experience that fuses science, digital culture and fun. From 3 to 8 September, the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Exhibition Centre will become the perfect setting where attendees, as well as sharing hobbies and enjoying video games, esports, manga and Asian culture through music and dance, and board games, will be able to learn about the mysteries of the universe. In this edition, the IAC and TLP Tenerife have designed a series of
    Advertised on
  • Artist's impression of the ANDES instrument on the ELT. Credit: ESO
    Press release
    The agreement for the construction of the ANDES instrument on the ELT is signed
    The European Southern Observatory (ESO) has signed an agreement with an international consortium of institutions, including the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (IAA) and the Centro de Astrobiología de Madrid (CSIC-INTA), for the design and construction of ANDES, the ArmazoNes high Dispersion Echelle Spectrograph. The instrument will be installed on ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope (ELT). It will be used to search for signs of life in exoplanets and look for the very first stars, as well as to test variations of the fundamental constants of
    Advertised on
  • Poster of the IAC action at the Mini Science Fairs 2024.
    Photomontage
    The IAC brings astronomy closer to the young public at the Canary Islands Mini Fairs 2024
    The Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) is once again taking part in the Miniferias de la Ciencia y la Innovación en Canarias, an outreach event that aims to bring science and technology closer to students and the general public on the islands. The IAC, through its Scientific Communication and Culture Unit (UC3), will be present at the activities organised in Tenerife and La Palma. Specifically, this Thursday 9 May, students enrolled in the activity "Investigate the Universe with robotic telescopes" will have the opportunity to carry out an astronomical observation through the
    Advertised on