The Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS) has welcomed the appointment of Professor Peter Gallagher as the new chair of the LOFAR ERIC Council, a role he will take up from 1 January 2026.
Professor Gallagher is Head of Astronomy & Astrophysics at DIAS and Director of the Dunsink Observatory.
He has been a central figure in Ireland's growing presence in radio astronomy, having led the establishment of the Irish LOFAR telescope at Birr Castle Demesne, Co Offaly, in 2017 and serving as Head of the I-LOFAR Consortium since then.
He also contributes to multiple European Space Agency and NASA missions and is an Adjunct Professor at Trinity College Dublin.
LOFAR, the Low Frequency Array, is an international network of advanced radio telescopes designed to observe the Universe at low frequencies.
The European Commission established LOFAR as a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC) in December 2023, with Ireland among its founding members.
The ERIC provides global access to its observing and data-processing capabilities.
"I am honoured to take on this role at such an important time for LOFAR ERIC," Professor Gallagher said.
"The coming years will see major upgrades to LOFAR, and I look forward to working closely with all member countries to realise these opportunities."
DIAS CEO and Registrar Dr Eucharia Meehan said the appointment was a boost for Irish astrophysics.
"This is excellent news for Peter personally but also for DIAS and Irish researchers more generally working in the field of astrophysics; LOFAR is one of the most sophisticated and advanced astrophysics research projects in the world and Peter's appointment adds that extra layer of integration between our work here and that of our European colleagues."
The LOFAR ERIC Council is the governing body overseeing the world's largest and most sensitive low-frequency radio telescope network.