Professor Simon Ellingsen has an extensive background in radio astronomy.
His passion for physics and radio astronomy began with his Bachelor of Science (Honours) project where he mapped radio emissions from Centaurus A, the Magellanic Clouds, and the centre of the Milky Way. His PhD focused on radio spectroscopy, discovering many 6.7 GHz methanol masers, and using them to study the formation of stars. This research led to the identification of new star formation regions and has been pivotal in galactic surveying, resulting in the discovery of numerous new high-mass star formation regions.
Prof Ellingsen contributied to nearly 200 publications and won over $15 million in competitive grants.
Prof Ellingsen will become executive director of The International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) in April 2024. Prior to that, he was Dean of the School of Natural Sciences at the University of Tasmania where he played a central role in expanding the University's radio antennas from a single antenna to seven across five sites in Australia. It is the only continental-scale radio interferometry array owned and operated by a University anywhere in the world.
He has served on several committees and advisory groups for Astronomy Australia, the Australian Space Agency, and the Astronomical Society of Australia..
Porf Ellingsen holds a PhD in Astrophysics. He is a Fellow of the Astronomical Society of Australia and the Australian Institute of Physics.
