Filippo Zerbi elected as chairperson of the SKAO Council from 2025
With a long career in astronomy research and instrument development, Dr Zerbi’s most recent role has been as Science Director at Italy’s National Institute of Astrophysics (INAF) from 2016 until October 2024. Dr Zerbi has been involved in the development and governance of large international research infrastructures and has contributed to the SKA Project in various capacities for more than a decade.
Representatives of the SKAO's 12 member states unanimously approved the appointment by election of Dr Zerbi during the Observatory’s thirteenth Council meeting in Kimberley, Northern Cape, South Africa, on 5-6 November. The Council also appointed Ms Inmaculada Figueroa, Vice Director General for Internationalisation of Science and Innovation at the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities and Spain’s representative on the Council, as the body’s new vice-chair. The Council meets three times per year and oversees the Observatory’s funding and strategic direction.
"I am honoured to assume the role the SKAO Council has assigned me, and I am looking forward to contributing to the Observatory’s development in this exciting and interesting phase," Dr Zerbi said.
Dr Zerbi will take up the role from 3 February 2025 until 31 December 2026. He will succeed Dr Catherine Cesarsky, who has held the position since the Observatory was founded in 2021. Dr Cesarsky also chaired the Board of Directors of its precursor, the SKA Organisation, from 2017.
“I am very happy to be handing over this important role to such a highly regarded colleague, who I have had the pleasure of knowing for many years, sharing many ideas, experiences and valuable conversations,” Dr Cesarsky said.
“I join the rest of the Council in congratulating Dr Zerbi on this appointment and wishing him the best for his tenure.”
Born in Milan, Italy, Dr Zerbi completed his PhD in Astrophysics at the University of Pavia and University of Milan. Following pre-doctoral and post-doctoral roles in Spain, he joined the Astronomical Observatory of Brera in Milan in 1997, reaching the position of senior researcher in 2016, when he was appointed as INAF’s Science Director, a post in which he has just completed his second term. He also worked at the European Southern Observatory during the development of the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) Construction Proposal.
A prolific scientific author with more than 330 papers to his name, Dr Zerbi is an expert in stellar astrophysics, and has extensive experience in multiwavelength and multi-messenger astronomy through the design and construction of instrumentation for visible and infrared ground-based and space-borne observatories, particularly robotic telescopes and high-resolution spectroscopy.
“I would like to give my personal thanks to Dr Cesarsky for her years of service as the chair of the SKAO Council, and the guidance and vision she brought to our Observatory. Her boundless enthusiasm and passion for the SKA project have been infectious, inspiring all of us to push boundaries and reach for the stars – quite literally,” said Prof. Philip Diamond, SKAO Director-General.
“I look forward to working with Dr Zerbi in the coming months and years. Having seen the extremely valuable contributions he has made to the Observatory in his capacity as the Italian representative in the Council, I’m confident the Council is in good hands for the challenges to come and for guiding us towards new achievements.”
