Institute for Astronomy director plans to step down at end of this year

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
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Posted: Feb 22, 2010

Rolf-Peter Kudritzki
Rolf-Peter Kudritzki
Rolf-Peter Kudritzki, who has served as director of the UH Mānoa Institute for Astronomy (IfA) for the past 10 years, will step down from his administrative position at the end of 2010 and return to the faculty. He played a key role in efforts to attract large telescope projects to Hawai’i, including the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope at Haleakala and the Thirty Meter Telescope at Mauna Kea. 
 
“It will likely be a decade or more before we are fully able to appreciate the visionary leadership that has characterized Rolf’s tenure as director of the IfA,” said UH Mānoa Vice Chancellor of Research and Graduate Education Gary Ostrander.
 
Last year Kudritzki received the prestigious Karl Schwarzschild Prize from the Astronomische Gesellschaft (German Astronomical Society)—the most prestigious award bestowed upon an astronomer in Germany.
 
Before becoming IfA director in 2000, Kudritzki was an astronomy professor and director of the Munich University Observatory. His research interests include the study of the largest, hottest stars in our galaxy and beyond.
 
He will continue to serve as IfA director during the international successor search and recruitment process, which will be overseen by Vice Chancellor Ostrander.  Brian Taylor, dean of the UH Mānoa School of Ocean & Earth Science & Technology, will chair the 16-member Search Advisory Committee.
 
Search Advisory Committee Members:
Brian Taylor, Chair of Search Committee, and Dean, School of Ocean & Earth Science & Technology
Joshua Barnes, Astronomer, IfA
Paul Coleman, Specialist, IfA
Richard Ha, President, Hamakua Springs Country Farms  
William Heacox, Astronomy Professor, IfA, UH-Hilo
Klaus Hodapp, Astronomer, IfA-Hilo
Nick Kaiser, Astronomer, IfA
Heather Kaluna, Graduate Student, IfA
Klaus Keil, Planetary Scientist, SOEST
Lisa Kewley, Assistant Astronomer, IfA
Michael Liu, Associate Astronomer, IfA
Michael Maberry, Asst Dir of External Affairs & Business Development, IfA- Maui
Doug Simons, Director, Gemini Observatory
Barry Taniguchi, 2nd Vice Chair, Office of Mauna Kea Management, and President/CEO, KTA Super Stores, Hilo
John Tonry, Astronomer, IfA
Jonathan Williams, Associate Astronomer, IfA