Starmus La Palma
Valentín Martínez, born in Alicante, Spain, is a distinguished solar physicist and the newly appointed Director of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) as of July 2024. He earned his Ph.D. in Astrophysics from the University of La Laguna and the IAC. Martínez has an extensive background in solar physics, having served as the Director of the National Solar Observatory (NSO) in the United States since 2013. Under his leadership, the NSO constructed the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST), the world’s largest solar telescope, located in Hawaii.
Martínez’s research focuses on solar magnetism and spectropolarimetric techniques, contributing significantly to our understanding of the Sun’s magnetic fields. He has been involved in numerous international projects and has held prominent positions, including President of the Division of the Sun and the Heliosphere of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) from 2009 to 2012. His work on the Global Oscillations Network Group (GONG) project has been instrumental in advancing space weather prediction.
As the new Director of the IAC, Martínez Pillet aims to enhance the institute’s scientific and technological leadership while promoting the human aspects of its members. His vision includes prioritizing the Adaptive Optics system for the Gran Telescopio de Canarias (GTC) and attracting new generations of large telescopes to the Canary Observatories
