Forschung

Simon White's scientific interest is in the origin and structure of galaxies and galaxy clusters, and in the nature of the unseen dark matter which apparently dominates the mass budget of the Universe. Since 1994 Simon White is Managing Director of the Max-Planck-Institut für Astrophysik in Garching near Munich, Germany. He is best known for establishing numerical simulations as a research tool for comparing cosmological theory with astronomical observation, and his work over the last two decades has played a significant role in shaping the current picture of how galaxies form.

Career

• since 2007 D.Sc. (honoris causa) Durham University, UK
• since 2001 Honorary Professor, National Observatory, Beijing, China
• since 1999 Honorary Professor, Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, China
• since 1995 Honorary Professor, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
• since 1994 Director at Max-Planck-Institut für Astrophysik, Garching, Germany
• since 1994 Visiting Professor, Univ. of Durham, UK
• since 1994 Scientific Member, Max Planck Society
• since 1992 Research Professor, Steward Observatory,  University of Arizona , USA
• 1992-1994 Director, European Association for Research in Astronomy
• 1991-1994 Sheepshanks Reader in Astronomy, University of Cambridge, UK
• 1990 Member, Institute for Advanced Study, Jerusalem, Israel
• 1987-1991 Professor/Astronomer, Steward Obs., University of Arizona, USA
• 1984-1987 Associate Professor/Astronomer, Steward Obs., University of Arizona, USA
• 1984 Member, Institute for Theoretical Physics, Santa Barbara, USA
• 1982 Member, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, USA
• 1981-1984 Adjunct Assistant Professor, Astronomy Department, UC Berkeley, USA
• 1980-1984 Senior Fellow, Space Sciences Laboratory, UC Berkeley, USA
• 1980 Attache au CNRS, Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris, France
• 1979-1980 Research Fellow, Churchill College, University of Cambridge, UK
• 1978 Visiting Research Astronomer, NRAO, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
• 1977-1978 Lindemann Fellow, Department of Astronomy, UC Berkeley, USA
• 1977 Ph.D. in Astronomy from the University of Cambridge, UK
• 1974 M.Sc. in Astronomy from the University of Toronto, USA
• 1972 B.A. in Mathematics, from Jesus College, Cambridge, UK

Projects

• 2011-2015 EU: Lacegal
• 2010-2014 EU: Galformod
• 2009-2013 EU: Cosmo Comp
• 2007-2009 G.I.F. Research Grant Agreement
• 2006-2014 German Research Community “Transregio 33“
• 2004-2010 EU: Marie Curie Training Site
• since 2000 International Max-Planck-Research School
• 1999-2012 BMBF: Planck Surveyor

Functions

• since 2009 Member of Advisory Board, Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Beijing, China
• since 2009 Chair, International Advisory Board, ICC, Durham University, UK
• 2009-2010 Panel Chair ESO Observational Programme Committee
• 2009 Member of Visiting Committee, LERMA, Paris, France
• 2005 Member of Visiting Committee, Physics Department, University of Bonn, Germany
• since 2004 Member of Advisory Board, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research
• 2004 ESO Review Board for MUSE
• 2003 Member of Visiting Committee, Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, Spain
• 2003 Membre du Comite d'Evaluation de l'Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris, France
• 2002-2003 Panel Member ESO Observational Programme Committee
• 2002-2006 Member of the Board Physikalische Blätter (now Physik Journal)
• 2002 Member of the Visiting Committee, Observatoire de Lyon, France
• 2001-2007 Member of the Review Committee for DAPNIA, Saclay, France
• 2001 Member, Review of Cosmology Programme of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research    
• 2000 Advisory Board Member of the Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, Germany
• 2000 Elector, Oxford Chair in Astrophysics, UK
• 1999 Member of the Visiting Committee, Physics Department, Ecole Normale Superieure, Paris, France
• 1999-2001 Member of the PPARC Advisory Board for the Joint Infrastructure Fund
• 1999-2005 Member of the Visiting Committee, Astrophysical Institute of Potsdam, Germany
• 1998-2001 Member of Sectional Committee 5, Royal Society of London, UK
• 1998-2004 Member of the Visiting Committee, MPI for Astronomy, Heidelberg, Germany
• 1998-2004 Member of the Visiting Committee, Institute for Astrophysics, University of Porto, Portugal
• 1998-2002 Member, Haute Comite Scientifique, Observatoire de Paris, Meudon, France
• 1998-2002 Member, Steering Committee, Isaac Newton Institute, UK
• 1998 Director of Jerusalem Winter School in Theoretical Physics Galaxy Formation, Israel
• 1997-2004 Chairman of the Board of the European Association for Research in Astronomy
• since 1995 Member of various Structural Commissions, Search Committees and Appointments Committees within the Max-Planck Society
• 1994-1995 Member of Nomination Jury for Senior Members of the Institut Universitaire de France
• since 1992 Member of Editorial Board for Mon.Not.R.astr.Soc.
• 1991-1994 SERC Theory and Computation Panel and Science Advisory Committee for the Gemini Project
• 1989-1990 Astronomy and Astrophysics Survey Committee Panels on Policy Opportunities and on Computing and Data Processing
• 1989 Hubble Space Telescope Time Allocation Committee
• 1984-1985 Member of Space Telescope Working Group on Galaxies

Honours and Memberships

• 2011 Gruber Cosmology Prize
• 2011 Member, European Physical Society
• 2010 Honorary Citizenship of the City of Padua,Italy
• 2010 Max-Born-Preis, Institute of Physics (IOP) and German Physical Society (DPG)
• 2009 Member, Academia Europeae
• 2008 European Latsis Prize from European Science Foundation
• 2008 Oort Professorship, Leiden University, the Netherlands
• 2008 Dirk Brouwer Award of the Dynamical Division of the AAS
• 2007 Foreign Associate of the USA National Academy of Sciences
• 2007 Honorary doctorate (D.Sc.) Durham University, UK
• 2005 Member, German Academy of Science Leopoldina
• 2005 Gold Medal, Royal Astronomical Society
• 2005 Dannie Heineman Prize of the American Institute of Physics / AAS
• 2005 Blaauw Lecturer, Groningen University, the Netherlands
• 2003 Sackler Lecturer, Physics Dept., Princeton University, UK
• 2000 Max Planck Research Award for international Cooperation
• 1999 Lansdowne Lecturer, University of Victoria, B.C., USA
• 1998 George Darwin Lecturer of the Royal Astronomical Society
• 1997 Fellow of the Royal Society
• 1996 Grubb Parsons Lecturer, University of Durham, UK
• 1986 Helen B. Warner Prize of the American Astronomical Society (AAS)
• 1984-1989 NSF Presidential Young Investigator