Diretor Geral, European Southern Observatory (ESO), Chile
Xavier Barcons (MA U Barcelona 1981, PhD U Cantabria 1985) is CSIC Research Professor since 2002. First Director (1995-1999) of the Instituto de Física de Cantabria, spent several research periods at the Institute of Astronomy (Cambridge UK). Astronomy research on Active Galaxies and X-ray surveys, involved in ESA’s Xray observatory flagship missions XMM-Newton and Athena. Advised the Spanish Government on Astronomy and Research Infrastructures (2004-14). ESO Council delegate (2007-11), Vicepresident (2011) and President (2012-14).
ESO Director General since 1 September 2017, a world-leading IGO building and operating most powerful ground-based astronomical observatories (eg VLT/I, ALMA, ELT) and fostering cooperation in Astronomy.