Michael Wise

Professor Michael Wise is an internationally respected astrophysicist and General and Scientific Director of SRON, the Netherlands Institute for Space Research, where he leads cutting-edge research and technology development for major international space missions.

An expert in high-energy astrophysics, Michael’s research explores some of the most powerful phenomena in the Universe, particularly supermassive black holes and the remarkable ways in which they influence the formation and evolution of galaxies.

His career has placed him at the heart of several major astronomical projects. He was part of the team that built and launched NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and later worked on the development of LOFAR, one of the world’s largest radio telescopes. He has led SRON since 2019 and is also Professor of Observational High-Energy Astrophysics at the University of Amsterdam.

With nearly three decades of experience developing and using world-class astronomical facilities, Michael brings a fascinating perspective on how new technology is helping us unlock the secrets of the Universe.