Imperial professor to be first woman appointed to the UK's top astronomy job

Imperial’s Professor Michele Dougherty will be the first woman to hold this position since its creation.

Michele Dougherty, Professor of Space Physics in Imperial's Department of Physics, has been approved by The King to be the new Astronomer Royal.

The role of Astronomer Royal was created in 1675 with the goal of discovering how to determine longitude at sea when out of sight of land, and the holder of this position was based at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich. Today the role is honorary, awarded to a prominent astronomer who is expected to advise The King on astronomical matters.   

Professor Dougherty will hold the role alongside her position at Imperial, as well as Executive Chair of the Science and Technology Facilities Council and President-elect of the Institute of Physics. 

Speaking of her new appointment, Professor Michele Dougherty said: “I am absolutely delighted to be taking on the important role of Astronomer Royal. As a young child I never thought I’d end up working on planetary spacecraft missions and science, so I can’t quite believe I’m actually taking on this position. In this role I look forward to engaging the general public in how exciting astronomy is, and how important it and its outcomes are to our everyday life.”    

Professor Dougherty is renowned for leading uncrewed exploratory space missions to Saturn and Jupiter. She was the Principal Investigator for the magnetometer instrument onboard the Cassini/Huygens mission to Saturn, and is currently the Principal Investigator for the magnetometer for the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) of the European Space Agency, which launched in April 2023. 

Imperial’s President Professor Hugh Brady said: “Professor Michele Dougherty embodies the best of scientific discovery and leadership. Her groundbreaking work on the Cassini and JUICE missions, and her continued contributions to space exploration, have not only expanded our understanding of the solar system but inspired a generation of scientists.  

“Her achievements, including her new role as Astronomer Royal, are a testament to the power of curiosity, perseverance and excellence in science.” 

This article was first published on 30 July by Imperial College London.