Role: PSM Member

Alessandro Lanzafame is Associate Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Catania.

He received his MS in Physics at the University of Catania in 1989 with the highest grade (summa cum laude) and his PhD at Queen’s University Belfast in 1994. Research Assistant at Armagh Observatory from 1990 to 1994, Research Fellow at Strathclyde University, Glasgow, from 1994 to 1996, he returned to the University of Catania in 1997 as Researcher. Adjunct Professor in 2006, he has become Associate Professor in 2018 and received the National Habilitation as Full Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics in 2019.

He is faculty member of the Physics PhD course and former board member of the Department of Physics and Astronomy and of the INAF – Catania Astrophysical Observatory. He teaches Astrophysics, Astronomy and Cosmology, Plasma Spectroscopy, and Statistical Methods for Astronomy and Astrophysics.

His research activity is mainly focused on stellar magnetic activity, stellar angular momentum evolution, stellar and solar outer atmosphere, Galactic astrophysics, and plasma spectroscopy.

He is member of the steering committee for the Italian participation in the ESA Gaia space mission, coordinator of working groups in the Gaia-DPAC and in the Gaia-ESO large spectroscopic survey. In his spare time, he enjoys sailing and playing guitar.