King Charles III of the United Kingdom has named Michele Dougherty, professor of space physics at Imperial College London, as the next Astronomer Royal, an honorary title awarded to a prominent astronomer who is expected to advise the monarchy on astronomical matters. Dr. Dougherty is the first woman appointed to the role since its inception in 1675.
Dr. Dougherty is renowned for leading uncrewed exploratory space missions to Saturn and Jupiter. She was the principal investigator for the magnetometer instrument onboard the NASA Cassini spacecraft mission to Saturn, which orbited the planet from 2004 until 2017. Currently, she serves as principal investigator for the European Space Association’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) which launched in 2023 and is set to reach Jupiter in 2031.
In addition to her research and her work at Imperial College London, Dr. Dougherty is executive chair of the Science and Technology Facilities Council, one of nine councils of UK Research and Innovation, which supports research in astronomy, physics, computational science, and space science, as well as operates world class research facilities throughout the United Kingdom. She also currently serves as president-elect of the Institute of Physics and will formally assume the presidency this fall.
Raised in South Africa, Dr. Dougherty received her Ph.D. from the University of Natal.