Rebolo's election, unanimously approved in the Academy's March plenary session, highlights his impact on the development of modern astrophysics, particularly from Spain and the Canary Islands. This institution, one of the country's oldest and most respected, includes among its members the Canarian biologist Ana Crespo, its current president, and once counted the physicist from Lanzarote, Blas Cabrera.
“"This appointment helps to make visible the scientific excellence developed in the Canary Islands and the role of the Institute of Astrophysics of Canarias in high-impact international projects, recognizing its leadership in the exploration of the Universe and in associated technological development."
Rafael Rebolo, born in Cartagena in 1961, has been an IAC researcher since 1984 and directed the Institute between 2013 and 2024. His research has been pioneering in fields such as the cosmic microwave background, exoplanets, brown dwarfs, the first stars, and stellar black holes. He has published over 600 scientific articles in international journals and has been key to significant advances in contemporary astrophysics.
Among his most notable achievements are the discovery of the first brown dwarfs in our galaxy in 1995, the detection of terrestrial exoplanets around nearby stars, pioneering measurements of cosmic microwave background anisotropies, and providing observational evidence for the connection between supernovae and black holes. His work has been recognized with awards such as the Jaime I Research Award and the Blas Cabrera National Research Award.
Currently, Rebolo leads the European Celeste project (2025–2030), an IAC initiative to establish a Center of Excellence in advanced optical and space technologies. This project aims to strengthen European technological autonomy and position the Canary Islands as a global benchmark in New Space and cutting-edge scientific instrumentation.
