DIAS professor elected Chair of LOFAR Radio Telescope Council

Prof Peter Gallagher to take on role from 1 January

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Peter Gallagher, DIAS

Prof Peter Gallagher, Head of Astronomy & Astrophysics at the Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies (DIAS) and the director of DIAS Dunsink Observatory has been elected as the new Chair of the LOFAR ERIC Council, effective from 1 January 2026.

LOFAR (Low Frequency Array) is an international network of state-of-the-art telescopes used to observe the Universe in unprecedented detail at low radio frequencies. The European Commission officially established the LOFAR European Research Infrastructure (ERIC) in December 2023, with Ireland as one of its founding members.

The LOFAR ERIC provides access to a wide range of radio astronomy services for the European and global community providing a cutting-edge suite of observing and data processing capabilities from the LOFAR radio telescope.

The LOFAR ERIC Council is the governing body of the LOFAR radio telescope consortium, providing overall oversight and direction for the world’s largest and most sensitive low frequency radio telescope.

Prof Gallagher was responsible for establishing the Irish LOFAR radio telescope in Birr Castle Demesne in County Offaly in 2017, and has served as Head of the I-LOFAR Consortium since then. He is also involved in numerous European Space Agency and NASA space missions and is an adjunct professor in the School of Physics at Trinity College Dublin.

Commenting on his election, Prof Gallagher said: “I am honoured to take on this role at such an important time for LOFAR ERIC. The coming years will see major upgrades to LOFAR, and I look forward to working closely with all member countries to realise these opportunities.”

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