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Curriculum Vitae

Full name: Olivier Raoul Waltère Jean-Pierre Marie Vivien HAINAUT   
Date of birth:  September 15, 1966.
Place of birth:  Montegnée, Liège, Belgium.
Nationality:  Belgian.
 
Family status:  Married to Marie-Claire Rouelle, 
on Septembre 9, 1989; 
no children.
Professional address:  European Southern Observatory
Karl Schwarzschild Strasse 2
85748 Garching
Deutschland

Phone: +49 89 3200 6752
email: ohainaut at eso.org
skype: ohainaut

Employments:

April 1998 -- present  Astronomer at the European Southern Observatory

2016- : End-to-End Operations Scientist, Directorate of Operations.
2008-2015: Science Liaison, Education and Public Outreach Department.
2005-2008: Head of Paranal Science Operation Department
2002-2004: Head of La Silla Science Operation Department
1998-2002: La Silla, Leader of the Team operating the 3.58m New Technology Telescope

Main subject of Research: 

  • Physical properties of trans-neptunian objects, cometary nuclei, and generally icy minor bodies in the Solar System
  • Physical properties and astrometry of near-earth objects, in the context of planetary defense.
  • Effect of satellite constellations on astronomical observations.
Jul.--Aug. 1998 Visiting astronomer at the Observatoire de Paris / Meudon, in the DESPA group 
 
Oct. 1997 -- March 1998  Post-doctoral fellow at the European Southern Observatory, La Silla; 2P2Team 
 
Oct. 1994 -- Oct. 1997  Post-doctoral fellow at the Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii. 

Main subjects of research: 

  • Activity in very distant comets; 
  • Extremely distant minor planets; 
  • Cometary activity of minor platets. 
Aug. 1992 -- Sep. 1994:  ``Ph. D. Student'' at the Science Department of the European Southern Observatory (E.S.O.), Garching bei Munchen, Germany. 
Main subjects of research (under the supervision of Dr. R.M. West): 
  • Activity in very distant comets; 
  • Extremely distant minor planets; 
  • Cometary activity of minor platets. 
July 1992 -- Aug. 1992:  Research assistant at the Institut d'Astrophysique de Liège, Service of the Pr. Houziaux, Department of the Observers, in collaboration with Dr. J. surdej. 
 
Oct. 1989 -- June 1992:  ``Coopérant'' at the Science Department of the European Southern Observatory (E.S.O.), La Silla, Chile. 
Main subjects of research (under the supervision of Drs. R.M. West and J. Surdej): 
  • Activity in very distant comets; 
  • Photometry and modelling of asteroids; 
  • Participation in ESO's key program on gravitational lensing, especially the monitoring aspect. 
Jul. 1989:  Astronomy and astrophysics teaching for the belgian ``Jeunesse Scientifique'' (``scientific younth'', a nation-wide summer-school) 
 
Jan. 1989:  Full-time collaborator of Prof. A. Monfils (I.A.L. Space), calibration and tests of the ISO satellite. 
 
Oct. 1988 -- Feb. 1989:  Fellowship from ``Fondation C. Héla'': 
full-time research under supervision of Dr. J. Surdej in the group of Prof. L. Houziaux (Institut d'Astrophysique, University of Liège). 
Main subjects of research: 
  • Modelling of asteroids; 
  • participation in ESO's key program on gravitational lensing. 
Oct. 1986 -- July 1988:  Part-time collaborator of Prof. Y. Lion (University of Liège): 
Research in holography and students' laboratories. 

Education

June 1984:  Baccalauréat C (Mathematics, Physics), 
Distinction
Lycée Polyvalent de Mirecourt (France). 
July 1988:  License in Physical Sciences (equ. Master's Degree), 
La plus grande Distinction (equ. Summa cum laude), 
Universtité de Liège (Belgium). 
Thesis: Méthode de modélisation d'astéroïdes 
(rewarded the Prix Génard 1987-1988). 
September 1988:  Agrégation de l'Enseignement Secondaire Supérieur
Distinction
Université de Liège (Belgium). 
October 1994:  Doctorat en Science, section Physique (equ. Ph.D. in Astronomy), 
La plus grande Distinction (equ. Summa cum laude
Universtité de Liège (Belgium). 
Thesis: Selected observational studies of minor bodies in the Solar System 

Experience

Research Related:

Astronomical Observations:  Extensive experience imaging (CCD and photographic), ultra-deep imaging (CCD on 6m to 10m telescopes), in photometry (visible and IR photo-electric and CCD), spectroscopy (long slit) of a broad range of moving and non-moving objects (comets, asteroids, planets, galaxies, quasars including gravitational lenses, extremely faint objects as very distant comets and spacecrafts...), on many ESO (Chile), MKO (Hawaii, USA) and BTA (Zelentchukskaja, CEI), gathered during 15+ years as resident astronomer of major observatories. 
 
Image processing and data reduction:  Extensive experience of CCD astronomical data processing (using specialized languages like MIDAS as well as personal programs in Fortran, Python...), including images, long slit spectra, photometry. Some special programs were developped to deal with images of very faint moving objects. 
 
Computer science:  Scripting and programming in Python, Fortran, bash/csh, perl, awk, lisp, tcl-tk, etc... various specialized languages (Midas, SuperMongo...), on Linux machines and exotic/vintage IBM mainframes, VAXes, UNIX workstations, PCs... Advanced Linux user.

Other:

Management and Organization Managing a department of ~60 people, in charge of the operation of a the largest ground based telescope (ESO's VLT), including organizational, staffing and budget decision, implementation of observatory's strategies. Before that, management of departments of 35 and 20 people operating the telescopes on ESO La Silla Observatory.
Participation in the organization of large international conferences (DPS '95, 600 participants, MetSoc 97, 250 participants).
Languages: 
  • French: mother tongue 
  • English: very good 
  • Spanish: very good 
  • German: basic 
 

Other professional activities

Reviewer:  Astronomical Journal, Astronomy & Astrophysics, Astrophysical Journal, Earth Moon & Planets, Icarus, Planetary & Space Science, Royal Society, CONICYT, GIF...
Professional Society: International Astronomical Union
Honors: Genard Prize
Asteroid 14972 OliHainaut

Last Update: 2022-01-12
 

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