Edinburgh, 16 December 2022. – The European Space Agency (ESA) has appointed two new directors: the Director of Science and the Director for Technology, Engineering and Quality with the approval of the ESA Council. Both will start in their new role in 2023.
Carole G. Mundell, currently President of the UK Science Council, will succeed Günther Hasinger as Director of Science. She is a Professor of Extragalactic Astronomy and founding Head of Astrophysics at the University of Bath. Prior to these, she served as the Chief Scientific Adviser, and as the Chief International Science Envoy and Head of the Global Science and Emerging Technology Department at the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Mundell holds a PhD in astrophysics and a BSc in natural philosophy. She worked at the University of Bath and the University of Maryland (USA) as well. Throughout her career, she has received numerous awards and recognition for her leading roles in international research.
Dietmar Pilz, current Head of Space Chief Engineering and Products, as well as Head of Site for Friedrichshafen for Airbus Defence & Space, succeeds the current director, Torben Henriksen, as Director of Technology, Engineering and Quality. Previously, he worked as Head of AstroBus and EO/Science/Exploration, and Head of Payloads and Life Support Systems at the same company.
Pilz spent the past 23 years working in the aerospace industry working in various technical and project management positions in Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Germany. He has a PhD and Diploma in Electrical Engineering, he was a research scientist at Rockwell Scientific in Thousand Oaks, USA.
