Professor R. Michael Rich is based at the University of California Los Angeles. For almost 30 years, he has explored the innermost parts of our galaxy with the help of spectroscopy. Through his studies, he has succeeded in deepening understanding of the Milky Way and its evolution. In the last decade, Rich has had a close collaboration with astrophysicists at Lund University. As well as supporting early-career researchers, he has provided a series of young Lund astronomers with access to the USA’s largest telescope, Keck. Postdocs there have been able to develop their observational skills at a world-beating facility. Access to the groundbreaking ten-metre telescope in Hawaii has generated a number of studies in prestigious journals. R. Michael Rich has also arranged several international conferences and initiated astronomy research networks and projects.

“Michael Rich is a true scientist, who has made great efforts to spectroscopically characterise the centre of the Milky Way. Bringing him on board strengthens our important transatlantic ties,” says Sven Lidin, Dean of the Faculty of Science.