EUR 1.5 million to uncover the history of the Milky Way

Prof. Amina Helmi has been granted EUR 1.5 million by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) to uncover the history and distribution of mass of the Milky Way. She has received a Vici grant as part of NWO’s Innovational Research Incentives Scheme (‘Vernieuwingsimpuls’) which she can spent on five years of research and the establishment of her own research group.

Amina Helmi is professor in Dynamics, Structure and Evolution of the Milky Way at the Kapteyn Astronomical Institute in Groningen. The full title of her Vici research is Galactic Archaeology in the Gaia era: Discovery and characterization of fossil records to uncover the history and distribution of mass of the Milky Way.

Gaia satellite images

During her research, Helmi will use the recently launched Gaia satellite of ESA, the European Space Agency. The impact of this space mission on our understanding of galaxies like the Milky Way will be revolutionary. Over the next 5 years Gaia will make a three-dimensional map of our Galaxy by measuring distances and motions of one billion stars with exquisite accuracy and unprecedented detail. Starting in 2015, Gaia will produce catalogues that will be at least 10,000 times larger in terms of number of objects, and several 100 times more precise than available now. Helmi will use this data to discover and characterise the fossil records that are encoded in the motions and properties of stars, and unravel the history and mass distribution of the Milky Way.

Vici’s, grants for excellence

NWO awards VICI grants on the basis of the researchers’ quality, the innovative nature and academic impact of their research proposal and application of knowledge. The VICI grants are intended for ‘excellent, experienced researchers who have successfully developed a new research line and thus established themselves prominently at both national and international levels’, says NWO. This year there were 216 applicants for a VICI grant. A total of 36 academics have eventually been awarded VICI grants.

Besides Helmi three other researchers of the Groningen University were awarded a Vici grant.