Piero Rafanelli

Professore ordinario di Spettroscopia astronomica nell'Università di Padova 

- s.c.r. 19 luglio 2007, s.e. eletto il 3 dicembre 2020

1. PERSONAL DETAILS
Date and place of birth: 17 February 1948,  FIRENZE, Italy
Nationality: Italian
Education: 1974, Laurea in Astronomy at the University of Padova, 110/110
Last position: Full Professor of Astronomy & Astrophysics at the University of Padova,

2. ACADEMIC AND ISTITUTIONAL APPOINTMENTS      
1976 - 1979   fellow of the University of Padova;
1979 - 1985   Staff Astronomer at the Padova Astronomical Observatory;
1985 - 2000   Associate professor of Astronomical Spectroscopy at the University of Padova;
1988 - 2012     Adjunct  professor  of Astronomy at the University of Innsbruck;
2012 - today   Honorar professor of  Astronomy at the University of Innsbruck;
1986 - 1995   Head of the Unit of Research of the National Research Council at the Asiago 
        Astrophysical Observatory;
1986 - 2000   member of the Scientific Board of the National Group of Astronomy of C.N.R;
1989 - 1992   Deputy Head of the Department of Astronomy of the University of Padova;
1992 - 1993   Adjunct Professor of Astrophysics (University of Perugia);
1997 - 1999   Adjunct Professor of Astrophysics (University of Salerno);
1993 - 1995   "Villa Vigoni"  fellow through a grant awarded by the Italian Permanent 
                      Conference of the Rectors for scientific cooperation with  the "Astronomisches 
                      Institut der Universität Bochum".
1996 - 1997   Member of the Evaluation Committee of the University of Potsdam for the   
1997 - 1998   delivery of the Ph.D. Degree in Astrophysics
1998 - 1999   Member of the Evaluation Committes of the Universities of Innsbruck, Potsdam 
 and Helwan (Egypt) for the delivery of  the professorship (venia docendi) in 
 Astronomy and Astrophysics
1999 - 2000   Deputy Head of  Department of Astronomy of the University of Padova;
2000 - 2018   Full professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Padova;
2000 - 2006   Head of the Department of Astronomy of the University of Padova; 
2007-  2011   Head of the Department of Astronomy of the University of Padova;
2004 - 2008   Component of the advisory board of the Council of Department Directors, 
                      University of Padova
2004 - 2008   Deputy Chairman of the Council of Department Directors, University of Padova
2006 - 2010   Deputy of the Rector for the organization in Padova of the acitvities of  the
"2009 International Year of Astronomy";
2006 - 2011   Member of the National Board for the celebration of "2009 - International Year of 
 Astronomy";
2008 - 2012   Member of the  "Astronomical Commission" of the Austrian Academy of
 Sciences
2009 - 2016    -  Deputy of the Rector of the University of Padova for the international relations 
     with german Universities; 
  -  Member of the Advisory Board for the Internationalization of the University of 
     Padova
2009 - 2017    Member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Astromundus Joint Master 
  Degree programme in Astronomy and Astrophysics, a joint master course 
  involving Universities in Austria, Germany, Italy and Serbia
2011 - 2020    Adjunct Full Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the Università 
                       Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Brescia.

VISITING PROFESSORSHIPS
1980 - 1981   Alexander von Humboldt fellow at the Max Planck Institut für Astronomie, 
 Heidelberg;
1986, 1987, 1989 - Summer Semesters   Visiting Astronomer at Lick Observatory, University 
 of California S. Cruz 
1988 - Winter semester  Visiting Scientist at the European Southern Observatory  for the 
  improvement of the design of an all spherical corrector for the prime focus of
 TNG.
1991 - Summer Semester Visiting Astronomer at the Institute of Astronomy of the Universidad 
 Autonoma de Mexico.
1995, 1997 -  Summer Semesters     Visiting Scientist of the Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung 
 at the Astronomisches Institut Potsdam 
1995, 1996 -  Summer Semesters    Visiting Scientist of the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft at the 
 Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Heidelberg 
1998 - 1999   Academic Year  Visiting Professor at the University of Potsdam in the frame of 
 the Program Socrates - Erasmus, action Teaching Staff Mobility

3. ACADEMIES, SOCIETIES,  HONOURS
 2004 - corresponding member  Accademia Galileiana di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti, Padova
 2013 - effective member
 2004 - Foreign member Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Vienna
 2007 - corresponding member  Istituto Veneto di Scienze Lettere ed Arti, Venezia (IVSLA)
 2020 - effective member
 2012 - Honorar Professor University of Innsbruck
Other professional bodies:
- International Astronomical Union
- Società Astronomica Italiana

 4. ACTIVITIES ON BEHALF OF RESEARCH COUNCILS AND OTHER 
     ITALIAN BODIES
1986- 2000  Member of the National Board of Astronomy of CNR (National Research Council);
1989-1992   Deputy of the Padova Astronomical Observatory as responsible for the supply of 
                    the mirrors of the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG) by SCHOTT and by ZEISS 
1997          Advisor of the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft for the award of the Otto Hahn Medal;
1997- 2001  Member of the panel committee of the VST (Very Large Telescope Survey 
         Telescope)  project at the Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte;
1997- 2001  Deputy of the Osservatorio Astronomico di Napoli Capodimonte as responsible for 
          the supply by Zeiss - Lytkarino of the mirrors of VST
2001            Member of  the Time Allocation Committee of  TNG 
2005          Advisor of INAF for the refurbishment of the TT1 telescope of the Osservatorio 
         Astronomico di Capodimonte

5. MAJOR PROJECTS INVOLVING SCIENTIFIC AND MANAGEMENT 
    LEADERSHIP
1978 - 1979  Scientific advisor of "Piano Spaziale Nazionale" for the optical design of the 
                     telescope of the Hipparcos mission. Activity consisting in the simulation and 
evaluation of the optical quality of  both a triple and double splitted entrance pupil 
of an astrometric telescope.
1982 - 1983 Member of the Science Team of ESA for the assessment and  Phase A study of  
the Magellan mission, designed to provide high resolution spectra of celestial        
sources down to sixteenth magnitude over the extreme ultraviolet wavelength   
range (between 50 and 140 nm).
1988 - 1989  Supervisor of the optical project during the feasibility study and phase A study of 
                     the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG).
1989 - 1992   Leading the TNG project effort  in the management/scientific oversight of the 
           development and construction in cooperation with Schott and Zeiss of the main 
           mirrors M1 and M2 of TNG. The main tasks of this activity were: Wording the    
           contract with Schott and Zeiss, organizing and carrying out the final acceptance 
           tests and  finally instruct a further improvement of the contractual optical quality.
1996 - 1999  Scientific and technical advisor of the National Research Institute of Astronomy 
and Geophysics (NRIAG) of Egypt for the organization of the final optical      
tests of the main mirror of the 1.5m Kottamya Telescope an for its implementation.
1997 - 2001   Leading the VST project effort  in the management/scientific oversight of the 
           development and construction in cooperation with Zeiss and Lytkarino of the 
main mirrors M1 and M2 of VST. The main tasks of this activity were:
1. wording the contract with Zeiss and Lytkarino, 
2. organizing and carrying out the final acceptance tests
2000 - 2011  
* Director of AAO (Asiago Astrophysical Observatory) of the University of Padova with responsibility of all technical and administrative actions connected with the functioning of the Observatory e.g.: fund raising, general maintenance, ehancement of the scientific equipment, didactics, public outreach etc.. 
* Complete refurbishing of the logistic facilities of the AAO. 
* Enhancement of the Galileo Telescope of  AAO from an old light-collector to a modern remote controlled telescope, equipped with a new polished main mirror and a new secondary mirror. The new aperture ratio of the telescope in combination with the aperture ratio of the spectrograph allowed a remarkable increase of the spectral resolution, making the telescope attractive for innternational networks of observatories involved in the monitoring of transient phenomena  and for identification of optical counterparts of high energy sources.  
* Enhancement of the optics and remote control system of the spectrograph of the Galileo Telescope at AAO   
* Organization of a national project for the dissemination of Astronomy and Astrophysics in the High Schools in cooperation with the Ministery of Instruction University and Research (MIUR). The project named "Il cielo come laboratorio" is still  operating since 2002.
* Promoter and organizer of the network of the AstroMundus  project, a 2-years Erasmus+: Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Degree programme in Astronomy and Astrophysics. 
The programme was initiated in 2009 as an Erasmus Mundus Masters Course and continued within the framework of the new Erasmus+ programme of the European Union. The Masters Courses were offered by a consortium of 5 partner universities in Austria, Italy, Germany, and Serbia, with the participation of 4 research institutions as associated partners in Italy, Serbia, and Germany. Astromundus expired the academic year 2018 / 2019.
2011 - 2018
* Design and implementation in collaboration with the Heraeus-Stiftung of a bi-national Teacher Training Project  "Astronomy from four perspectives". A cooperation between italian and german Universities: Padova, Firenze, Jena, Heidelberg, addressed to organize each year a cyclical series of training seminars for high‐school teachers and teacher students in astronomy and physics. Project still operating since 2012. 

* Design and managment of a co-operation agreement for the implementation of an international joint master's programme in the field of physics, between Università degli studi di Padova, Italy, and Universität Heidelberg, Germany.
                          Project named
"PADOVA & HEIDELBERG INTERNATIONAL ACADEMIC EXCHANGE"
"PHILAE"
still operating since Academic Year 2015 - 2016
* (2017 - 2018)   Chair of the internal Committee of the Department of Physics and Astronomy of the University of Padova for the  establishment of a new Master Degree programme in Astronomy and Astrophysics.

6. DIDACTICS
One Semester Courses 
Astronomical Spectroscopy (UNIPD, UIBK - Innsbruck)
Astrophysical Techniques (UNIPD, UIBK)
Astrophysics of the Interstellar Medium (UNIPD)
Astronomy 2 (UNIPD)
Astrophysics (UNIPD, UNIPG - Perugia, UNISA - Salerno)
Elements of Astronomy and Astrophysics (UNICATT - Brescia)

Ph.D. Courses
Physics of stellar Atmospheres (UNIPD)
Astrophysics of Gaseous Nebulae (UNIPD, UNINA, UIBK, UNI-POTSDAM)
Shock Waves in Astrophysics (UNIPD, UIBK)
X - Ray  Spectroscopy in Astrophysics (UNIPD)

Manuscripts of the lectures are available for all classes

Supervision  of master and Ph.D. thesis
Supervisor of more than 60 (esattamente 64)  master theses in Astronomy and Astrophysics and of around 20  Ph.D. theses in Astronomy and Astrophysics in italian and foreign Universities.

7. ACTIVITY AS REFEREE
P.R. has been referee of the following international astronomical journals:
- Astrophysical Journal,
- Astronomical Journal,
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society,
- Astronomy and Astrophysics,
- Astronomische Nachrichten.

8. RESEARCH SUBJECTS
- Physical processes in Novae;
- Variability of AGN;
- Tests of the unified model of AGN;
- Relationship between galactic activity (Starburst and Seyfert) and interaction  
  between galaxies;
- Star formation in normal and active galaxies;
- 3D spectroscopy of the circumnuclear regions of AGN;
- Relationship between X and Optical properties of nearby AGN; physics of 
  gaseous nebulae;
- VLTI interferometry of AGN.
- Multi-wavelength Spectroscopy and its applications in Astrophysics

9. PUBLISHED SCIENTIFIC PAPERS
The research activity of P.R. is attested by 260 astronomical publications:
- in international journals (99)
- in communications at international congresses (151)
- in technical publications in the field of Astronomical Optics (10).

details available on "SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System" at web page 
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu
Piero Rafanelli
Padova September 2020


Curriculum Vitae sintetico
Data e luogo di nascita: 17 Febbraio 1948 - FIRENZE, Italia
Nazionalita': italiana
Positione attuale: Professore Ordinario di Astronomia e Astrofisica all' Università di Padova

Titoli accademici e incarichi istituzionali:
1974            laurea in Astronomia presso l'Universita' di Padova;
1976-1979   borsa di studio dell'Universita' di Padova;
1979-1985   astronomo di ruolo presso l'Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova;
1980-1981   borsa Alexander von Humboldt presso il Max Planck Institut für Astronomie;
1985-2000   professore associato (spettroscopia astronomica) presso l'Universita' di Padova;
1986-1995   membro del "Gruppo Nazionale di Astronomia" del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR);
1986-2000   membro del "Consiglio Scientifico del Gruppo Nazionale di Astronomia" del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR);
1988- oggi   professore aggiunto di Astronomia e Astrofisica presso l'Universita' di Innsbruck;
1992-1993   professore supplente di Astrofisica presso l'Universita' di Perugia;
1997-1999   professore supplente di Astrofisica presso l'Universita' di Salerno;
1989-1992   responsabile, su incarico dell'Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, per la fornitura e il collaudo degli specchi del telescopio nazionale   Galileo (TNG);
1989-1992  vice direttore del Dipartimento di Astronomia dell'Universita' di Padova;
1992-1993  Professore di Astrofisica (Università di Perugia);
1997-1999  Professor di Astrofisica (Università di Salerno);
1993-1995  titolare Grant "Villa Vigoni" assegnato dalla Conferenza Permanente dei Rettori per collaborazione scientifica con lo "Astronomisches   Institut der Universität Bochum";
1997   Referee della Max-Planck-Gesellschaft per l'assegnazione della medaglia Otto Hahn;
1997-2001  membro della commissione di controllo del progetto VST;
1999-2000  vicedirettore del Diaprtimento diAstronomia dell'Università di Padova
2000- oggi  Professore Ordinario presso l'Universita` di Padova;
2000-2006  Direttore del Dipartimento di Astronomia dell'Universita`di Padova;
2006-2010  Delegato del Rettore per l'organizzazione del "2009 Anno Internazionale dell'Astronomia";
2006-2011  Membro della Giunta del Comitato Nazionale per il "2009 Anno Internazionale dell'Astronomia"
2007-2011  Direttore del Dipartimento di Astronomia dell'Universita`di Padova;
2010-2016  Delegato del Rettore per i rapporti con le Università tedesche;
2011-oggi   Professore Ordinario Aggiunto di Astronomia e Astrofisica all'Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
Dal 2012    è Professore Onorario dell' Università di Innsbruck.

Professore Visitatore:
° Visiting Astronomer al Lick Observatory, University of California S. Cruz (Summer Semesters 1986, 1987, 1989).
° Visiting Astronomer allo Institute of Astronomy of the Universidad Autonoma de Mexico bel Summer Semester 1991.
° Visiting Scientist della Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung allo Astronomisches Institut Potsdam nel Summer Semesters 1995, 1997.
° Visiting Scientist della Max-Planck-Gesellschaft al Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Heidelberg nei Summer semesters 1995, 1996.
° Visiting Professor alla University of Potsdam nell'ambito del Programma Socrates-Erasmus, action Teaching Staff Mobility, a.a. 1998-99.

Referee
P.R. è stato referee delle seguenti riviste internazionali di Astronomia:
- Astrophysical Journal,
- Astronomical Journal,
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society,
- Astronomy and Astrophysics,
- Astronomische Nachrichten.

Accademie
P.R. è membro delle seguenti accademie:
- Accademia Galileiana di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti di Padova.dal 2004
- Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften di Vienna, dal 2004
- Istituto Veneto di Scienze Lettere ed Arti di Venezia, dal 2007.

Afferenza a Società Astronomiche
- International Astronomical Union
- Österreichische Astronomische Gesellschaft
- Società Astronomica Italiana

Argomenti di ricerca:
- processi fisici nelle stelle Novae;
- variabilita' spettroscopica degli AGN;
- test dei modelli unificati di AGN;
- relazione fra l'attivita' galattica (Starburst e Seyfert) e l'interazione fra galassie;
- formazione stellare in galassie normali ed attive;
- studio della relazione fra fenomeno starburst circumnucleare e attività nucleare nelle galassie;
- spettroscopia 3D delle regioni circumnucleari di AGN;
- relazione fra proprietà X e ottiche in AGN vicini;
- fisica delle nebulose gassose;
- interferometria con VLTI di AGN.

Attività di ricerca
L'attività di ricerca di P.R. è testimoniata da 243 pubblicazioni:
- in riviste internazionali con refero (93)
- in comunicazioni a congressi internazionali (140)
- in pubblicazioni tecniche nel campo dell'ottica (10).

Padova, 10 dicembre 2018