Itziar Aretxaga facts for kids
Itziar Aretxaga Méndez was born in 1965. She is a scientist from both Spain and Mexico. She works as an astrophysicist in Mexico. An astrophysicist is a scientist who studies space, including stars, galaxies, and how the universe works. Itziar Aretxaga is a researcher at the National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics (INAOE). She studies how galaxies form and change, bright centers of galaxies called active galactic nuclei, areas where many new stars are born called starbursts, and powerful star explosions called supernovae.
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Becoming a Space Scientist
Itziar Aretxaga was born in Bilbao, Spain, on November 20, 1965. She has citizenship in both Spain and Mexico. Her first name and last name come from the Basque region. She was the first person in her family to go to university. Her mother was a dressmaker, and her father taught at a school.
University Studies
Itziar Aretxaga studied physics at the Complutense University of Madrid. She earned her first degree in 1988. She then continued her studies at the Autonomous University of Madrid. She received her master's degree in 1990. In 1993, she completed her PhD in physics. Her PhD project was about how the bright centers of galaxies change.
Working in Research
After finishing her PhD, Itziar Aretxaga worked as a postdoctoral researcher. This means she continued her research after getting her PhD. From 1993 to 1996, she worked at the Royal Greenwich Observatory in England. Then, from 1996 to 1998, she worked at the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics in Germany.
In 1998, she joined INAOE in Mexico as a researcher. She became a permanent researcher there in 2004. Since 2018, she has also been in charge of a program for young astronomers. This program is part of the International Astronomical Union.
Achievements and Awards
Itziar Aretxaga is a respected member of the Mexican Academy of Sciences. She was chosen to join this group in 2003. Being a member means she is recognized as an important scientist in Mexico.
See also
In Spanish: Itziar Aretxaga para niños
