Operations Staff Astronomer (Paranal Observatory)
Science Operations
European Southern Observatory
Alonso de Cordova 3107
Casilla 19001, Santiago, Chile
Tel: (+56-2) 2 463 3097
Email: jgirard [AT] eso.org

Julien H. Girard  joined ESO in 2009. Adaptive Optics specialist, he’s currently the Instrument Scientist (IS) of SPHERE  and has been IS of NACO from 2010 to 2015. His research focuses on constraining the formation and migration mechanisms of giant extra-solar planets in young and dusty circumstellar environments (e.g disks) through direct imaging. For that, Julien uses high angular/contrast imaging techniques extensively, mainly in the infrared and from the ground.
After completing a Master in Instrumentation Physics from the University of Utah in 2000, he obtained a 2nd Master in Astrophysics at UJF/IPAG ( Grenoble) the next year and his PhD in 2005 (UCBL/Observatoire de Lyon), validating the concept of polychromatic laser guide star on-sky. Before ESO, he also spent 3 years in Mexico City as a Postdoctoral Fellow at UNAM and as Assistant Professor at IPN. Enjoying public outreach, Julien is one of the ESO Photo Ambassadors.

Fields of interests:

• Planets and Star Formation (Exoplanets, Brown Dwarfs, Disks)
• Adaptive Optics and High Contrast Imaging
• Astronomical Instrumentation and Observing Techniques/Strategies

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