Chief Scientific Officer, Plan-S Satellite and Space Technologies
Dr Umut Yildiz
Dr Umut Yildiz
Dr Umut Yildiz is a distinguished astrophysicist currently working at the Plan-S Satellite and Space Technologies as the Chief Scientific Officer. He holds a Ph.D. in Astrophysics from Leiden University, a Master’s in Astronomy from the University of Groningen, and a Bachelor’s in Astronomy and Space Sciences from Ankara University. Before his post at Plan-S, he was at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory for 10 years where he participated critical projects in deep space telecommunications, including frequency allocations for new deep space missions and radio frequency interference analyses for NASA. has held postdoctoral positions at both NASA/JPL and Leiden University. His research includes the study of various molecules in the interstellar medium, star formation, and protostellar environments, resulting in numerous high-impact publications in renowned scientific journals. As a principal or co-investigator, Dr. Yildiz has led many observational campaigns using world-class telescopes, including Herschel Space Observatory, SOFIA, JCMT, and APEX, etc. With a robust academic and professional background, Dr. Yildiz has earned several awards, including the Interplanetary Network Directorate Team Award at NASA and various research grants and fellowships. His extensive publication record, comprising over 54 refereed papers, underscores his contributions to astrophysics and space science.
