Astrophysicist Catherine Heymans has become the first woman to be appointed Astronomer Royal for Scotland since it was created almost 200 years ago. Heymans, who is based at University of Edinburgh, will become the eleventh person to hold the role after it became vacant in 2019 following the death of the incumbent John Campbell Brown, who held the position since 1995.

Heymans has a DPhil in astrophysics from the University of Oxford and, following postdoctoral positions in Germany and Canada, moved to the University of Edinburgh in 2008. Since 2019 she has held a joint position at Ruhr-University Bochum as director of its German Centre for Cosmological Lensing.

I hope to be able to demonstrate that science is for everyone

Catherine Heymans

Created in 1834, the position of Astronomer Royal for Scotland was originally held by the director of the Royal Observatory in Edinburgh. Since 1995, however, it has been awarded as an honorary title. Heymans was recommended to the Queen for the role by an international panel that was organized by the Royal Society of Edinburgh. She is expected to officially begin the position in the coming days following the signing of the official Royal Warrant.

Astronomy for all

Heymans told Physics World that it is an “honour” to have been appointed not only the first female Astronomer Royal for Scotland but also the first female for all the Astronomer Royal positions in the UK. Heymans adds that she wants to use the position to show girls that science is an “amazing, creative and innovative career, and absolutely for them”.

Heymans, who has given numerous popular talks about her research including in 2013 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Physics World, says that John Campbell Brown especially used the role to engage with the public, something that she would like to carry on. “Science is such a thought-provoking subject, yet so many people are scared of it,” she says. “I hope to be able to demonstrate that science is for everyone, irrespective of gender, age, (dis)ability, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation – it doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from – the universe is for everyone.”

Indeed, one of Heymans’ first initiatives will be to install telescopes at all of Scotland’s remote outdoor learning centres that are visited by school pupils. “My hope is that once that spark and connection with the universe is made, children will carry that excitement home with them and develop a life-long passion for astronomy or, even better, science as a whole,” she says.

UK Astronomer Royal Martin Rees says that Heymans’ appointment is “excellent news”. “She is a distinguished successor to her predecessors in this role and I wish her a long and successful tenure,” he adds.

• A free-to-read Physics World Discovery ebook by Catherine Heymans about the dark universe is available here.