Mirjana Pović (born 8 August 1981) is a Serbian astrophysicist who works on galaxy formation and evolution at the Ethiopian Space Science and Technology Institute. She was the inaugural laureate of the Nature - Estée Lauder Inspiring Science Award.

Early life and education

Pović was born in Pančevo, Serbia. ^[1] She was only nine years old when the war in Serbia began. ^[2] She became interested in astronomy as a child, and hitchhiked to attend her classes. ^{[3] [4] [5]} She studied physics at the University of Belgrade, where she was awarded a full scholarship and earned her degree in 2005. ^[1] She was awarded a summer scholarship to study astrophysics at Durham University in 2004. ^[1] She earned her doctoral degree at the University of La Laguna, working with the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC). ^[6] For her doctorate she used the XMM-Newton and Chandra X-ray Observatories. Pović defended her thesis on active galactic nuclei in 2010. ^[7] During her PhD she volunteered in Tanzania and Kenya, and became "amazed by Africa's beauty and diversity". ^[8] She was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2010, before returning to the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía in 2011. She became involved with the African Network for Astronomy School Education in 2012. ^[1] She began to volunteer with the Granada Association for Human Rights of Andalusia in 2012, specialising in prostitution and immigration. ^[9]

Research and career

Pović works on the formation and evolution of galaxies. ^{[10] [11]} To study these galaxies, Pović uses planetary surveys such as the Advanced Large Homogeneous Area Medium-Band Redshift Astronomical (ALHAMBRA). ^[12] She investigates the star formation rate and mass-metallicity. ^[13] She is an affiliated researcher at the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía. Pović joined the Association of Women Researchers and Technologists in 2013. ^[1]

In 2016 Pović joined the Entoto Observatory and Research Centre in Ethiopia. She believes that astronomy and space science will be important for Africa to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. ^{[14] [15]} She has been involved with the Ethiopian Space Science and Technology Institute (ESSTI) since it was established. ^[14] She is a Professor of Physics and Head of the Department of Astronomy. ^[16] She was responsible for training the first generation of postgraduate astronomy students in astronomy, including Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda. ^[16] There are over 100 members of staff, but only 5 with doctorates. ^[2] She is the only woman and only European member of the team. ^[17]

That year she began to coordinate the African countries program of the Network for Astronomy School Education in 2016. ^[1] She has taught physics across Africa, including in to orphans in Rwanda and HIV-positive people in Tanzania. ^{[5] [18]} She believes that scientists should spend more time connecting to the developing world. ^[19] She leads science clubs and lecture series for secondary-school girls in Ethiopia. ^[8]

Pović was awarded the 2019 Nature Research - Estée Lauder Inspiring Science Award. ^{[18] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25]} She has said she will use the €10,000 award money to build networks between women scientists in Ethiopia. ^{[8] [21]} She is a member of the International Astronomical Union. ^[15]

References