Glenn van de Ven

© private

Stellar dynamicist Glenn van de Ven and his research group at the Department of Astrophysics focuses on understanding the structure and evolution of nearby galaxies and stellar clusters. They construct advanced dynamical models to infer the luminous and dark matter distribution in these stellar systems, as well as to uncover the 'fossil record' of their formation history. Within the ERC-funded project ArcheoDyn, his team aims to unlock the full potential of globular clusters as living fossils of the past of galaxies. Globular clusters are compact stellar systems of around a million stars which can be observed out to large distances surrounding galaxies like a halo of fireflies. Since globular clusters are typically as old as the Universe, they are thus surviving witnesses to the formation history of their host galaxies.