Dr. Josep Maria Trigo-Rodríguez, PhD

Astrophysicist, Tenured Scientist (CSIC)

MAILING ADDRESS: Institute of Space Sciences (CSIC-IEEC), Campus UAB, Facultat de Ciencies, Torre C5-parell, 2a, 08193 Bellaterra (Barcelona).

  • E-mail: trigo@ieec.uab.es
  • Telephone: 34 + 935814778
  • Fax: 34 + 935814363

    This page was last updated on Nov. 23, 2009

    EDUCATION

    Degree in Physics (1997), University of Valencia (Spain)

    Ph.D. Cum Laude, Theoretical Physics, speciality Astrophysics (2002), University of Valencia.

    SUCCINT BIOGRAPHY

    Josep M. Trigo-Rodriguez was born in Valencia (Spain) on July 3, 1970 into a family of artists. He was the second, and last son of the famous painter Julio Trigo CAMPOY married with Maria Gloria Rodriguez Sánchez. Josep grew in an environment of great interest for the arts and sciences, and he was deeply marked by Isaac Asimov, Josep Comas Solà, and Carl Sagan readings. In fact, together with his parents, his eleven-years older brother Xulio Ricardo Trigo , a brilliant poet and novelist, marked Josep's interest in literature, and science popularization.

    After two years collaborating as science journalist, in 1990 Josep got a job in the Castelló Planetarium, where he spent thirteen years working in the development of programs, and public outreach. The last four years he was also working as associate professor in the University Jaume I of Castelló, giving lectures on Thermodynamics and Physics. In the meantime, Dr. Trigo-Rodríguez obtained his degree in Physics for the University of Valencia in 1997, his Ph.D. degree in Theoretical Physics (Astrophysics) in 2002 under the direction of Prof. Jordi Llorca (UPC) and Prof. Juan Fabregat (UV), and also wrote several books to popularize astronomy. In 2003 he obtained a Spanish grant that allowed him to continue his carrier in a postdoctoral position at the Institute of Geophysics & Planetary Physics of the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) under the supervision of Prof. John Wasson, and Dr. Alan Rubin. After almost three years working on primitive meteorites (carbonaceous chondrites) he returned in 2006 to Spain with a JdC grant in order to join the Institute of Space Sciences (CSIC-IEEC) in Barcelona where he is currently working with a JAE-Doc position of Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC). Recently he got a permanent position as tenured scientist of CSIC in the Institute of Space Sciences . Trigo-Rodriguez current research focuses in the formation of primitive solar system minor bodies (comets and asteroids), the study of their fragments in space (dust, meteoroids) and the analysis and characterization of their surviving rocks arrived to the Earth (meteorites). These “minor bodies” provide clues on the origin of the solar system because were retentive of the chemical and isotopic conditions prevailing in the early Solar System.

    CURRENT RESEARCH INTERESTS

  • Primordial materials preserved in primitive meteorites: presolar grains, Calcium Aluminum-rich Inclusions (CAIs), chondrules, radioactive nuclides, etc...

  • Astrophysical environment of solar system formation. Water, and aqueous alteration processes in primitive meteorites: carbonaceous chondrites.

  • Stellar sources contributing to build the Solar System starting materials

  • Cosmochemistry. Formation conditions of primitive bodies: asteroids and comets.

  • Photometry and spectroscopy of comets and asteroids.

  • Meteoroid orbits. Search for parent bodies: NEOs, MBAs, and dormant comets.

  • Meteor spectroscopy. Chemical abundances of cometary meteoroids

    • PUBLICATIONS

    Peer-review journals where I have published my research: Science, Astrophysical Journal, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Astronomy & Astrophysics, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, Meteoritics & Planetary Science, Geophysical Research Letters, Icarus, Planetary & Space Science, Earth Moon and Planets, Advances in Space Research, etc...

    Search of my publications by using the Smithsonian/NASA Astrophysical Data System (ADS)

  • Ph.D. Thesis

  • Refereed articles (peer-reviewed)

  • Conference proceedings (published)

  • Unrefereed articles

  • Selected popular publications

  • Published books

    • REVIEWER OF SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS

    Dr. Trigo-Rodríguez has been reviewer of the following peer-reviewed international journals: Advances in Space Research, The Astronomical Journal, Astronomy & Astrophysics, Earth, Moon and Planets, Icarus, Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics, Meteoritics and Planetary Science, Planetary and Space Science, and Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan.

    PARTICIPATION IN RESEARCH PROJECTS

  • Gamma ray astrophysics in the MeV range: a challenge for instrumentation and an essential window for nuclear astrophysics. Code: AYA2008-01839, Plan Nacional I+D+I 2008-2011. (P.I. Dra. Margarida Hernanz)

  • Preparation of the Spanish Participation in the Gamma Ray Imager mission: Gamma astronomy of high precision. Code: ESP2007-61593. Plan Nacional I+D+I 2007-2008. (P.I. Dra. Margarida Hernanz)

  • Scientific exploitation of BOOTES y BOOTES-IR. The discovery and study of the farest objects in the Universe with robotic instruments in the near-IR. Programa Nacional de Astronomía y Astrofísica, Plan Nacional de Investigación Científica, AYA 2004-01515. Duration: 2004-2007. (PI: Dr. Alberto J. Castro Tirado )

  • The discovery and study of the farest objects in the Universe with robotic instruments in the near-IR. Development of the Burst Observer and Optical Transient Exploring System in the near-Infrared (BOOTES-IR). Programa Nacional de Astronomía y Astrofísica, Plan Nacional de Investigación Científica. Duration: 2002-2004. (P.I. Dr. Alberto J. Castro Tirado)

  • He is also coordinating the scientific exploitation of the Spanish Fireball Network

    • REVIEWER OF INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCILS

  • United Kingdom Research Council. Assessment of Astronomy and Cosmochemistry funding grants.

  • National Research Council Canada. Assessment of Astronomy & Space Sciences funding grants.

  • Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. Assessment of Astronomy funding grants.

  • Proyectos Junta de Andalucia, Spain. Assessment of Astronomy funding grants.

    • SCIENTIFIC AFFILIATIONS

    Member of:
  • "International Astronomical Union (IAU)"
  • "The Meteoritical Society"
  • "Sociedad Española de Astronomía (SEA)"
  • "Real Sociedad Española de Física (RSEF)"
  • Founding member of the International Meteor Organization (IMO)

    • PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH TEAMS

  • Stardust PET associated researcher (NASA): study of 81P/Wild 2 particles, and interstellar particles preserved in aerogel collectors on board the Stardust spacecraft

  • International Space Science Institute (ISSI) project: Interaction of large bolides with the Earth's atmosphere

  • Participation in Leonid MAC missions (NASA)

    • GRANTS

  • Years 2003-2005. Spanish Ministry of Education postdoctoral grant to investigate the presence of water and other volatile elements during the formation of the Earth and the Solar System at the Inst. Geophysics & Planetary Physics, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA).

  • Year 2000. Predoctoral grant from the Catalan Research Foundation (Fundació Catalana per la Recerca) to be trained in spectroscopy at the Ondrejov Observatory, Czech Academy of Sciences.

    • AWARDS

  • XIII Scientific Award “Casa de las Ciencias de La Coruña” for popularizing Science in Spain (2000). Prize for his paper “A control over pseudoscience” published in the Spanish translation of La Recherche (Mundo Científico) with a special mention for its originality.

  • III Scientific Award REAL SOCIEDAD ESPAÑOLA DE FÍSICA in the popularization of science section (2002). Honorary mention for his work “The colossal death of Supernovas" for the quality of the article and the author's contribution to the popularization of science. Paper published in the Spanish translation of La Recherche (Mundo Científico).

  • National Prize of Universitary Edition under the category of best electronic edition for his book and DVD entitled: "The solar system: our small corner in the Milky Way" (2004) published by the Univ. Jaume I (in Spanish). Book in coauthory with Dr. Jordi Llorca (inclosed DVD with J. Llorca, Jose V. Casado and Pablo Biazzi).

    • OTHER TASKS PROMOTING ASTRONOMY

  • Member of the General Council of the Liga Iberoamericana de Astronomia (LIADA) since December 2004.
  • Co-coordinator Meteor Section of the Liga Iberoamericana de Astronomia (LIADA).
  • Founding member and President of the Spanish Society of Meteor and Cometary Observers (SOMYCE) over the period 1988-1992.
  • Meteor Section Coordinator of the Valencia Astronomical Association (AVA) over the period 1985-1993.

    • E-mail:Ph.D. Josep M. Trigo (IEEC-CSIC).