Université de Genève

The Department of Astronomy (aka Geneva Observatory) of the University of Geneva (UNIGE) is the largest Swiss actor in astrophysical sciences. Its research groups specialise in exoplanetary science, stellar physics, extragalactic astronomy and high-energy astrophysics. It is involved in nearly all ESA science missions and has a strong track-record in setting up and running data centres for these missions. UNIGE researchers have pioneered the research field of exoplanets, owing the 2019 Nobel prize in Physics to Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz. The exoplanet team, part of the National Centre for Competences in Research PlanetS, has strongly contributed to make Switzerland the world-leading place in exoplanet research. UNIGE researchers are builders and users of instruments equipping ground-based and space-borne telescopes. The Department of Astronomy is hosting and running the Science Operations Centre (upstream and downstream operations) of the first Swiss space telescope, the CHEOPS mission, making UNIGE the only academic actor with the responsibility to operate an ESA mission. CHEOPS (Characterising Exoplanets Satellite) is the first small mission of ESA; it results from a partnership between ESA and a consortium of 11 countries led by Switzerland.