A few back-links:
 | O.H.'s page | IfA | ESO | La Silla | NTT | Comments? | 

Curriculum Vitae

Full name: Olivier Raoul Waltère Jean-Pierre Marie Vivien HAINAUT   
Date of birth:  September 15, 1966.
Place of birth:  Montegnée, Liège, Belgium.
Nationality:  Belgian.
 
Family status:  Married to Marie-Claire Rouelle, 
on Septembre 9, 1989; 
no children.
Professional address:  European Southern Observatory 
Alonso de Cordova 3107 
Casilla 19001 
Santiago 19 
Chile 
Phone +56 2 463 3000
Fax: +56 2 463 3001
email: ohainaut at eso.org
skype: ohainaut

Employments:

April 1998 -- present  Astronomer at the European Southern Observatory
2005-: Head of Paranal Science Operation Department
2002-2004: Head of La Silla Science Operation Department
1998-2002: La Silla, Leader of the Team operating the 3.58m New Technology Telescope. 

Main subject of Research: 

  • Physical properties of Trans-Neptunian Objects
  • Activity in very distant comets
  • Physical properties of cometary nuclei
Jul.--Aug. 1998 Maitre de Conference at the Observatoir de Paris / Meudon, in the DESPA group 
 
Oct. 1997 -- March 1998  Post-doctoral fellow at the European Southern Observatory, La Silla; 2P2Team 
 
Oct. 1994 -- Oct. 1997  Post-doctoral fellow at the Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii. 

Main subjects of research: 

  • Activity in very distant comets; 
  • Extremely distant minor planets; 
  • Cometary activity of minor platets. 
Aug. 1992 -- Sep. 1994:  ``Ph. D. Student'' at the Science Department of the European Southern Observatory (E.S.O.), Garching bei Munchen, Germany. 
Main subjects of research (under the supervision of Dr. R.M. West): 
  • Activity in very distant comets; 
  • Extremely distant minor planets; 
  • Cometary activity of minor platets. 
July 1992 -- Aug. 1992:  Research assistant at the Institut d'Astrophysique de Liège, Service of the Pr. Houziaux, Department of the Observers, in collaboration with Dr. J. surdej. 
 
Oct. 1989 -- June 1992:  ``Coopérant'' at the Science Department of the European Southern Observatory (E.S.O.), La Silla, Chile. 
Main subjects of research (under the supervision of Drs. R.M. West and J. Surdej): 
  • Activity in very distant comets; 
  • Photometry and modelling of asteroids; 
  • Participation in ESO's key program on gravitational lensing, especially the monitoring aspect. 
Jul. 1989:  Astronomy and astrophysics teaching for the belgian ``Jeunesse Scientifique'' (``scientific younth'', a nation-wide summer-school) 
 
Jan. 1989:  Full-time collaborator of Prof. A. Monfils (I.A.L. Space), calibration and tests of the ISO satellite. 
 
Oct. 1988 -- Feb. 1989:  Fellowship from ``Fondation C. Héla'': 
full-time research under supervision of Dr. J. Surdej in the group of Prof. L. Houziaux (Institut d'Astrophysique, University of Liège). 
Main subjects of research: 
  • Modelling of asteroids; 
  • participation in ESO's key program on gravitational lensing. 
Oct. 1986 -- July 1988:  Part-time collaborator of Prof. Y. Lion (University of Liège): 
Research in holography and students' laboratories. 

Education

June 1984:  Baccalauréat C (Mathematics, Physics), 
Distinction, 
Lycée Polyvalent de Mirecourt (France). 
July 1988:  License in Physical Sciences (equ. Master's Degree), 
La plus grande Distinction (equ. Summa cum laude), 
Universtité de Liège (Belgium). 
Thesis: Méthode de modélisation d'astéroïdes 
(rewarded the Prix Génard 1987-1988). 
September 1988:  Agrégation de l'Enseignement Secondaire Supérieur , 
Distinction, 
Université de Liège (Belgium). 
October 1994:  Doctorat en Science, section Physique (equ. Ph.D. in Astronomy), 
La plus grande Distinction (equ. Summa cum laude) 
Universtité de Liège (Belgium). 
Thesis:& Selected observational studies of minor bodies in the Solar System 

Experience

Research Related:
Astronomical Observations:  Extensive experience imaging (CCD and photographic), ultra-deep imaging (CCD on 6m and 10m telescopes), in photometry (visible and IR photo-electric and CCD), spectroscopy (long slit) of a broad range of moving and non-moving objects (comets, asteroids, planets, galaxies, quasars including gravitational lenses, extremely faint objects as very distant comets...), on many ESO (Chile), MKO (Hawaii, USA) and BTA (Zelentchukskaja, CEI), gathered during 10 years as resident astronomer of major observatories. 
 
Image processing and data reduction:  Extensive experience of CCD astronomical data processing (using specialized languages like MIDAS as well as personal FORTRAN programs), including images, long slit spectra, photometry. Some special programs were developped to deal with images of very faint moving objects. 
 
Computer science:  Very good knowledge of FORTRAN, and solid experience with Basic, Pascal and some specialized languages on IBM mainframes, VAXes, UNIX workstations, PCs... 
& Good experience using and modifying ``StarCat'', the Space Telescope Archive and Catalogue database. 
 
 

Other:
Management and Organization Managing a team of ~15 people, which is in charge of the operation of a major telescope (3.6m NTT at ESO), including organizational and budget decision. 
Participation in the organization of large international conferences (DPS '95, 600 participants, MetSoc 97, 250 participants).
Public relations and outreach Coordination of the press contacts during a major astronomical event (collision between comet SL9 and Jupiter, July 1994), including organization of several press conferences, video conferences, many interviews... plus many TV, radio, newspaper interviews concerning several astronomical events. 
Participation in the organization and execution of a large educational workshop (TOPS-95), aimed at encouraging the teaching of astronomy in high school.
Languages: 
  • French: mother tongue 
  • English: very good 
  • Spanish: very good 
  • German: survival 
 

Last Update: 1998-Dec-20