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Tim De Zeeuw, Director-General, European Southern Observatory, Garching, Germany Hub of Alternative Energy

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Tim De Zeeuw, Director-General, European Southern Observatory, Garching, Germany Hub of Alternative Energy CAREER VIEW NATURE|Vol 446|1 March 2007 MOVERS BRICKS & MORTAR Tim de Zeeuw, director-general, European Southern Observatory, Garching, Germany Hub of alternative energy The Energy Biosciences Institute isn’t research, says Keasling. The main built yet, but it is already transforming thrust for Illinois will be feedstock 2003–07: Director, Leiden the field of renewable energy and development of potential energy Observatory, Leiden, the creating new research positions for crops, including switch grass, and Netherlands scientists. The US$500-million assessing their environmental impact. 1993–2007: Director, agreement was announced on It plans to fund at least three faculty Netherlands Research School 8 February by energy giant BP with positions as well as the 30–45 for Astronomy (NOVA), the University of California, Berkeley, postdocs and postgraduate support Leiden, the Netherlands the Lawrence Berkeley National staff supported by BP. Participants at 1990–2007: Professor of Laboratory (LBNL) and the University Illinois will use the new Institute for theoretical astronomy, Leiden of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Genomic Biology, designed for cross- University, the Netherlands At least 25 research groups — disciplinary research. comprising some 200 scientists, “One of the reasons BP wanted to technicians, postdocs and graduate do this is the lack of trained scientists students — will need a broad range in biofuels development,” says While fighting the third-year PhD blues at Leiden University of expertise. Interest is already high, Fleming Graham, deputy director of in the Netherlands, Tim de Zeeuw, a student in theoretical and recruitment will begin later this the LBNL. But some have met BP’s astronomy, came across an intriguing problem. Until then, year. Topics include synthetic biology, involvement with scepticism (see galaxies were assumed to have similar elliptical shapes. plant genetic engineering, functional Nature 445, 688; 2007). “When “But new observations at the time showed the shapes were genomics, microbiology, biochemistry a university and a national lab get not as symmetric as scientists once thought,” he says. and even carbon sequestration in a involved with a big company, Over three years, he worked with astronomer Martin comprehensive, carbon-neutral sometimes hackles can be raised,” Schwarzschild, based at Princeton University, New Jersey, approach to biofuel development. acknowledges Graham, although he who was developing numerical models to describe one “This is like the Manhattan Project adds that the response so far has particular galaxy shape. In 1982, de Zeeuw offered an for bioenergy,” says one of the project’s largely been positive. explanation for the full orbital structure and variety of coordinators Jay Keasling. Lee Lynd, a The Energy Biosciences Institute observed motions for the entire range of possible galaxy biofuels expert at Dartmouth College is likely to have a strong influence shapes — complementing Schwarzschild’s approach. The in Hanover, New Hampshire, estimates on future biofuels development. experience spurred him to seek more new observations that the project roughly doubles the Meanwhile, Graham and others are that led to interesting problems. cumulative investment in energy already seeking federal funding for a He later went to the Institute for Advanced Study in biotechnology worldwide. separate, six-partner Joint Bioenergy Princeton, New Jersey, to do theoretical work detailing the One focus will be on developing Institute, in the hope of making structure of galaxies. Next he and his wife, astrophysicist energy-producing crops. Berkeley California’s Bay Area the world leader Ewine van Dishoeck, moved to the California Institute of wants to hire seven new faculty in fundamental energy research. ■ Technology. In 1990 they accepted offers from Leiden members, particularly in plant-based Virginia Gewin University, where de Zeeuw helped to create a research school, NOVA, from existing astronomy departments. Now proud of the school’s success, he admits that “you never POSTDOC JOURNAL know with new initiatives — whether to go for it and put the energy in or not”. As director of NOVA, de Zeeuw secured ten years’ funding from the Netherlands Ministry of On resilience Education, Culture and Science. He also served on advisory If doing cutting-edge research is like running a marathon, then in the field of committees for the Hubble Space Telescope — a pivotal molecular biology, DNA cloning — inserting known sequences of DNA into an move that fostered excellent relations with US scientists. organism to amplify them — is the equivalent of tying your shoelaces. A basic In the mid-1990s, he helped garner international support skill that you learn as an undergraduate, DNA cloning is usually the starting to build a replacement instrument for the William Herschel point for getting more complex experiments up and running. This procedure is Telescope in the Canary Islands, which was earmarked for a familiar routine. So when I recently encountered a problem it was like falling retirement. Dubbed SAURON, the instrument surveys over my own two feet. I was surprised and embarrassed. spectra across galaxies to study galaxy formation. That Getting my momentum back was a process. First there was denial: “This experience spurred de Zeeuw to design other instruments. can’t be happening.” Then came anger: “*$#!#*&%! protocol!” Bargaining From September, he will be director-general of the and abject begging followed: “Please, just let this experiment work…” Next European Southern Observatory (ESO). “Tim’s international came depression: “I’m never going to finish this project — my career is over.” experience puts him in a good position to lead the ESO, And, finally, acceptance settled in: “It’s time to re-evaluate my strategy and a European organization that operates globally,” says to move on.” Richard Wade, president of the ESO council. I had to get back on track after being thrown off course by this unexpected obstacle. Despite a slightly bruised ego, I picked myself up, dusted myself His first challenge will be to complete the Atacama Large down and kept going, and my resilience paid off. Relief and redemption came Millimetre Array (ALMA) in Chile on time and on budget. in the form of small bacterial colonies. Back on my feet, I’m up and running By fostering new opportunities to learn about the formation once again. ■ of stars and planets, ALMA could be as transformational as Maria Thelma Ocampo-Hafalla is a research fellow at Cancer Research UK’s London ■ the Hubble telescope, says de Zeeuw. Research Institute. Virginia Gewin 106.
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