189
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
F. Sánchez, The Rise of Astrophysics in Modern Spain, Astronomers’ Universe,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-66426-8_19
19
Training Future Generations: The Canary
Islands Winter School of Astrophysics
(1989–Present)
As I have mentioned previously, one of our basic strategic axes from the beginning of astrophysics in the Canaries has been to provide astrophysicists and
technologists with training and skills—a key feature that has permitted us to
exploit efficiently the natural resource of the summits of these islands. What
is most pleasing is that this drive to educate has progressively extended to all
of Spain, producing benefits well known to all, as described in Chaps.
8 and 24.
Let us turn now to a somewhat different training initiative: an astrophysics
school different from other well-known summer schools. The Canary Islands
Winter School of Astrophysics has a number of peculiarities that render it
very attractive. This annual event for young astrophysicists worldwide is now
a tradition looked forward to each winter by the international astronomical
community. Begun in 1989, it has been a lasting success and has, at the time
of writing, reached its thirty-first anniversary. Its fame has permitted us to
invite as lecturers the best experts in every field and, because of the intense
competition among potential students, only the best are invited to attend.
Some of the students of the earlier schools have returned as lecturers in later
years. We can claim with pride that several of the most distinguished of today’s
astrophysicists have passed through this winter school.
This annual winter school, organized by the IAC, is aimed at doctoral students and recent PhDs from all over the world. An attempt is made to bring
together the best young researchers and the best scientific authorities to tackle
a burning topic in present-day astrophysics. All those attending, both students and lecturers, are accommodated in the same hotel for two weeks in
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
F. Sánchez, The Rise of Astrophysics in Modern Spain, Astronomers’ Universe,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-66426-8_19
19
Training Future Generations: The Canary
Islands Winter School of Astrophysics
(1989–Present)
As I have mentioned previously, one of our basic strategic axes from the beginning of astrophysics in the Canaries has been to provide astrophysicists and
technologists with training and skills—a key feature that has permitted us to
exploit efficiently the natural resource of the summits of these islands. What
is most pleasing is that this drive to educate has progressively extended to all
of Spain, producing benefits well known to all, as described in Chaps.
8 and 24.
Let us turn now to a somewhat different training initiative: an astrophysics
school different from other well-known summer schools. The Canary Islands
Winter School of Astrophysics has a number of peculiarities that render it
very attractive. This annual event for young astrophysicists worldwide is now
a tradition looked forward to each winter by the international astronomical
community. Begun in 1989, it has been a lasting success and has, at the time
of writing, reached its thirty-first anniversary. Its fame has permitted us to
invite as lecturers the best experts in every field and, because of the intense
competition among potential students, only the best are invited to attend.
Some of the students of the earlier schools have returned as lecturers in later
years. We can claim with pride that several of the most distinguished of today’s
astrophysicists have passed through this winter school.
This annual winter school, organized by the IAC, is aimed at doctoral students and recent PhDs from all over the world. An attempt is made to bring
together the best young researchers and the best scientific authorities to tackle
a burning topic in present-day astrophysics. All those attending, both students and lecturers, are accommodated in the same hotel for two weeks in