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Mirel Birlan
Mirel Birlan https://asteroidday-uploads.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/24130112/Capture-decran-2024-06-24-a-13.00.59.png 441 246 Asteroid Day https://asteroidday-uploads.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/24130112/Capture-decran-2024-06-24-a-13.00.59.png
Mirel Birlan began his career as an astronomer at the Astronomical Institute of the Romanian Academy,in 1991. In 1997 he defended the PhD thesis « Physical properties and dynamics of objects without atmosphere of the solar system », at the Paris Observatory. In 2001 he was hired by the National Center for Scientific Research in one of its research units at Paris Observatory. In 2021 he takes over as director of the Astronomical Institute of the Romanian Academy. Mirel Birlan is the author of more than 150 scientific articles in astronomy and planetology, the majority with subjects related to asteroids. He is the coordinator of doctoral theses in astronomy and planetology. Mirel Birlan is the author of three books for children, and also an active participant in the popularization of astronomy in the written press as well as on radio and television, in France and Romania. Since 2001, asteroid number 10034 has been named Birlan.