
Alicia M. Sintes
She is a theoretical physicist with a strong background in relativity, cosmology and gravitational wave astronomy. She began her research career at the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), receiving her “Licenciatura” in 1992 and doctorate in 1996. She continued as Marie Curie Fellow and later as a senior postdoctoral researcher the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics in Germany. Her research focuses on the field of gravitational wave astronomy. She is an expert in the comissioning of interferometric detectors, and in the search for gravitational waves from neutron stars and black holes binary systems.
She joined the LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC) and GEO collaboration in 1997. She was among the first members in the “Astrophysical Source Identification and Signatures (ASIS) working group”. In 2002 she joined the relativity group at UIB as an associate professor, and since then she has been the principal investigator for the UIB group’s participation within the LSC, member of the LIGO-LSC council and of GEO executive committee. She is also member of the LISA Consortium and of Einstein Telescope Science Team. Currently, she is the leader of the Gravitational Physics group at UIB and secretary of the Institute of Applied Computing and Community Code (IAC3). She is also member of the Institut d’Estudis Espacials de Catalunya (IEEC), the Institut Menorquí d’Estudis (IME), and a Severo Ochoa research associate at the Instituto de Física Teórica (UAM-CSIC) Madrid
Sintes has served as co-chair of the LIGO-Virgo continuous waves data analysis search group (2016-2018), the LISA parameter estimation task force (2007-2010), and the GEO detector characterization working group (2001-2004). Furthermore, she has been member of the European Space Agency’s Fundamental Physics Advisory Group (2007-2009) and of the Fundamental Physics Roadmap Advisory Team (2009-2010) developing recommendations on the Cosmic Vision program. She was member of the G8 group of the “Red de infraestructuras de Astronomía” (2007-2009) and of the “Red de Interlocutores Universitarios” for the “7th Programa Marco, grupo de Seguridad y Espacio, del Servicio Europa I+D de la CRUE” in 2006. She has also been a member of the board of directors of the “Sociedad Española de Gravitación” since its foundation in 2003 until 2007. Currently she is a member of the Nominating Committee of the ISGRG, of the LIGO Science Program Committee, the LIGO Data Analysis Council, and editor of the journal Astroparticle Physics.
Sintes was named “Filla Predilecta de Sant Lluís” in 2018 and she has received many awards including the “Premio Ramon Llull 2017” from the Balearic Islands Government, “Premio Jaume II 2016” by Consell de Mallorca, the “Medalla de Oro de Palma 2017, the ‘Bartomeu Oliver’ 2018 of the Obra Cultural Balear, “Premio Sincronizados” from Agencia SINC, member of the “Selección Española de Ciencia 2018” from QUO and CSIC. Co-awarded the 2016 Gruber Cosmology Prize (Gruber Fundation of Yale University) and Physics World 2016 Breakthrough of the Year Milner Fundation), and the 2017 Princess of Asturias Award among others.
Awards
- Sintes awarded the ‘Bartomeu Oliver’ 2018 de los premios ’31 de diciembre’ de La Obra Cultural Balear (OCB).
- Sintes member of the “Selección Española de Ciencia 2018” from QUO and CSIC for her involvement in the gravitational waves (November 2018).
- Sintes awarded with “Premio Sincronizados” from Agencia SINC for her involvement in science communication and outreach activities (November 2018).
- Sintes named “Filla Predilecta de Sant Lluís” (July 2018).
- Sintes awarded with the Rotary Ramón Llull award from The Rotary Club (2018).
- The Socialists of Mallorca deliver the Maria Plaza 2018 award to the 11FBaleares platform to highlight the work and involvement of people and organisations in the struggle for gender equality.
- As member of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration, the Relativity group has taken part in the 2017 Princess of Asturias Award, Physics World 2017 Breakthrough of the Year, among other international mentions.
- The Relativity group has been awarded with the “Medalla de Oro de Palma 2017” for its collaboration in gravitational waves detection, a project led by the LIGO Scientific Collaboration whose founders have received the Nobel Prize in Physics (2017) and the Princess of Asturias Award (2017).
- Dra. Sintes has been awarded with “Premio Ramon Llull 2017” from the Balearic Islands Goverment and “Premio Diario de Mallorca 2017” for her scientific career.
- Dra. Sintes and Dr. Husa have been awarded with “Premio Ciudadanos Europeos del Año” from the European Citizens of the Balearic Islands Association in recognition of their research career (2017).
- “Premio Protagonista de la Vida Menorquina” in Social Activities to Alicia Sintes from Diario de Menorca (2017).
- Co-awarded the 2016 Gruber Cosmology Prize (Gruber Fundation of Yale University) and Physics World 2016 Breakthrough of the Year Milner Fundation).
- Dra. Sintes has received the 2016 Menorca Award for equality in its fifth edition for “her example of the incorporation of women in research, teaching and management of Science”.
- “Premio Onda Cero Mallorca 2016” to the Relativity group, led by the researcher Alicia Sintes, for being the only spanish group that collaborates in Advanced LIGO project for detecting gravitational waves.
- Dra. Sintes has been awarded with “Premio Onda Cero Menorca 2016“.
- “Premio Jaume II 2016” to the Relativity group by Consell de Mallorca, for its participation in the discovery of gravitational waves through LIGO Scientific Collaboration.