Anton Zensus
Astrophysicist.
exploring the universe.
bridging continents.
thinking at the horizon.
I helped lead the global collaboration behind the first image of a black hole. Today, I work to sustain scientific cooperation across borders in an era of geopolitical tension.
- Director Emeritus, Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy
- Honorary Professor, University of Cologne
- Principal Investigator, ERC Advanced Grant M2FINDERS — black hole jet physics
- Chair, North America Roundtable, Max Planck Society
- Advisor on international scientific cooperation and research policy
- Member, Atlantik-Brücke
- Scientific Member and Director, Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy (1997–2026)
- Founding Chair, Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration Board
- Leadership of European and global radio astronomy collaborations and major research infrastructures
- Founder, International Max Planck Research School for Astronomy & Astrophysics
- personal honors and distinctions include
- Karl Schwarzschild Prize 2026, Goethe University Frankfurt
- Karl Schwarzschild Medal 2024, German Astronomical Society
- Tycho Brahe Medal 2023, European Astronomical Society
- ERC Advanced Grant 2021
- Max Planck Research Prize for International Cooperation 1999
- Alexander von Humboldt Research Prize 1994
- EHT Collaboration awards include
- Breakthrough Prize for Fundamental Physics 2019
- Einstein Medal of the Swiss Albert Einstein Society 2019
perspectives.
impact.
Discovery.
For most of human history, black holes could only be inferred — never seen.
In 2019, we changed that. The first image revealed the shadow of a black hole 55 million light-years away, with a mass of 6.5 billion suns. Capturing it required an Earth-sized telescope — and decades of scientific and technological innovation. Working with my team and international partners, I helped advance Very Long Baseline Interferometry and establish the global Event Horizon Telescope collaboration that made the image possible.
The questions that led to this discovery continue to drive my research. Through my ERC Advanced Grant M2FINDERS, we investigate magnetic fields and the launching of relativistic jets near supermassive black holes.
collaboration.
Much of my career has been devoted to building collaborations — connecting researchers, observatories, and institutions across national boundaries to pursue shared scientific goals.
I have learned that trust takes time to build, and that sustaining cooperation can be as demanding as achieving the science itself.
responsibility.
Scientific experience brings responsibility beyond one’s own research.
Today, I contribute to international dialogue and institutional advice on scientific freedom, research security, and cooperation under geopolitical pressure.
How can we preserve openness while addressing legitimate security concerns? And how do we sustain scientific ties when political relations become strained?
engagement.
advisory. lectures.
I advise research institutions and scientific leaders on strategy, governance, and international cooperation.
Having directed a major research institute and worked extensively in international science governance, I bring an independent perspective grounded in practical experience and a long-term view.
I give invited lectures on my astrophysical research, international collaboration, and the wider challenges facing global science.
mentoring. supervision.
I work with researchers and scientific leaders on career decisions, leadership responsibilities, and professional challenges.
I draw on my own experience, listen carefully, and offer reflection and candid feedback. My approach is informed by certified training in systemic coaching and supervision.
in the media.
Selected interviews, lectures, and media contributions.
- Terra X Lesch & Co LIVE: Das erste Foto von Sagittarius A*! Mit Reinhard Genzel und Anton Zensus
- Das Unsichtbare sichtbar machen - Bilder von Schwarzen Löchern von Anton Zensus
- Radio Views: EHT Image of the Black Hole in SgrA* - MPIfR scientists tell the story
- European Southern Observatory (ESO): Unveiling Sgr A*, the black hole at the centre of our galaxy
- Anton Zensus on defending science funding
- An astounding coincidence with theory | April 10, 2019 | Max-Planck-Gesellschaft
- Spellbound by the Black Hole | Humboldt Kosmos 111/2020 (english)
- Im Bann des Schwarzen Lochs | Humboldt Kosmos 111/2020 (deutsch)
- Big Techday 22: Making the Invisible Visible - Imaging Black Holes - Prof. Dr. J. Anton Zensus
contact.
Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy
Prof. Dr. J. Anton Zensus
With gratitude to the global community of scientists, engineers, and institutions whose work continues beyond any individual.
