{{Short description|German geophysicist}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}
'''Volker Liebig''' (born 3 September 1956) is a German geophysicist and honorary professor at the Institute of Space Systems at the University of Stuttgart.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.irs.uni-stuttgart.de/en/institute/team/Liebig/ |title=Hon.-Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Volker Liebig |website=Institute of Space Systems |publisher=University of Stuttgart |access-date=19 February 2024}}</ref>
From 2004 to 2016, he was Director of the European Space Agency's (ESA) Earth observation programmes and Head of the ESA Centre for Earth Observation (ESRIN) in Frascati near Rome.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2007/10/Volker_Liebig|title=Volker Liebig|website=www.esa.int|access-date=19 February 2024}}</ref>
During his tenure at ESA, the space component of the European environmental observation system Copernicus with the Sentinel satellites was established.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.dw.com/de/sentinel-hat-eine-neue-qualit%C3%A4t/video-17542819 |title=Sentinel hat eine neue "Qualität" |website=Deutsche Welle (DW) |date=4 April 2014 |access-date=19 February 2024}}</ref>
alt=Volker Liebig in 2018|right|200x200px
== Career == Liebig studied geophysics at LMU Munich.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.irs.uni-stuttgart.de/en/institute/team/Liebig/ |title=Hon.-Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Volker Liebig |website=Institute of Space Systems |publisher=University of Stuttgart |access-date=19 February 2024}}</ref>
He participated in the German Antarctic North Victoria Land Expedition (GANOVEX IV) in 1984/85, and his doctoral research included magnetotelluric measurements in Antarctica.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.irs.uni-stuttgart.de/en/institute/team/Liebig/ |title=Hon.-Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Volker Liebig |website=Institute of Space Systems |publisher=University of Stuttgart |access-date=19 February 2024}}</ref>
From 1993 to 2004 he held various management positions at the German Space Agency (DARA), which was merged in 1997 with the German Aerospace Center (DLR).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.irs.uni-stuttgart.de/en/institute/team/Liebig/ |title=Hon.-Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Volker Liebig |website=Institute of Space Systems |publisher=University of Stuttgart |access-date=19 February 2024}}</ref>
He has been teaching at the University of Stuttgart since 2002, and was appointed honorary professor in 2010.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.irs.uni-stuttgart.de/en/institute/team/Liebig/ |title=Hon.-Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Volker Liebig |website=Institute of Space Systems |publisher=University of Stuttgart |access-date=19 February 2024}}</ref>
Since leaving ESA, Liebig has also pursued artistic photography.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://swan-magazine.com/ausgabe-22-das-sind-die-kuenstler/ |title=Ausgabe 22 – Das sind die Künstler |website=Swan Magazine |language=de |access-date=19 February 2024}}</ref>
== Honours == * In 1985, a mountain spur in East Antarctica was named after him.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://data.aad.gov.au/aadc/gaz/scar/display_name.cfm?gaz_id=106980|title=SCAR Composite Gazetteer |website=data.aad.gov.au |publisher=Australian Antarctic Data Centre |access-date=19 February 2024}}</ref> * In 2018, the German Society for Aeronautics and Astronautics (DGLR) awarded him the Eugen Sänger Medal for his services to space-based Earth observation, meteorology and climate research and the development of the Sentinel satellite series.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.luftfahrtmagazin.de/info-news/dglr-ehrt-mr-sentinel-prof-volker-liebig-205989.html|title=DGLR ehrt "Mr. Sentinel" Prof. Volker Liebig|date=15 November 2018|website=Luftfahrtmagazin.de & Pilotenmagazin|access-date=19 February 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.irs.uni-stuttgart.de/institut/aktuelles/news/The-IRS-at-the-IAC-2018-00002/ |title=Eugen-Sänger Medaille für Prof. Volker Liebig |website=Institute of Space Systems |publisher=University of Stuttgart |date=19 November 2018 |access-date=19 February 2024}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * [https://www.irs.uni-stuttgart.de/en/institute/team/Liebig/ University of Stuttgart – profile] * [https://www.iafastro.org/media/archives/interviews/volker-liebig.html IAF interview] * [https://www.vliebig.photo vliebig.photo]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Liebig, Volker}} Category:1956 births Category:German geophysicists Category:Living people Category:European Space Agency personnel Category:LMU Munich alumni Category:Academic staff of the University of Stuttgart Category:Place of birth missing (living people)