Michael Backes
University of Namibia, TU Dortmund University, Technische Universität Dortmund Fakultät Physik, University of Birmingham, Ruhr-Universität Bochum Astronomisches Institut
Research areas: Computer Science · Computer Networks and Communications · Security and Verification in Computing · Cryptography and Data Security · Adversarial Robustness in Machine Learning
0000-0002-9326-6400
About
Prof. Michael Backes is one of 8 inaugural UNAM Research Chairs and a Professor at the University of Namibia. There, he heads the Namibian H.E.S.S. group, astrophysics research, and the Virtual Institute for Scientific Computing and Artificial Intelligence. Further, he is an Extraordinary Professor at North-West University (ZA), an Academic Visitor at the Department of Physics, University of Oxford (UK), and an Associate of the International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste (I).
He obtained his MSc and PhD from TU Dortmund University in 2008 and 2012, respectively, and spent study visits at the Ruhr-University Bochum (D) in 2005 and the University of Birmingham (UK) in 2006.
Among his awards is the Annie Maunder Medal 2024 of the Royal Astronomical Society. He was elected a member of the Global Young Academy (GYA) (2018–2023), a Fellow of the GSO Leadership Academy (2018), and an Associate at the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) (2024–2029). He was invited to the Lindau Nobel Laureates Meeting in 2019 as a Heraeus Fellow, to the World Science Forum in 2022 as a plenary speaker, and as a speaker to the World Laureates Forum in 2023, and to the U.S.-Africa Frontiers in Science Symposium in 2025. He received the University of Namibia Meritorious Award 2017 for Best Academic Performance in the Faculty of Science, and the GfKl Application Award 2012 by the German Data Science Society (GfKl).
He was Namibian-PI on the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) project Namibian participation in the H.E.S.S. observatory 2019-2021, is Co-Investigator of the recently awarded ERC Synergy grant "Blackholistic", and Co-PI of the Africa Millimetre Telescope (AMT).
He serves as Chair of the Namibia Scientific Society and, before 2023, as Vice-Chair since 2015, and as elected Executive Committee Member of the Global Young Academy from 2021 to 2023. Further, he serves as a voting member on the Steering Committees of H.E.S.S. and of the International Astronomical Union's Southern African Regional Office of Astronomy for Development.
Employment
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University of Namibia Professor2025 - Present
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University of Namibia Research Chair2025 - Present
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University of Namibia Associate Professor2021 - 2025
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University of Namibia Senior Lecturer2016 - 2021
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University of Namibia Head of H.E.S.S. Research Unit2015 - Present
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University of Namibia Lecturer2013 - 2016
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Technische Universität Dortmund Research Asssociate2011 - 2013
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Technische Universität Dortmund Fakultät Physik Research Assistant2008 - 2010
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Technische Universität Dortmund Fakultät Physik Teaching Assistant2006 - 2008
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Technische Universität Dortmund Fakultät Physik Undergrad. Teaching Assistant2003 - 2004
Education
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Technische Universität Dortmund Fakultät Physik Ph.D. in Physics (Dr. rer. nat.) - Astroparticle Physics2008 - 2012
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University of Birmingham Studies Abroad: Astrophysics2006 - 2006
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Ruhr-Universität Bochum Astronomisches Institut Studies in Astronomy2005 - 2005
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Technische Universität Dortmund Fakultät Physik M.Sc. in Physics (Dipl.-Phys.) - Particle Physics & Astronomy2004 - 2008
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Technische Universität Dortmund Fakultät Physik Vordiplom (similar to B.Sc. in Physics)2002 - 2004
Projects & Funding
Projects & funding information is unavailable.
Publications (553)
- Gamma-ray constraints on heavy axion-like-particle decays from Fermi-LAT and H.E.S.S. blazar spectra Save
- Evidence of a spectral steepening of the gamma-ray emission from the Galactic center ridge Save
- Broadband multiwavelength properties of the archetypal blazar $^{3}$C 279 during the 2017 Event Horizon Telescope campaign Save
- Size, Shape, Density, and Atmospheric Limit of (50000) Quaoar Revealed from 14 years of Stellar Occultation Save
- Scrutinizing the 2020 multiwavelength outburst of PKS 0903 - 57 through observations with H.E.S.S․ Save
- Gamma-Ray Constraints on Heavy Axion-Like-Particle Decays from Fermi-LAT and H.E.S.S. Blazar Spectra Save
- Search for long-term variability of HESS J1745-290 Save
- Combined dark matter search towards dwarf spheroidal galaxies with Fermi-LAT, HAWC, H.E.S.S., MAGIC, and VERITAS Save
- H.E.S.S. detection of the PSR J0855−4644 nebula Save
- H.E.S.S. observations of composite Seyfert-starburst galaxies Save
- The second H.E.S.S. gamma-ray burst catalogue: 15 years of observations with the H.E.S.S. telescopes Save
- Constraining the nature of the most extreme Galactic particle accelerator Save
- H.E.S.S. detection and multi-wavelength study of the z ∼ 1 blazar PKS 0346−27 Save
- Prompt Searches for Very-high-energy γ-Ray Counterparts to IceCube Astrophysical Neutrino Alerts Save
- VizieR Online Data Catalog: Second H.E.S.S. GRB catalogue (Acharyya+, 2026) Save
- H.E.S.S. detection of the PSR J0855−4644 nebula Save
- Scrutinizing the 2020 multiwavelength outburst of PKS 0903−57 through observations with H.E.S.S. Save
- The second H.E.S.S. gamma-ray burst catalogue: 15 years of observations with the H.E.S.S. telescopes Save
- Optical spectroscopy of blazars for the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory – IV Save
- Prospects for dark matter observations in dwarf spheroidal galaxies with the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory Save