Austria
University of Innsbruck
2015–2017 · Senior Postdoctoral Fellow, Austrian Science Fund (FWF) Lise Meitner Programme; led an independently funded research project.
Full scientific record
Dr. María Fernanda Nieva
Science–education transfer · Founder of MINT-BRUCK
Innsbruck, Austria · mf.nieva@mint-bruck.at
International astrophysics: precision spectroscopy, cosmic abundances and scientific peer review. Since 2019, Dr Nieva has worked in education for children and young people. Most recently, she spent one year in a primary school and one year in teacher education at Pädagogische Hochschule Tirol – two intensive years of bringing scientific experience into educational practice.
Research institutions
Germany
Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics
Garching · 2008–2011 · Postdoctoral research on massive stars, precision spectroscopy and cosmic abundances.
Germany
Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen–Nuremberg
Dr. Remeis Observatory, Bamberg · 2004–2008: doctoral research and project scientist; 2011–2013: postdoctoral research.
Spain
Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias
Tenerife · 2017 · Visiting scientist through the Severo Ochoa programme; quantitative stellar spectroscopy.
Brazil
Observatório Nacional
Rio de Janeiro · 2002–2004 · Research appointment and doctoral research, followed by cotutelle research in Germany.
Argentina
Universidad Nacional de Tucumán
1995–2002 · Teaching assistant in modern and experimental physics and laboratory courses.
Austria
University College of Teacher Education Tyrol
Innsbruck · November 2025–August 2026 · Contract lecturer in mathematics education for primary-school teacher education.
Austria
Volksschule Innere Stadt
Innsbruck · September 2024–August 2025 · Enrichment education, learning support and mathematics and science activities in a primary school.
Further international research visits
- Royal Observatory of Belgium · Brussels, Belgium · 2005.
- Geneva Observatory · Geneva, Switzerland · 2008.
- Complejo Astronómico El Leoncito · San Juan, Argentina · 2010.
- Instituto de Astronomía Teórica y Experimental · Córdoba, Argentina · 2010, 2011.
- Universidad Nacional de Salta · Argentina · 2016.
International evaluation & scientific responsibility
2020 · Appointed by the European Space Agency (ESA) to the stellar-physics panel for Cycle 28. Evaluation of observing-time proposals at the Space Telescope Science Institute, USA.
2017 · Panel member of the Observing Programmes Committee, Period 100, evaluating and ranking proposals for telescope time. Garching, Germany.
External reviewer of research proposals for PICT (Proyectos de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica).
External reviewer of research proposals for the Fund for Scientific Research.
Peer review for scientific journals
- The Astrophysical Journal
- The Astronomical Journal
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
- Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan
- Communications in Asteroseismology
Scientific organising committees
- ESO RASPUTIN · Garching, Germany · 2014. Resolved and Unresolved Stellar Populations.
- International Astronomical Union (IAU), Symposium 329 · Auckland, New Zealand · 2016. The Lives and Death-Throes of Massive Stars.
Competitive funding & project leadership
Securing competitive resources, developing independent research questions and leading scientific projects.
5 international fellowships
Each funded an independent research project in Austria, Germany or Brazil.
4 programmes as Principal Investigator
Awarded telescope time for independently proposed research, alongside further programmes as Co-Investigator.
Project leadership · University of Innsbruck, Austria · 2015–2017
FWF project M1868 ↗ . Independently secured Lise Meitner project with international research collaboration.
All five competitive fellowships
- 2015–2017 · FWF Lise MeitnerAustrian Science Fund · University of Innsbruck, Austria.
- 2011–2013 · FFL · Support for women in research and teachingPostdoctoral fellowship · University of Erlangen–Nuremberg, Germany.
- 2008–2011 · Max Planck SocietyPostdoctoral fellowship · Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics, Garching, Germany.
- 2004–2007 · German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)Doctoral scholarship · Germany.
- 2002–2004 · National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq)Doctoral scholarship · Brazil.
Two submitted Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship proposals (EU/Horizon): grade A; not funded.
Awarded observing programmes as PI
PI (Principal Investigator) denotes the lead applicant responsible for the science; Co-I (Co-Investigator) denotes membership of the investigator team. Awarded observing time is a competitively allocated research resource.
| Year | Telescope / instrument | Time awarded | Programme ID |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | ESO VLT / UVESChile | 11.5 hours | 099.C-0637(A) |
| 2013 | ESO 2.2 m / FEROSChile | 4 nights | 091.C-0713(A) |
| 2011 | ESO 2.2 m / FEROS · MPIAChile | 5 nights | 088.B-9003(A) |
| 2009 | ESO VLT / UVESChile | 10 hours | 384.B-0066(A) |
All observing programmes as Co-I
| Year | Telescope / instrument | Time awarded | Programme ID |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | ESO VLT / UVESChile | 10 hours | 101.D-0851(A) |
| 2015 | ESO VLT / X-ShooterChile | 5 hours | 095.C-0446(A) |
| 2015 | ESO VLT / UVESChile | 15 hours | 094.D-0355(A) |
| 2015 | ESO VLT / FORS2Chile | 15 hours | 094.D-0355(B) |
| 2015 | ESO VLT / UVESChile | 7.5 hours | 093.D-0267(B) |
| 2014 | ESO VLT / FORS2Chile | 3 nights | 191.D-0255(C) |
| 2013–2015 | ESO 3.6 m / HARPS · Large ProgrammeChile | 25 nights | 191.D-0255(B)191.D-0255(D)191.D-0255(F)191.D-0255(H)191.D-0255(I)191.D-0255(J) |
| 2013 | Nordic Optical Telescope / FIESSpain | 2 nights | NOT-47-212 |
| 2013 | ESO 2.2 m / FEROSChile | 4 nights | 090.D-0358(A) |
| 2011 | ESO 2.2 m / FEROSChile | 4.5 nights | 088.D-0064(A) |
| 2011 | Hubble Space Telescope / STIS, COSSpace · USA | 12 orbits | 12222 |
| 2011 | ESO VLT / FORS2Chile | 4 nights | 087.D-0049(A) |
| 2009–2011 | ESO VLT / CRIRES · Large ProgrammeChile | 381 hours | 084.D-0912085.D-0161086.D-0066087.D-0195088.D-0109 |
| 2010 | Nordic Optical Telescope / FIESSpain | 4 nights | NOT-41-027 |
| 2010 | ESO VLT / UVESChile | 4.5 hours | 282.D-5065(A) |
| 2009 | ESO VLT / UVESChile | 10 hours | 383.D-0909(A) |
| 2008 | Calar Alto / TWINSpain | 2 nights | H08-3.5-068 |
| 2007 | ESO VLT / CRIRESChile | 1 night | 079.D-0810(A) |
| 2007 | ESO 2.2 m / FEROSChile | 12 hours | 079.B-0856(A) |
Time allocations for large programmes refer to the team’s full programme. Multiple programme identifiers may belong to a single listed entry. Hubble is a space telescope; USA refers to its operating institute.
Further awarded programmes & instruments
| Year | Telescope / instrument | Time awarded | Programme ID |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Calar Alto / CAFESpain | 5 nights | H13-2.2-001 |
| 2012 | Calar Alto / CAFESpain | 5 nights | H12-2.2-030 |
The archived CV does not specify a PI or Co-I role for these two Calar Alto programmes.
Telescopes: ESO = European Southern Observatory; VLT = Very Large Telescope; NOT = Nordic Optical Telescope; HST = Hubble Space Telescope; MPIA = Max Planck Institute for Astronomy.
Instruments: UVES = Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph; FEROS = Fiber-fed Extended Range Optical Spectrograph; FORS2 = FOcal Reducer and low dispersion Spectrograph 2; HARPS = High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher; FIES = FIbre-fed Echelle Spectrograph; STIS = Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph; COS = Cosmic Origins Spectrograph; CRIRES = CRyogenic high-resolution InfraRed Echelle Spectrograph; CAFE = Calar Alto Fiber-fed Echelle spectrograph. X-Shooter is a wide-band spectrograph; TWIN is a two-channel spectrograph.
Connecting science, education & society
From stars to Earth. Scientific ways of working inform education; questions and observations from practice open new perspectives for research and development.
- Teacher education · University College of Teacher Education Tyrol, Austria · 2025–2026. Designed, taught and assessed five primary-teacher education courses (13 course ECTS): mathematics didactics, competency-oriented tasks and reflective observation.
- Primary school practice · Innere Stadt, Innsbruck, Austria · 2024–2025. Mathematics and science with Grades 1–4, individual learning support and collaboration with teachers and families.
- AstroMum & MINT-BRUCK · Austria. Workshops for families, children and young people, secondary-school talks and STEM concepts for educational institutions and public learning spaces.
What this experience brings to partners
Quantitative modelling, careful handling of uncertainty, reasoned judgement and peer review provide a rigorous basis for learning tasks, educational projects and their development.
Research contributions & publications
Co-developed a reference standard for the chemical composition of the solar neighbourhood and contributed to precision stellar analysis. Selection updated through September 2026.
Przybilla, N., Aschenbrenner, P., Weßmayer, D., Keiler, S., Nieva, M. F., Butler, K. & Schaffenroth, V. Present-day abundances from OB stars ↗
Further selected scientific publications
Morel, T., Blazère, A., Semaan, T. et al. (including M. F. Nieva) (2022). The Gaia-ESO survey: A spectroscopic study of the young open cluster NGC 3293 ↗
Blomme, R., Daflon, S., Gebran, M. et al. (including M. F. Nieva) (2022). The Gaia-ESO Survey: The analysis of the hot-star spectra ↗
Nieva, M.-F. & Przybilla, N. (2012). Present-day cosmic abundances ↗
Nieva, M.-F. & Przybilla, N. (2008). Carbon abundances of early B-type stars in the solar vicinity ↗
Nieva, M.-F. & Przybilla, N. (2006). C II abundances in early-type stars: solution to a notorious non-LTE problem ↗
Books & current manuscripts
- Mindful Focus in Nature – Inspired by the Stars (2025). ISBN 9798898608446.
- Quantitative Spectroscopy of OB Stars. Hydrogen, Helium and Carbon (2007). ISBN 9783000230646 · Berlin, Germany.
- Starke Kinder lernen anders. Book manuscript on learning, development and life skills; submitted in 2026.
- Educational research · 2026. Scientific manuscript submitted; publication pending.
International scientific contributions
Talks, seminars, conference contributions and posters. Years, places, formats, topics and events follow the archived presentation record.
- · Stockholm, Sweden
Invited seminar
OB stars as laboratories for numerous astrophysical fields
11 November · Department of Astronomy, Stockholm University / AlbaNova
Further scientific contributions · 2001–2016 (31)
- · Auckland, New Zealand
Invited talk
High accuracy quantitative spectroscopy in the Galaxy
International Astronomical Union (IAU), Symposium 329
- · Tenerife, Spain
Seminar
Chemical composition of cosmic dust in the solar vicinity
Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias
- · Garching, Germany
Contributed conference talk
Chemical composition of cosmic dust in the solar neighbourhood, as derived from massive stars
Multiple Faces of the Interstellar Dust
- · Innsbruck, Austria
Invited review
Fundamental parameters and chemical composition of massive stars as an introduction to the respective research conducted in this field with BRITE-Constellation data
Second BRITE-Constellation Science Conference
- · Munich, Germany
Research workshop invitation
The chemical evolution of Galaxies · Munich Institute for Astro- and Particle Physics
- · Salta, Argentina
Invited talk
The chemical composition of our Milky Way derived from massive stars
Universidad Nacional de Salta
- · Córdoba, Argentina
Invited talk
OB stars as laboratories for numerous astrophysical fields
Friends of Friends Meeting · Instituto de Astronomía Teórica y Experimental
- · Innsbruck, Austria
Invited talk
A new density and chemical abundance map in the solar neighbourhood
University of Innsbruck · Joint Institute Seminar
- · Brussels, Belgium
Invited talk
Spectrum analysis of early B-type stars: stellar parameters and abundances
Massive stars and the Gaia-ESO survey
- · Geneva, Switzerland
Invited talk
Present-day helium abundances in the solar vicinity
European Week of Astronomy and Space Sciences
- · Geneva, Switzerland
Poster contribution
Fundamental parameters of B-type stars
New windows on massive stars
- · Leuven, Belgium
Invited talk
Effective temperature scale and bolometric corrections for OB stars
Setting a new standard in the analysis of binary stars
- · Heidelberg, Germany
Contributed conference talk
Present-day cosmic abundances in the solar neighbourhood and implications
The Milky Way: Stars, Gas, Dust and Magnetic Fields in 3D
- · Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, Spain
Contributed conference talk
Present-day cosmic oxygen abundance in the solar neighbourhood
Mapping oxygen in the Universe
- · Garching, Germany
Invited talk
A cosmic abundance standard from massive stars in the solar neighbourhood
Science Day of the Excellence Cluster · Research Area G
- · Potsdam, Germany
Contributed conference talk
Present-day cosmic abundances from B-type stars
Quantitative Stellar Spectroscopy as a Key Tool of Astrophysical Research
- · Paris, France
Contributed conference talk
Fundamental parameters of normal B-stars in the solar neighbourhood
IAU Symposium · Active OB Stars
- · Heidelberg, Germany
Invited seminar
Max Planck Institute for Astronomy
- · Ringberg Castle, Germany
Invited talk
Stellar parameters and chemical abundances at high precision in massive stars
The Chemical Enrichment of the Milky Way
- · Bad Honnef, Germany
Invited talk
A present-day cosmic abundance standard
Heraeus workshop · Nucleosynthesis: making the Elements in the Universe
- · Geneva, Switzerland
Invited seminar
Geneva Observatory
- · Pasadena, USA
Contributed conference talk
High-precision determinations of stellar parameters and chemical abundances in early B-type stars
California Institute of Technology · Hot and Cool: Bridging Gaps in Massive Star Evolution
- · Garching, Germany
Invited seminar
Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics
- · Flagstaff, USA
Poster contribution
High-resolution near-IR spectroscopy of massive stars
Lowell Observatory · Hot massive stars: a lifetime of influence
- · Vienna, Austria
Contributed conference talk
Near-IR spectroscopy of OB stars with CRIRES: pilot study for E-ELT science
Joint European and National Astronomy Meeting · Science with the E-ELT
- · Cariló, Argentina
Contributed conference talk
Accurate quantitative spectroscopy of OB stars: C and N abundances near the Main Sequence
Massive Stars: Fundamental Parameters and Circumstellar Interactions
- · Aveiro, Portugal
Contributed conference talk
Accurate quantitative spectroscopy of OB stars: the H, He and C spectrum
European Southern Observatory (ESO) conference · Precision Spectroscopy in Astrophysics
- · Garching, Germany
Invited seminar
European Southern Observatory (ESO) · Lunch talk
- · Bamberg, Germany
Invited seminar
Dr. Remeis Observatory · University of Erlangen–Nuremberg
- · Angra dos Reis, Brazil
Poster contribution
Chemical abundances of LMC fast-rotating B-stars
Optical and Infrared Astronomical Instrumentation for Modern Telescopes
- · Córdoba, Argentina
Poster contribution
Determinación de parámetros físicos y estado de evolución de estrellas B, A y F
Reunión Latinoamericana de Astronomía
Invitations without in-person attendance
In-person participation was not possible because of maternity. A colleague presented the contributions in Beijing and Moscow on her behalf.
- 2016 · San Juan, Argentina
Invited review · National Meeting of the Argentine Astronomical Association
- 2013 · Moscow, Russia
Invited review · Putting A stars into context; presented by a colleague on her behalf
- 2013 · Tandil, Argentina
Invited review · National Meeting of the Argentine Astronomical Association
- 2012 · Beijing, China
IAU General Assembly · invited review: Atmospheric modelling of massive stars in the IR domain; additional conference contribution: Modern views of the interstellar medium. Presented by Norbert Przybilla on her behalf.
Archived presentation list · University of Erlangen–Nuremberg ↗
Qualifications & languages
- PhD in Astrophysics · 2007. Cotutelle doctoral research at Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen–Nuremberg, Germany, and Observatório Nacional, Brazil. Thesis: Quantitative spectroscopy of OB stars: H, He and C.
- Degree in Physics · 2002. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Argentina.
- Languages. Spanish: native · English: fluent · German: C1 · Portuguese: fluent · French: advanced · Italian: reading.
- Space-related education. European Space Agency (ESA) Climate Detectives Kids: mentoring in 2024–2025 and participation in Teach with Space professional development.