Marcos Bavdaz has a PhD in applied physics and is Head of the Technologies Preparation Section at ESA/ESTEC, responsible for the technological preparation of the future ESA Science missions. He was responsible for the detector unit of the LEGSPC flight instrument for the Rossi-Prize winning BeppoSAX Observatory. His invention of the Silicon Pore Optics has become the centerpiece of the NewAthena mission. Marcos Bavdaz was appointed an ESA Senior Advisor in 2008.