About me
I am an astrochemist with a particular interest in molecules and dust around evolved stars. I am specialised in chemical modelling of the outflows of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars. Chemistry is essential to understand exactly how solar-like stars die, as it is the chemical process of dust formation that launches the large-scale outflow. My models aim to explain the rich complexity seen in current observations and help guide future ones. Their goal is to unravel link between chemistry and dynamics throughout the outflow and to quantify the output of AGB stars into the interstellar medium.
Career
- Oort Fellow (current position)
Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, the Netherlands - 2021-2023: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellow
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, UK - 2018 - 2021: Postdoctoral Fellow of the Fund for Scientific Research (FWO)
Institute of Astronomy, KU Leuven, Belgium
Research
An up-to-date list of publications can be found on NASA ADS and on Google Scholar.
My research can be divided in three main components:
- Retrieving physical and chemical characteristics from observations using radiative transfer
- Developing chemical models by including new physics and chemistry
- Using these models in the interpretation of observational results
Outreach
I enjoy talking about my research, and astronomy and astrochemistry in general, to a variety of audiences. My passion for public speaking was recognised with the 2023 Caroline Herschel Prize Lectureship, awarded to promising women in astronomy. This includes talks at secondary schools and public observatories, as well as organised events such as Pint of Science.