What I Do:

I am an astronomer at the European Space Agency (ESA), currently stationed at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, Maryland. My job title is Calibration Scientist for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). This means that I am trying to find the right balance between functional work and astronomical research.

The Functional Work:

This part of my daily life deals mostly with the design, construction, and operations of NIRSpec which is one of the focal instruments onboard JWST. NIRSpec is still under construction (until late 2012), and so most of my current work deals with the preparation of the various NIRSpec calibration campaigns and the JWST/NIRSpec in-orbit operations.

The Research:

My research is focused on observational studies of the central regions of nearby galaxies. I am using telescopes, both from space and on the ground, and at a wide range of wavelengths in order to understand the evolution of stars and gas in these systems. I collaborate with a number of fellow astronomers to apply for telescope time, reduce and analyze the data, present the results at conferences, and ultimately publish them in various astronomical journals.

You can find more details on both aspects of my work via the respective tabs at the top of this page.