About Me
I am a professional astronomer at the Scuola Normale Superiore, in Pisa and the Foundation for Research and Technology in Greece.
I work in the fields of interstellar turbulence, star formation and galactic magnetic fields.
Galaxies
I work mainly with numerical simulations of astrophysical fluids. My current research involves simulating galaxies with different metallicities and magnetic fields, and studying their evolution.
Interstellar filaments
I have been working for more than five years on the formation and evolution of interstellar molecular filaments, the sites where most local star formation is happening.
Work Experience
H.F.R.I researcher, Foundation of Research and Technology, Greece
July 2021 - present
At FORTH, I hold an H.F.R.I. grant called "MagneticGals", focused on the study of galactic magnetic fields.
Our group, composed of myself and Ph.D. student Anna Konstantinou, performs MHD numerical simulations of galaxy evolution using the RAMSES code.
Post-doctoral Researcher, Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa
February 2020 - present
At SNS I am part of the Interstellar ERC project, dedicated to the study of the formation and characteristics of primordial galaxies. I study the generation and evolution of magnetic fields in these early galaxies.
Marie-Curie fellow, Foundation for Research and Technology, Greece
June 2017 - February 2020
My project ORIGAMI was an effort to unveil the role of magnetic fields in the evolution of galaxies, and vice-versa. I design and perform state-of-the art simulations of magnetized galaxies at different redshifts.
Post-doctoral Researcher, Commissariat à l'énergie atomique, France.
October 2012 - April 2017
At CEA I was part of the ORISTARS ERC project, designed to explain the origin and evolution of interstellar molecular filaments. I worked on numerical simulations targeted to interpreting the observational results.
PHD thesis, LMU and Max-Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, Germany
September 2007 - February 2012
My PhD thesis, supervised by Andreas Burkert, was conducted under the IMPRS program in Munich. I worked on interstellar spherical shocks called superbubbles, and how their collisions can trigger episodes of star formation.
Outside research
Communicating science with the public
A passion of mine outside research is science communication. It brings motivation in my research projects and it helps build strong bonds within society.
Astronomy activities with children
In 2008 I co-founded the international science education project GalileoMobile, that every year brings astronomy to thousands of children in remote areas of the world. In 2015 I coordinated the Constellation project, a network of schools across South America that performed astronomy activities together.
Public talks, interviews and popular science articles.
I have been invited for numerous public talks and interviews about my research and general science issues.
I write popular science articles regularly for "Α ΜΠΑ;", an online magazine targeted to women (in Greek).
Finally, I am a science mentor for young women as part of the supernova foundation network
Let's Connect
I speak Greek, English, Spanish, Italian, French and some German. Feel free to contact me in any of these languages!
Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa
Piazza dei Cavalieri, 7
56127 Pisa, Italy
Foundation for Research and Technology
Institute of Astrophysics
Ν. Plastira 100, Vassilika Vouton
GR - 700 13, Heraklion, Crete
+30 6943 777 520