Currently I teach Physics of the Interstellar Medium (AS7001) for 7.5 HP on the MSc level.  Find out about all the gas and dust in galaxies!

I also manage the Bachelors and Masters Thesis projects for the Astronomy programs.

I used to teach:

• Observational Techniques in Astrophysics II (AS7004) for 7.5 HP on the MSc programme. This course is great: we have a unique opportunity to execute our own observations with the 20 metre radio telescope at Onsala Space Observatory, and optical observations with the Nordic Optical Telescope.
• I used to teach the Galaxies course (AS 7022).

Scientific Interests

My research is focused on the origin and evolution of galaxies, where I am concerned with how galaxies are assembled in the early universe and evolve to become the population of galaxies we see at the present day. Aside from being interested in galaxy surveys, I typically say I have the following overlapping main interests:

• The reionization process and the sources that drove it.  The infering the neutral fraction of the intergalactic medium, understanding the properties of the first galaxies, Lyman alpha emission, the escape of ionizing radiation, etc.
• The circumgalactic medium.  What are the thermodynamic properties of 'galactic atmospheres'?  Can we map CGM gas in emission, measure its thermal state, figure out where the metals are, etc.
• Stellar feedback and galaxy winds. How does energy returned by massive stars interact with the ambient material in the galaxy?  How are winds launched and accelerated, and what influence does this have on galaxy conditions and the future of star formation.
• The formation of the first black holes. Were the first black holes formed by direct collapse, popullation III star formation, or other processes?  How can surveys of massive black holes in the early universe inform this?
• Star formation histories and stellar modeling. How can we infer the star formation history of galaxies using spatially resolve high resolution imaging and large wavelength baseline spectroscopy from multiple telescopes.
• Nebular diagnostics. How can we infer the properties of warm gas in and around galaxies, and how reliable are these measurements?

My approach to answering these questions is mostly observational. I use mainly the James Webb Space Telescope, Hubble Space Telescope, and the European Southern Observatory, although we use any telescope that can provide unique measurements.

Publications and Profiles

Publications on Google Scholar

ORCiD : 0000-0001-8587-218X

ResearcherID : D-6692-2014

Press Releases

Here are some press and outreach materials associated with the projects:

• The KAW project Rewriting Cosmic Reionization with Next-Generation Early Universe Observations is just beginning. See press materials from KAW and SU.
• A piece I wrote for The Conversation about Black Holes.
• A recent press release about our research: NASA's Hubble Finds More Black Holes than Expected in the Early Universe.
• Some followup on the above from the BBC's Sky at Night.
• Explained: Why many surveys of distant galaxies miss 90% of their targets
• Giant Space Blob Glows from Within
• Light and dust in a nearby starburst galaxy
• A swirl of star formation

This research is supported by Stockholm University, the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish National Space Agency, and the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation.