Mini-Profiles of STEM Role Models 17

Following a break over the summer, I am back with more inspiring STEM role models!

Today’s role model is a special guest - from another field and another university (at the University of Geneva to be precise). This is also a very special post as Annalisa’s paper about the non-homogenous composition of the milky way just got published in Nature! You can read it here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03780-0
Huge congratulations Annalisa!!

Job title:

Assistant professor

Subject area:

Astronomy and astrophysics. I study galaxies, all the way from very distant galaxies in the primordial Universe to our home galaxy, the Milky Way. In particular, I study the chemical elements and cosmic dust in the gas that compose these galaxies.

How did you get into science?:

When I was 12 or so, a brilliant science teacher would ask tough questions and make me think. I liked it. Then we would do all sorts of experiments and do field experiences with experts. So I found I loved science. Then at University I choose to study astronomy. I’m a first-generation student, and astronomy was perhaps my personal rebellion.

Where else have you worked/studied?

European Southern Observatory (Santiago, Chile and Garching Headquarters, Germany), Weizmann Institute of Science (Israel), University of Iceland (Iceland), University of Leicester (UK), University of Calgary (Canada), University of Bologna (Italy). Science nomadism...

What are your hobbies/what do you do for fun?

Sports, like climbing, hiking, paragliding, skiing, martial arts. And playing with my kids is a lot of fun too when they are in a good mood!