Astrochemist Veronica (she/her)

@astrochemist-v.bsky.social

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Astrochemist 📡🔭⚛️🧪 • SciComm • ALMA observatory fan • Astronomom 👫🐕 • EDI advocate • 🇺🇸🇬🇧🇳🇱🏳️‍🌈 • AuDHD 2E • UDL education • Millennial • Extrovert level 4 • astrochemistveronica.com

A screen showing a slide "Wat doen wij vandaag?" Below is paper plates with plastic atoms, worksheets showing spectral lines of different elements, diffraction glasses, and Orion Nebula worksheets and stickers.
A paper cutter with a transparency waiting to be chopped on it. 2 stacks of already cut images are in the bottom right.
Explaining my solution to the sticker problem
A fairly old looking box of transparency film
A worksheet showing a broad and closeup shot of the Orion Nebula surrounded by 5 stickers. The stickers show artistic representations of observations from submm, x-ray, near-, mid- , and far-infrared telescopes
Video of me walking down the darkend hall at work on a Saturday.
Meme in 3 panels Top: Anakin from Attack of the Clones saying "Oh yeah I'm a huge Star Wars fan... Middle: Padme sitting across from him smiling politely while Anakin continues "...too bad Disney ruined it by making it woke." Bottom: Padme smiling falsely with the caption *aggressively presses panic button*
Meme: Text: "Friend: have you watched Star Wars? Me: Photo of C3PO "Why yes it's my primary function"
My Star Waes collection arranged on a bookshelf. Including Forces of Destiny dolls, many books (new and Legends) various action figures, cute boxes that Star Wars socks came in, collectors popcorn buckets, an R2D2 landline phone from the 90s, The Jedi Path, and The Book of Sith. Rey and Kylo Ren are somewhat overrepresented 😅
Me at the ALMA telescope site pretending to hold one of the 12m dishes in my hand
Jayatee in front of the Aula on the left receiving her personal dedication from Prof Inga Kamp on the right
Propositions 1. Accurate determination of rate coefficients for chemical reactions is essential for reliably determining the chemical structure of disks in astrophysical models (Chapter 2). 2. The modelled gas-phase chemistry in disks around very low-mass stars provides a plausible explanation for the observed presence of hydrocarbons (Chapter 3). 3. Synergy between laboratory spectroscopic measurements and astrophysical observations is vital to reliably interpret the JWST observations of the disks (Chapter 3). 4. While slab models serve as a valuable initial approach for analyzing mid-infrared spec tra, thermo-chemical disk models offer a deeper understanding of the underlying pro cesses (Chapter 4). 5. The molecular gas emission bands and their shape can be used as a diagnostic to understand the radial disk structure (Chapter 4). 6. The assumption of thermodynamic equilibrium chemistry in the warm, dense, inner regions of the disk is not valid (Chapter 5). 7. A comprehensive approach that integrates radiative transfer, chemistry, and dynamical processes will be essential to exploit the complete information encoded in the high spectral resolution JwST spectra. 8. The academic training and scientific development of a student should take precedence over rigid bureaucratic and administrative procedures. 9. Recognition can be taken away, but knowledge is yours to keep. 10. A thief may take your materialistic possessions, but a dishonest political leader can rob you of hope and dreams.
The propositions accompanying my PhD thesis. The first 5 are scientific, and the other are social observations.
Me pretending to kiss one of the ALMA dishes on Chajnantor Plateau
Me standing with Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell in front of a green chalk board. I'm wearing a black turtleneck and she is wearing a black suit jacket over a cream button up shirt.
Slide from my talk "Caregivers Recommended Support" Text: "Many of the problems that we have been led to believe were individual problems that we needed to fix personally are systemic issues within academia in all of our represented countries that border on discrimination." 3 columns of text with images above each: Left: Image: outline figures of 2 adults with a child in between and dollar signs above them. Text: "Funding for replacement childcare - As travel and conference work is part of our job, then this should be something that institutions already have in policies in place for." Center: Image: A woman napping on a couch. Text: "A safe and comfortable resting space at work - Instead of expecting people to work from home, or commute while tired, a napping place is a simple, inexpensive solution." Right: Image: Three people doing various activities with a calendar and clock with them implying time balancing and organization. Text: "Acceptance of inconsistent/reduced productivity - Management needs to recognize that childcare work often happens during the work day for decades and adjust expectations for productivity."
Slide from one of my talks "Supporting Neurodivergent Academics". Text: "Move away from the medical model of disability toward the social model of disability. We are disabled (verb) by the environment and social structures." 3 columns of text with an image associated with each: Left: An image of a person with shoulder length brown hair wearing a red hat, white tshirt, and blue pants. Text: "Individual - Within the medical model all support falls to the individual, but even with the promise of external support, people can support themselves now" Center: An image of a building wearing a graduation cap, meant to be a university building. Text: "Institutional - Institutions have the power and money to implement broader support structures and make them accessible to those who need them." Right: Image of a neighborhood street with houses and trees and people cropped into a heart shape. Text: "Societal - Knowledge is your friend. Understand and accept the struggles and difference in others. Everyone can learn to be a good ally." In the bottom left corner of the slide is my logo for "Astrochemist Veronica", a blue planet with a ring and a moon with a fuchsia molecule inside. The words Astrochemist Veronica are written below.
An infographic about Planet Types. The types are "Icy moon", "Rocky and barren", "Lava", "Extreme Temperatures", and the Bonus "Tidally Locked Exoplanet"
Meme of a newspaper from the Simpsons stating "Woman yells at Jupiter". My face and Jupiter are pasted over the original news article's photo.