Bild: utomhus ansiktsporträtt av kvinna i grön tröja

Photo: Tetiana Kodenko

About Ragnhild’s research

I work with astronomical observations of exploding stars, known as supernovae. They create some of the most extreme environments in the universe, and for a few months, an individual supernova can shine as brightly as all the other stars in the galaxy combined. I am particularly interested in how the largest stars in the universe die, and what physical processes drive the most luminous explosions. These are rare even among supernovae, and finding them in the sky before they fade and disappear is a proper needle-in-a-haystack problem. I use data from both earth-based and space telescopes, as well as advanced algorithms, to identify, observe, and analyze these extreme explosions.

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Bild: utomhus ansiktsporträtt av kvinna i grön tröja

Photo: Tetiana Kodenko

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In brief

Born: 1985
Interests: I enjoy singing in a choir, hiking in the mountains, yoga, (urban) gardening, knitting, and spending time with my family.
Other: I grew up among the mountains in Norway, but have also lived in Eswatini and the USA before moving to Sweden.

I am interested in research policy issues, such as how the conditions for young researchers affect who chooses (and remains in) a research career, and how we can improve equality in research, especially within natural sciences and technology.