Research CV
My Research Work
My current research is primarily in the field of astrochemistry and the origin of life. I mostly use sub-millimeter observations from the ALMA observatory in Chile, but I also use time-dependent chemical models to understand how the chemical composition of star-forming regions changes over time. After my fellowship at NASA Goddard, I began working with observations of Solar System objects and have an interest in Ocean Worlds (those bodies in the Solar System that could have liquid water).
As part of my work communicating my research to the public, I also give lectures and lessons to the general public with a preferred focus on school children. I also plan to make a lesson for high school students about building and using a radio dish.
High- and Low-mass Star Formation
The details about how stars form are not fully understood, so I use sub-millimeter observations of star-forming regions to study the chemical composition and gas motion around young stars. This helps us to understand how long young stars have been forming and gives us chemical milestones along that timeline.
Prebiotic molecule formation
Prebiotic molecules, or those that lead to the molecules of life, likely formed in space and were delivered to a young Earth by early impacts. By observing molecular species like formamide (NH2CHO) and its potential parent species in gas and ice near young stars we can better understand how these important molecules form and which environments that they thrive in.
Astronomy education for young people
One of my great passions is astronomy outreach. I currently offer astronomy lessons for basisschool children as young as 4 years old and am planning radio astronomy lessons for older students. I frequently participate in open nights at the Blaauw Observatory as well as online outreach events.
Research and Education
Postdoctoral Fellow - University of Groningen
April 2021-April 2025
I worked as a postdoctoral researcher with an NWO Veni grant at the Kapteyn Astronomical Institute at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands.
This time includes an extended period of sick leave.
Postdoctoral Fellow - NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
July 2018-April 2021
I was a NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) Fellow working at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in the Astrochemical Laboratory (Division 691). After July 2020 I was contracted with the Catholic University of America to continue my NPP work at Goddard.
PhD Candidate - University of Groningen
January 2014-July 2018
I performed my PhD research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Floris F. S. van der Tak at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. My thesis title is “Organic chemistry around young high-mass stars: observational and theoretical” and can be downloaded here.
My PhD time includes 16 weeks of maternity leave and I completed my PhD within the alotted 4 years.
MPhys/BSc Physics with Astrophysics - University of Leeds
September 2009-December 2013
I attended the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom for my Bachelor and Masters studies. My Masters' thesis was supervised by Prof. Rene D. Oudmaijer and was titled “Accretion rates and CO disk analysis in massive young stellar objects”.
I was awarded the Scriven Bolton Award after my first year, and conducted research during summer 2011.
My master's defense was delayed due to maternity leave.
Research training
ALMA Ambassador - NRAO
March 2020
I was awarded a second opportunity to organize and run two ALMA workshops in the USA ($10000 prize). These were both moved online during the pandemic.
ALMA Ambassador - NRAO
March 2019
I was one of 15 postdocs trained to organize and run an ALMA proposal workshop in the USA. I ran the day long workshop with one other person at the University of Maryland. I instructed the participants on the information necessary for a successful proposal, how to use the observers' tool, and about basic interferometry.
Planetary Science Winter School Participant - NASA GSFC SSED
November 2019-March 2020
This school is a hands-on instrument design program at NASA Goddard to give scientists experience working with engineers in the creation of a real flight instrument to be proposed for a major NASA program. I shadowed a mechanical systems/structural engineer on the classified project.
Publications
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Refereed journal articles
“High-resolution study of outflows FHSC candidate Chamaeleon-MMS1”
Allen, V., Cordiner, M., Charnley, S., Wirstrom, E., Kuon, Y-J. (2024) The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 971, Issue 2, id.187, 13 pp.
“Exploring the formation pathways of formamide near young O-type stars”
Allen, V.; van der Tak, F. F. S.; López-Sepulcre, A.; Cesaroni, R.; Sánchez-Monge, Á.; Rivilla, V.; (2020) Astronomy & Astrophysics, Volume 636, id.A67.
“Substructures in the Keplerian disc around the O-type (proto-)star G17.64+0.16”
Maud, L. T.; Cesaroni, R.; Kumar, M. S. N.; Rivilla, V. M.; Ginsburg, A.; Klaassen, P. D.; Harsono, D.; Sánchez-Monge, Á.; Ahmadi, A.; Allen, V.; et al. (2019) Astronomy & Astrophysics, Volume 627, id.L6.
"Chasing discs around O-type (proto)stars. ALMA evidence for an SiO disc and disc wind from G17.64+0.16"
Maud, L. T.; Cesaroni, R.; Kumar, M. S. N.; van der Tak, F. F. S.; Allen, V.; et al. (2018) Astronomy & Astrophysics, Volume 620, id.A31.
"The feedback of an HC HII region on its parental molecular core. The case of core A1 in the star-forming region G24.78+0.08"
Moscadelli, L.; Rivilla, V. M.; Cesaroni, R.; Beltrán, M. T.; Sánchez-Monge, Á.; Schilke, P.; Mottram, J. C.; Ahmadi, A.; Allen, V.; et al. (2018) Astronomy & Astrophysics, Volume 616, id.A66.
"Complex cyanides as a chemical clock in hot cores”
Allen, V.; van der Tak, F. F. S.; Walsh, C. (2018) Astronomy & Astrophysics, Volume 616, id. A67.
"Accelerating infall and rotational spin-up in the hot molecular core G31.41+0.31"
Beltrán, M. T.; Cesaroni, R.; Rivilla, V. M.; Sánchez-Monge, Á.; Moscadelli, L.; Ahmadi, A.; Allen, V.; et al. (2018) Astronomy & Astrophysics, Volume 615, id.A141.
“Chemical segregation in hot cores with disk candidates. An investigation with ALMA”
Allen, V.; van der Tak, F.; Sánchez-Monge, Á.; Cesaroni, R.; Beltrán, M. T. (2017) Astronomy & Astrophysics, 603, 133.
“Chasing discs around O-type (proto)stars: Evidence from ALMA observations”
Cesaroni, R.; Sánchez-Monge, Á.; Beltrán, M. T.; Johnston, K. G.; Maud, L. T.; Moscadelli, L.; Mottram, J. C.; Ahmadi, A.; Allen, V.; et al. (2017) Astronomy & Astrophysics, 602, 59A.
Non-refereed articles
“Searches for Technosignatures: The State of the Profession”
Wright, J.; Allen, V.; + 125 authors (2019) Astro2020 Decadal survey, APC white papers, Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 51, Issue 7, 39.
“Impacts of Quantum Chemistry Calculations on Exoplanetary Science, Planetary Astronomy, and Astrophysics”
Kao, Der-you; Gacesa, M.; Wentzcovitch, R. M.; Domagal-Goldman, S.; Kopparapu, R. K.; Klippenstein, S. J.; Charnley, S. B.; Henning, W. G.; Renaud, J.; Romani, P.; Lee, Y.; Nixon, C. A.; Jackson, K. A.; Cordiner, M. A.; Lombardo, N. A.; Wieman, S.; Airapetian, V.; Allen, V.; + 11 authors. (2019) Astro2020 Decadal survey, Science white papers, Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 51, Issue 3, 240.
“Using ALMA Spectra to Investigate a Potential Transient Exosphere of Ceres”
Parks, M.; Nixon, C.; Cordiner, M.; Charnley, S.; Thelen, A.; Allen, V.; Palmer, M.; Chuang, Y. -L.; Kuan, Y. -J. (2019) 50th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, LPI Contribution No. 2132, id.2974.
“Astrochemistry: the first step in understanding our origins”
“Astrochemistry: the first step in understanding our origins”, Allen, V., Periodiek, March 2018
“Small Scale Chemical Segregation Within Keplerian Disk Candidate G35.20-0.74N”
“Small Scale Chemical Segregation Within Keplerian Disk Candidate G35.20-0.74N”, Allen, V.; van der Tak, F.; Sánchez-Monge, Á.; Cesaroni, R.; Beltrán, M. T. (2016) AAS Meeting #228.
"Empirical study of formamide formation around young O-type stars"
from New quests in stellar astrophysics IV: Astrochemistry, Astrobiology, and the origin of life, Memorie della Societa Astronomica Italiana (Journal of the Italian Astronomical Society)
Presentations and Posters
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Workshops
Supervision across the neurodiverse spectrum
Part of professor certificate program at the University of Groningen. Delivered October 2025, January 2026.
Bringing Inclusive Teaching to Your Classroom
Education Festival, University of Groningen, Netherlands, March 2025
Empowering Allies: Understanding and Leveraging Social Advantages
2 hour workshop at We@FSE Diversity Week 2024, University of Groningen, Netherlands, Oct 2024 (presentation here)
Invited Talks
Supporting caregivers and neurodivergent academics at FSE
Opening ceremony We@FSE Diversity Week 2024, University of Groningen, Netherlands, Oct 2024
ADHD in Academia
Invited talk+panel: “ADHD in Academia” AMOLF Diversity Day, Amsterdam, Netherlands, June 2024 (https://prezi.com/view/i76OZ5jZdqYYEhgZGzrp/)
Astrochemistry and the Origin of Life
SiriusA Exoplanets & Astrobiology Symposium, DOT planetarium, Groningen, May 2024
Balancing academia and caregiving: Exploring institutional support
Origin of Life Early-career Network (OoLEN), online via zoom, March 2024
Panelist: How can we improve access and inclusion STEM education?
Invited Panelist: “How can we improve access and inclusion STEM education?”, The role of STEM education in a changing world, Teaching Academy Groningen, University of Groningen, Netherlands, March 2024 (https://zenodo.org/records/10997179)
Astro-everything and our place in space
Marie Curie student association, Radboud University Nijmegen, September 2023
Panelist: Community activities and actions towards systemic change
Invited Panelist: “Community activities and actions towards systemic change”, Session SS33, EAS 2023, Krakow, Poland, July 2023
Astrochemie en de Oorsprong van het Leven
SWSE Appingedam (KNVWS), the Netherlands, March 2023
Panelist: Women in Science
Invited Panelist: “Women in Science”, Hamburg Observatory, Germany, March 2023 +
The Origin of Life
Honours College Faculty of Science and Engineering University of Groningen, January 2023
Panelist: In Het Licht
Invited Panelist: “In Het Licht”, KennisCafé Stadium Generale, Groningen December 2022 (https://vimeo.com/777323145)
Keynote talk: Astro-everything and our place in the universe
Keynote talk: "Astro-everything and our place in the universe", at PepSci annual meeting, Delft, the Netherlands, November 2022 (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7373209)
Astrochemie en de Oorsprong van het Leven
Vereniging Gemma Frisius (Royal Dutch Association for Weather and Astronomy), Leeuwarden, the Netherlands, March 2022 (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6422688)*
Astrochemistry and the Molecules of Life
Astronomy on Tap Groningen (via Zoom), June 2021 *
Create your own space in science: Journey through an unconventional life
Lustrum speaker for the Honours College Social Association at the University of Groningen (via Zoom), April 2021. (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6422771)*+
Observational studies of formamide formation
Monday science seminar, University of Wisconsin (via Zoom), December 2020.
Panelist: Children and your PhD
Invited panelist: “Children and your PhD”. Networking Breakfast, “I, Scientist”, Berlin, Germany, May 2017.
High Mass Star Formation
SRON (Netherlands Institute for Space Research) meet and greet, Utrecht, the Netherlands, March 2017.
Contributed Talks
Supporting Neurodivergent Academics
Inclusion in Astronomy Working Group session, IAU General Assembly, Cape Town, South Africa, August 2024 (https://www.youtube.com/live/SUCc25syyg4?t=22104s)
Supporting Early Career Caregivers in Astronomy: The Astronomoms Story
Women in Astronomy Working Group session, IAU General Assembly, Cape Town, South Africa, August 2024 (https://www.youtube.com/live/jQSqIJlxtnk?t=18728s)
Supporting early career caregivers in astronomy
Session SS23a Early Career Astronomers, EAS 2024, Padova, Italy, July 2024
Playing with the Solar System
Session LS7 Science communication, EAS 2024, Padova, Italy, July 2024
Sterren en Stenen, Archeoastronomie
Lecture: “Sterren en Stenen, Archeoastronomie”, Landelijke Sterrenkijkdagen, Blaauw Sterrenwacht, Groningen, Netherlands, March 2024
The extensive benefits of a neurodiverse workplace
Session SS33, EAS 2023, Krakow, Poland, July 2023 (https://zenodo.org/records/10996731)
Baby's first tantrum ~ the chaotic chemical environment of Cha-MMS1
Colloquium: Leiden, the Netherlands, April 2023
Astrochemistry and the Origin of Life
Colloquium: ASTRON, Dwingeloo, Netherlands, February 2023
Sulfur's journey from the volcanoes of Io
Kapteyn Science Day, December 2022, Groningen, the Netherlands
Sulfur's journey from the volcanoes of Io
From Clouds to planets II: the astrochemical link, Berlin, Germany, October 2022
Solar System chemistry with the ALMA archive
Kapteyn Science Day flash presentation, University of Groningen (via Zoom), June 2021
Observational studies of formamide formation
University of Groningen (via Zoom), April 2021.
Observational studies of formamide formation
Lunch talk at ESO, Garching, Germany (via Zoom), October 2020.
Empirical study of formamide formation around young O-type stars
New quests in stellar astrophysics IV: Astrochemistry, Astrobiology, and the origin of life Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, April 2019.
Chemistry in high-mass star forming regions: observations and modeling
Colloquium: given at NASA GSFC (October 2018); University of Groningen, Netherlands (October 2018); Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Taiwan (February 2019); and National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan (February 2019).
Complex cyanides as a chemical clock: Explaining cyanide segregation in G35.20-0.74N
Colloquium: Colloquium at University of Leeds, UK, October 2017.
Complex cyanides as a chemical clock: Explaining cyanide segregation in G35.20-0.74N
Dutch Network 2 bi-annual meeting, Groningen, the Netherlands, October 2017.
Small Scale Chemical Segregation within Keplerian Disk Candidate G35.20N
Dutch Network 2 bi-annual meeting, Leiden, the Netherlands, October 2016.
Ask an Astronomer: Star formation and Astrochemistry
Zpannend Zernike open day, Groningen, the Netherlands, October 2016.
Small Scale Chemical Segregation Within Keplerian Disk Candidate G35.20-0.74N
AAS summer meeting, USA, June 2016.
The Curious Chemistry of G35.20-0.74N
Colloquium given four times at: University of Leeds, UK; IRAM Grenoble, France; California Institute of Technology, USA; NASA Ames, USA; Summer 2016.
Posters
“Playing with the Solar System: Creating positive experiences with science for young children”
Office of Astronomy for Outreach session, IAU General Assembly, Cape Town, South Africa, August 2024 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNo4A4an18s)
“We are all nebula stuff: investigating the formation prebiotic molecules in star-forming regions”
ALMA 10 years, Puerto Varas, Chile, December 2023
“Toward decolonizing astronomy outreach, three steps away from Eurocentric bias”
Session SS36a, EAS, Krakow, Poland, July 2023 (https://k-poster.kuoni-congress.info/eas-2023/poster/938c0588-402d-4561-bb11-06c57f386274)
“We are all nebula stuff: investigating the formation prebiotic molecules in star-forming regions”
BEACON, La Palma, May 2023
“We are all nebula stuff: investigating the formation of in star-forming regions”
oLife Annual meeting, Groningen, NL, November 2022.
"Early Career Parents Cooperative"
"Early Career Parents Cooperative". NAC 2022, Blankenberge, Belgium, May 2022.
“Characterizing outflows from low-mass object Chamaeleon-MMS1”
ALMA2019: Science Results and Cross-Facility Synergies, Cagliari, Italy, October 2019 (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3585332)
“Chemical Segregation in a high-mass disk candidate: Observations and Modeling”
Francesco's legacy: Star formation in space and time, Florence, Italy, June 2017, and Current and future perspectives of chemical modeling in Astrophysics, Hamburg, Germany, July 2017.
“An ALMA view of small scale chemical separation in G35.20-0.74N”
The 6th Zermatt ISM Symposium, Switzerland, September 2015.
“An ALMA view of chemical structure of high-mass hot cores in G35.20”
Nederlandse Astronomen Conferentie (National Dutch Astronomers conference), the Netherlands, May 2015.
“The small scale chemistry and kinematics of G35.20N with ALMA”
The Soul of High-Mass Star Formation, Chile, March 2015.
“The complex chemistry of massive star forming region G35.20-0.74N”
The Olympian Symposium on Star Formation, Greece, May 2014.