Brandt Gaches
Astronomer, astrochemist. Cosmic origins fellow at Chalmers University. Emmy Noether group leader starting 2025.
- Reposted by Brandt GachesIn kosmischen Dunkelwolken bestimmt Strahlung die Chemie des Gases. Ein internationales Team konnte das erstmals direkt messen. Modelle kamen von @brandt-gaches.space. Veröffentlicht @natastron.nature.com. www.uni-due.de/2026-02-03-i... 📸 ESO, CC BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/...)
- Reposted by Brandt GachesIn cosmic dark clouds, radiation determines the chemistry of the gas. An internat. team was able to measure this directly for the first time. Models were provided by @brandt-gaches.space. www.uni-due.de/2026-02-03-f... @natastron.nature.com 📸 ESO, CC BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/...)
- Deadline is at the end of the week! This will be a fantastic conference for those interested in star formation and the interstellar medium, at a beautiful venue in view of Mount Olympus!
- For all my fellow #astronomers studying the ISM and star formation! Only a few more weeks until the talk abstract deadline for the Olympian Symposium 2026 (Jan 30). We have an amazing set of invited speakers and a great beachfront venue! Submit and register online: olympiansymposium.org
- Reposted by Brandt GachesDid you know that processing a #NASAWebb image from data to finish can take anywhere from four hours to two months depending on the complexity of the observation? Check out all the details about how the images are made at STScI: go.nasa.gov/4pi2Rny
- One of the weirdest emails I received recently was from an AI company - cold emailing me to advertise a new AI paper reviewing system. They dumbly decided the best approach was to attach "AI referee comments" for my recent review article. But it was all just plain garbage.
- The few comments it gave were either nonsensical, meaningless, or useless, especially for a review. Seems like a "bold" business move to cold-email people to sell a product that is just hot garbage. (I've seen some reports for papers recently where parts made me question or suspect, already...)
- If you're asked to referee a paper, it does everyone a massive disservice if you use these AI agents. Not only are they mostly garbage, but it also defeats the entire purpose! If you don't have time, or if you don't think you're qualified or know enough, decline the invitation and suggest others!
- For all my fellow #astronomers studying the ISM and star formation! Only a few more weeks until the talk abstract deadline for the Olympian Symposium 2026 (Jan 30). We have an amazing set of invited speakers and a great beachfront venue! Submit and register online: olympiansymposium.org
- The #astrochemistry review I wrote with my colleague, Serena Viti, has now been accepted by ACS Space and Earth Chemistry! We review ISM high-energy astrochemistry (X-ray and cosmic ray) and present a unifying definition of "high-energy astrochemistry" #astronomy #astrosci arxiv.org/abs/2512.10060
- It was certainly a different experience submitting through a chemistry journal! It's less LaTeX emphasized, plus the need for an abstract image (which ACS "conveniently" links to a paid service for), and needing three reviews versus the usual one in most major astronomy journals.
- It was recently international #coffee day! As everyone knows, coffee fuels science! For fun, I recently decided to add to my group page also what coffees I currently have! I found a really great whiskey-barrel aged coffee, but it makes it smell like I'm having routine morning irish coffees...
- Reposted by Brandt GachesWe have lift-off! Science Explorer, or #SciX to its friends, is excited to be your new home for open, connected, and trustworthy science. Explore. Share. Discover at scixplorer.org #OpenScience #ResearchInfrastructure #SpaceScience #EarthScience #PlanetaryScience
- I decided to make a little graphic demonstrating with actual #data (the awesome Cas A supernova remnant observed by #JWST) to highlight how different data looks depending on the colormap. I chose a few that I have seen used a bit from matplotlib & cmasher. What colormaps do you often use and why?
- Another bit of sharing about my experiences as a disabled astronomer, for Disability Pride Month. While I was studying for and taking my qualifying exams (oral), I was studying, finishing up research, and going to physical therapy and speech therapy (both once to twice a week).
- Since it was in the US, I'll just note that the physical and speech therapy each cost a copay, so not only at the time was I stressed about trying to get through the qualifying exam process (and thus continue on to a PhD), but also was even more stressed about money than I usually was a PhD student.
- The combination of all of these stresses and difficulties, in part due to my disability with the qualifying exam, almost led me to leave astronomy and academia. I am glad I did not! But I would not have been able to if not for a few very supportive faculty who really helped keep me motivated.
- For those who may not know, July is #disability pride month. Within #academia (& #astronomy), there are still many pitfalls and barriers that make things difficult for astronomers with disabilities. So, I figured throughout the month, I would share some of what I have experienced with my disability
- As a starter: throughout my career so far, many conferences (probably majority) had their social event be a physical activity - i.e., a tour or a hike (EAS 2024 had a 5k run/walk as a social!). Early on, I would partake, resulting in me often spending the rest of the conference in pain,
- since I often felt that if I didn't partake, I would miss out on building the social networking connections that are so important. So, I ended up putting myself into pain for half a conference because it seemed there was often a pressure to join, rather than stay behind with nothing planned
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View full threadThroughout the month I'll post here some of the other stories or impacts I've had from my physical disability, and welcome any other astronomers with disabilities to do also! One of the biggest things I've learned is many colleagues don't mean ill, they just don't know since they don't experience it
- Given the looming massive budget slashes back in the US, any US early career researchers who are looking for options - Germany has several really great funding schemes! The Humboldt fellowship and Walter Benjamin (DFG) program are excellent for 2 year fellowships!
- For those who are in their first postdoc, I would also highly recommend looking into the Emmy Noether program - this is for early-career researchers looking to start a group in Germany with the goal of establishing a permanent position in Germany. ERC Starting Grants also 3-7 years after PhD!
- The huge European Astronomical Society conference, #EAS2025, starts soon! Looking forward to seeing so many people! Hopefully this year it is a bit more disability friendly though...
- @bot.astronomy.blue signup
- A couple of weeks ago in Vienna, I took an expedited trip down some stairs and hurt my ankle. Back home, in one morning, I saw my GP, an orthopedic surgeon, and got an Aircast. Total cost: 13€ I truly wish my fellow Americans could have this back home! Great affordable healthcare IS possible!
- I recently decided to try dipping my toe into the observational astronomer pool and proposed for my own observations for the first time (as PI), and jumped right into an interferometer (NOEMA). The proposal was accepted! Maybe time for more? (or will that lead down a dangerous, dark path...)
- I highly recommend this program for early career researchers wanting to come to Germany and fund their own project! I hear that Duisburg would be a great place to host one 😉
- #ECR attention! Just finishing your #PhD and wondering if the DFG’s Walter Benjamin Programme might be a funding option for you? Come and find out in our info talk in our research career series #Prospects (in English). The link to the meeting will be published here: ➡️ www.dfg.de/en/research-...
- Reposted by Brandt GachesHe arrives with €1.5 million in his luggage: Dr @brandt-gaches.space, astrochemist and expert in star formation, has been invited by our Faculty of Physics to set up his #EmmyNoetherGroup at the #UDE. www.uni-due.de/2025-04-23-e...
