Francesca Rizzo
DAWN/INTERACTIONS Fellow
I am a Dawn/Interactions fellow at the Cosmic Dawn Center.
I received my BCs (2013) and MSc (2016) at the University of Pisa and Bologna, respectively. In 2020, I received my PhD from the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich (Germany) under the supervision of Dr. Simona Vegetti and Prof. Simon White at the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics in Garching (Germany). During my PhD I developed a tool that allows to use gravitational lensing for studying distant galaxies.
I am interested in the ways in which galaxies form and evolve across cosmic time. In particular, my research focuses on galactic dynamics, that is the analysis of the motion of gas and/or stars within galaxies. Through this kind of study, I learn how different physical processes shaped the variety of galaxies that we observe today. You can find more about my research here.
I have long been committed to diversity and acted to create an academic environment which is more inclusive and inviting towards different gender, sexual orientation, ethnic, and socioeconomically underprivileged groups. For this reason, I enjoy giving my contribution to public outreach events.