My name is Francesca Fragkoudi (pronounced Fran-goo-dee*) and I am an Assistant Professor at the Institute for Computational Cosmology at Durham University. My research explores how spiral galaxies -- like our own Milky Way -- form and evolve throughout cosmic history. I'm particularly interested in the connection between the dynamical processes occurring in galaxies -- such as secular evolution -- and the broader cosmological context, and in the dark matter problem. I use theoretical tools, such as N-body & hydrodynamic simulations (both isolated and cosmological) and orbital structure theory, to interpret observations of the Milky Way and of galaxies in the nearby Universe. For more information you can have a look at the Research tab and my publication list (link to ADS).

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Science and its communication are essential for achieving a fairer, more peaceful and sustainable society, as outlined by the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Astronomy, in particular, is a powerful tool for inspiring and fostering a sense of global citizenship. In this spirit, I founded and coordinate, on behalf of GalileoMobile, the award-winning project "Columba-Hypatia: Astronomy for Peace". Columba uses astronomy as a tool for peace and diplomacy on the post-conflict island of Cyprus; you can read more about it and my other science outreach endeavours in the Science Communication tab.

 

Short Bio:

Before moving to Durham, I was an ESO Fellow in Garching (2020 -- 2022), and a Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics (2018 -- 2020) in the groups of Simon White and Volker Springel. Previously, I was a postdoc at GEPI, Observatoire de Paris (2016 -- 2018) working with Paola Di Matteo and Misha Haywood. I carried out my PhD at the Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille (2012 -- 2015) under the supervision of Lia Athanassoula and Albert Bosma. I hail from the small island of Cyprus, which I left to move to Bristol, UK and then to Barcelona, Spain, to undertake a BSc in Physics and an MSc in Astrophysics & Cosmology, respectively. After finishing my Masters, I took a year out of academia, during which I worked odd jobs in Cyprus and travelled around South America.

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