Yesterday, Signe successfully defended her PhD thesis "The nucleation and growth of interstellar ice on carbonaceous surfaces". Signe will continue with InterCat as a postdoc in the Liv Hornekær group.

In 2020, Signe started her PhD, and has since become an important part of the group, both academically and socially. During her studies, Signe also was able to welcome her firstborn child into the world, as a wonderful addition to her accomplishments and highlights over her PhD years.

I her PhD studies, Signe studied water and CO2 ice growth on carbonaceous surfaces in the laboratory under conditions simulating those in cold interstellar clouds. The ability of ice clusters on dust grains to catalyze reactions may be an important influence on the rich chemistry observed in the interstellar medium and play a role in the origin of life. Signe studied diffusion of water molecules, and imaged fractal ice clusters with scanning tunneling microscopy.

The new research findings contribute to the understanding of the dynamics of ice nucleation and growth on surfaces on the molecular level of detail. This knowledge can be applied to both the study of the chemical activity of icy grains in the interstellar medium and the design of surfaces where ice nucleation needs to be controlled.

Congratulations Signe - well done. We are very happy that you are continuing with the group.