Arshia M. Jacob

Prof. Dr. Arshia M. Jacob is a W2 tenure track Professor of Experimental Physics at the I. Institute of Physics, University of Cologne, and a Max Planck Research Fellow/Group Leader at the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy (MPIfR) in Bonn. She leads the Galactic Ecosystems research group, investigating galaxies as interconnected systems where star formation balances with feedback processes from stellar winds, supernovae, and supermassive black holes.

Her educational background includes:

• Dr. rer. nat. in physics, Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy (2021)
• Master of Science in Astrophysics, University of Bonn (2017)
• Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Physics, St. Stephen's College, New Delhi (2015)

Research focuses on astrochemistry of hydrides/small molecules, molecular cloud evolution, stellar feedback, and ionization mechanisms. Her group integrates observations (using APEX, Effelsberg, IRAM, NOEMA telescopes), simulations (SILCC, Meudon PDR), and laboratory astrophysics to study multi-scale galactic processes. Key methodologies include absorption spectroscopy and molecular spectroscopy at radio/submillimeter wavelengths via tools like XCLASS and RADEX.

Her publication trends reveal expertise in detecting elusive interstellar molecules, with breakthroughs like the first identification of 13CH and methylene radical using high-sensitivity radio observations. These works exemplify her focus on chemical diagnostics for understanding galactic ecosystem dynamics.

Major honors include:

• 2022 Otto Hahn Medal and Award (Max Planck Society)
• 2022 PhD Prize (German Astronomical Society)
• 2023 SOFIA-USRA Honorable Mention
• Multiple Astronomy & Astrophysics journal highlights (2020-2021)
• 2018 Förderpreis for Master's thesis

She currently advises PhD students Ying Chi Hu and Sarwar Khan (MPIfR), and Bachelor's/Master's students Jan Linus Kaiser, Vikalp Sharma, and Ewald Brunner. Her research is funded through prestigious fellowships including the Otto Hahn Postdoctoral Fellowship (2023-2025) and current Max Planck Research Fellowship.

The Galactic Ecosystems group operates across University of Cologne and MPIfR facilities, utilizing spectroscopic databases (CDMS), data reduction tools (GILDAS/CLASS, CASA), and analysis frameworks (3D-PDR, PyRate) to probe molecular cloud physics across cosmic scales.