Hilda Sandström

Hilda Sandström is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Department of Applied Physics at Aalto University, specializing in computational approaches to astrochemical and atmospheric systems. Her work bridges physics, chemistry, and machine learning to investigate prebiotic molecular evolution and extraterrestrial environments.

Her research focuses on computational electronic structure theory applied to:

• Hydrogen cyanide polymerization pathways relevant to life's origins
• Chemical processes on Saturn's moon Titan
• Machine learning-driven atmospheric compound identification
• Thermodynamic modeling of astrochemical environments

She develops data-driven methodologies for mass spectrometry analysis and explores molecular self-assembly in cryogenic conditions.

Recent publications (2019-2025) reveal a cohesive trajectory in interdisciplinary computational chemistry, with increasing integration of machine learning for:

• Deciphering atmospheric organic compounds
• Predicting quantum chemical properties
• Mapping prebiotic reaction networks
• Simulating extraterrestrial chemical systems

This work positions her at the intersection of astrobiology, planetary science, and computational physics.

She is affiliated with Aalto's Computational Electronic Structure Theory research group, collaborating with leading scientists including Patrick Rinke and Martin Rahm across atmospheric chemistry, quantum dynamics, and prebiotic evolution projects.