Silvia Spezzano

Dr. Silvia Spezzano leads a Max Planck Independent Research Group at the Center for Astrochemical Studies (CAS), Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE), since November 2020. Her research in astrochemistry focuses on star formation and gas-phase molecular spectroscopy to unravel chemical processes in the interstellar medium.

She earned her PhD from the University of Cologne in 2013 with a thesis titled 'Rotational spectroscopy of elusive molecules in the laboratory and in space'. From 2017 to 2020, she held a Minerva Fast-Track fellowship at MPE.

Dr. Spezzano's group investigates molecular complexity across star-forming regions using laboratory spectroscopy and radio astronomy. Key research areas include complex organic molecules (COMs), deuterated isotopologues, and physical-chemical modeling of molecular clouds to trace chemical evolution from pre-stellar cores to planet formation.

Her scientific recognition includes:

• Minerva Fast-Track Fellow

She advises PhD student Katharina Giers and supervises postdocs Dr. Hayley Bunn, Dr. Sigurd S. Jensen, and Dr. Yuxin Lin. Research is supported by independent Max Planck Society funding for her group.

The CAS group operates within MPE's collaborative framework, utilizing single-dish radio telescopes (e.g., IRAM 30m) and laboratory spectroscopy facilities to advance understanding of astrochemical pathways in space.