I study how galaxies form and evolve across cosmic time — tracing star formation through infrared and radio light, searching for gravitational lenses that magnify the distant universe, and building new tools to let astronomers step inside their data using virtual reality.
My research spans the multi-wavelength identification and physical characterisation of extragalactic populations — from the most luminous infrared galaxies to the faintest radio sources — using some of the world's most powerful observatories.
Luminosity functions, star formation rate densities, and the cosmic evolution of infrared-luminous galaxies using Herschel, Spitzer, AKARI, and now Rubin/LSST — tracing how galaxies build their stellar mass across 10 billion years.
Systematic discovery and characterisation of strong gravitational lens candidates from Herschel sub-mm surveys, including the largest sample of sub-mm selected lenses to date. Multi-wavelength follow-up with HST, SALT, ALMA, and NOEMA.
AGN versus star-formation decomposition using MeerKAT, as PI of the MeerLIRGs survey (298 Southern LIRGs from the IRAS RBGS). Member of the MIGHTEE and EMU consortia, contributing multi-wavelength characterisation of radio source populations.
Director of the IDIA Vislab: developing iDaVIE, an open-source virtual reality software for interactive analysis of astronomical data cubes. Enabling astronomers to enter their data and discover structure invisible on a flat screen.
PI of the MeerKAT 1.28 GHz survey of all 298 Southern Luminous Infrared Galaxies in the IRAS Revised Bright Galaxy Sample — the most complete radio census of local dusty galaxies in the Southern hemisphere, probing the infrared–radio correlation and AGN/starburst interplay.
Project Scientist of a 300-hour SALT spectroscopic programme to confirm and characterise ~200 strong gravitational lens candidates selected from Herschel sub-mm surveys — among the largest lens samples for follow-up with ALMA and JWST.
Director of the development of iDaVIE (immersive Data Visualisation Interactive Explorer) — an open-source VR tool for scientific analysis of 3D astronomical data cubes. Developed at the IDIA Vislab in collaboration with INAF-OACT and publicly released in 2024.
Co-lead of the Data Fusion working group within the Herschel Extragalactic Legacy Project (HELP), delivering multi-wavelength photometric databases across all major Herschel survey fields. Core member of the HerMES and H-ATLAS consortia since 2009.
South African Principal Investigator for the Vera C. Rubin Observatory LSST. Member of the LSST Strong Lensing Science Collaboration, focused on exploiting LSST's unprecedented depth and cadence for systematic strong lens discovery and galaxy evolution science.
Data Management Unit / Catalogue / Database Manager for the 4MOST Hemisphere Survey of the Nearby Universe (4HS). Leading the data deliverable strategy and planning for this all-sky spectroscopic survey of the local Universe.
186+ publications · 126 refereed · h-index 44 · 7,661 citations. Full list via ADS · ORCID 0000-0003-3948-7621
Science communication is a core part of my mission. I believe every astronomer has a responsibility to share their discoveries — from school classrooms to planetarium domes to the halls of the British Parliament.
Co-founder and Advisor of the APA, the African regional node of the International Planetarium Society, connecting planetaria across the continent.
Coordinator of Soapbox Science Cape Town since 2019 — putting women scientists on public plinths in the streets of Cape Town to inspire and challenge.
Leadership of the Data2Dome initiative at the Iziko Planetarium, bridging cutting-edge astronomy data and immersive fulldome visualisation for public audiences.
Chair of the Education & Outreach Working Group for IYL2015 in the UK; represented the Open University at UNESCO Paris and at St James's Palace, London.
Elected Secretary of the IAU Division J Galaxies & Cosmology Steering Committee. IAU/International Planetarium Society liaison since 2018.
Scientific Advisor for the "Hemelliggaam" art project; performed as mezzo-soprano and actress in public science events — because astronomy deserves poetry too.
Whether you are a prospective student, a potential collaborator, or simply curious about the universe — I am always happy to hear from you.
Department of Astronomy
University of Cape Town
Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701
Cape Town, South Africa