Iris de Ruiter

I’m an OzGrav postdoctoral researcher at the University of Sydney. Within OzGrav, I work on ASKAP data, searching for exotic radio transients originating from compact objects. My role involves developing software to confidently identify these transients in the data stream and conducting multi-wavelength follow-up studies to interpret and understand them in detail. These sources provide insights into the physical properties and evolution of white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes, often found in binaries. Furthermore, I work on the electromagnetic follow-up of gravitational wave events with radio telescopes, aiming to detect both prompt radio bursts and the slowly evolving radio emission from high-energy ejecta produced during neutron star mergers.

I obtained my PhD in 2024 at the University of Amsterdam, with my thesis entitled 'Low-frequency Radio Transients: Systematic Search Methods and Characterization'. During my PhD, I learned to process and calibrate low-frequency radio data, developed a pipeline for automated transient detection in LOFAR data, and used optical instruments for follow-up studies of a LOFAR transient source. More importantly, I discovered how collaborative my field is, and I very much enjoyed working with researchers and instruments worldwide.