This episode has been recorded in the FELIX Laboratory at Radboud University Nijmegen.
To know more about FELIX: https://www.ru.nl/felix/, a 360° virtual tour of the laboratory: https://virtualtours.360totaal.nl/tour/hfml-felix.
Samantha and Sandra were seated at a distance with masks on.
In this episode, Samantha and Assistant Professor Sandra Brünken discussed the field of astrochemistry and astrophysics in both the lab setting and observing it in space for understanding the origin of the universe and life.  Then we went over how spectroscopy works and why it plays a big role in these fields. After that, Sandra explained why a Free Electron Laser (e.g. at the FELIX Laboratory ) is so helpful for spectroscopy experiments. After that, we delved into Sandra's previous work in Cologne, Harvard, and EPFL where she contributed to different branches of astrochemistry and her current work at FELIX with her ion trap instrument. Samantha asked Sandra some questions about current developments in the astrochemistry field such as phosphene which could indicate possible life in Venus and her Nature paper about the age of cloud-forming of sun-like stars. Finally, Samantha asked Sandra what the process would be to get access to the Free Electron Laser at FELIX and what book Sandra has read that made an impression on her.
Sandra Brünken is an Assistant professor of the FELIX Laboratory at Radboud University in Nijmegen. She has made major contributions in her research fields which are astrochemistry and astrophysics with a nature publication under her name. Now she is at the Free Electron Laser Laboratory at Radboud university (FELIX) to continue her research.