Jens Kauffmann
Research Scientist, Astronomy Group Lead Focused on developing astronomy at Haystack. Personal interests include star formation in the Milky Way and nearby galaxies, and training the next generation of scientists.I am the Astronomy Group Lead at MIT Haystack Observatory, having started working at Haystack in 2017. In this role I seek to support Haystack astronomers in maintaining leadership positions within a variety of international research projects. I also strive to develop new avenues of astronomical research and STEM education at the observatory.
I am interested in star formation in the Milky Way, where I focus on observations at millimeter and infrared wavelengths (e.g., using ALMA, Spitzer, and Herschel). Much of my current work uses studies of the Milky Way to understand how stars in other galaxies form and drive the evolution of galaxies. I am PI of the LEGO project.
LEGO
LEGO studies star-forming sites in the Milky Way in order to better understand similar regions in nearby galaxies. It uses the most comprehensive wide-field atlas of molecules in space to do so.