Sera Markoff
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profsera.bsky.social
Sera Markoff
@profsera.bsky.social
Plumian Prof in Astro @U Cambridge & Prof Astro-/Particle Physics @U Amsterdam. All things black hole, member: Event Horizon Telescope, Africa Millimeter Telescope, CTAO. Space, sci-fi, cats, music, valve amps, other unabashed geekery. www.seramarkoff.com
Pinned
I'm very excited and honoured to announce my new position 🧪🔭 in the UK, starting in January! See here for more info:

www.ast.cam.ac.uk/news/profess...
Professor Sera Markoff appointed Plumian Professor of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy at University of Cambridge | Institute of Astronomy
Professor Sera Markoff has been appointed Plumian Professor of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy at the University of Cambridge.
www.ast.cam.ac.uk
So excited to see this news, Debora’s work is amazing!!!
The Eddington Medal has been won by Prof Debora Šijački, of @cambridgeastro.bsky.social, who said she was "profoundly honoured".

She's made outstanding contributions to our understanding of the role Active Galactic Nuclei play in the evolution of galaxies, clusters of galaxies and the universe.
⤵️
January 9, 2026 at 10:32 PM
So you've probably heard about snowpocalypse in the Netherlands this week but check out this image of snowbound Amsterdam from above via @esa.int's Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission! 🔭🧪

I can see my house! 😂

www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed...
Snow-covered Amsterdam
This image, captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission on 6 January 2026, shows Amsterdam in the Netherlands blanketed in snow.
www.esa.int
January 8, 2026 at 2:07 PM
If you're a multi-messenger astrophysicist 🔭🧪 with a particular interest in gravitational waves and neutrinos, please consider applying to our open faculty position within @grappainstitute.bsky.social at the University of Amsterdam. It's a great place to work, and AMS is a great place to live!!
Vacancy — Faculty position in GRAPPA Center of Excellence
<p>Do you enjoy working in an interdisciplinary research setting and do you want to be active in the area of gravitational-wave and multi-messenger astrophysics? The Gravitation and Astroparticle Physics Amsterdam (<a href="https://www.grappa.amsterdam/">GRAPPA</a>) Centre of Excellence at The University of Amsterdam is seeking to hire one assistant/associate professor. We are especially interested in candidates that can strengthen our connection to current and future gravitational-wave, neutrino, and electromagnetic observatories. We have a strong preference for a staff member who enhances the diversity of our staff and will prioritize applicants from members of underrepresented groups.</p>
werkenbij.uva.nl
December 27, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Thx! I'm moving a bunch of stuff over in a few days!
December 24, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Thx! I live in the Netherlands but was on a limited time visa so this would make life easier (and cheaper, no renewals...) 😂
December 24, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Just submitted my application for permanent EU residency, wish me luck!!
December 24, 2025 at 11:48 AM
If you're a VLBI radio person 🔭🧪 and keen on imaging #blackholes and their jets, please consider applying for a postdoc position in my new research group at the @cambridgeastro.bsky.social @cam.ac.uk!

www.cam.ac.uk/jobs/researc...
Research Associate/Assistant in observational Event Horizon Telescope (mm-VLBI) Science (Fixed Term)
Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 2 years in the first instance, with the possibility for extension up to one year. Applications are invited for a postdoctoral position at the
www.cam.ac.uk
December 20, 2025 at 12:44 AM
Congratulations to @kazuakiyama.bsky.social on this amazing achievement!
Three outstanding international researchers are set to establish new research groups in the UK through the Royal Society’s fast-track scheme for global talent, the Faraday Discovery Fellowships Accelerated International Route. #RSGrants royalsociety.org/news/2025/12...
Leaders in black hole imaging, glaciology and human development to come to UK via Royal Society fast-track international route | Royal Society
First three researchers awarded Royal Society Faraday Discovery Fellowships through accelerated international route
royalsociety.org
December 19, 2025 at 11:56 PM
Very happy that my EHT colleague (and Deputy Project Scientist) is joining me in the UK, and we'll be collaborating already via his successful Royal Society Faraday grant "TomoGRAV"!!
December 19, 2025 at 11:55 PM
we've all been there 😂
December 14, 2025 at 11:21 AM
I know this is lowbrow but seeing the photos from a new story of a raccoon that trashed a liquor store and passed out in its bathroom has me LOL. This raccoon has it going on.
December 13, 2025 at 4:46 PM
a black hole cake would be cool though....
December 12, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Our @api.uva.nl institute holiday party was yesterday and fellow faculty member Daniela Huppenkothen (I don't think she's on here?) is an amazing cake maker...behold what she crafted!
December 12, 2025 at 3:48 PM
I love this study 🧪, because I really think people are in general more empathic than we give them credit for!
news.stanford.edu/stories/2025...
The antidote to loneliness might be recognizing how much others care
Young adults consistently underestimate how empathetic their peers are, a new study finds. But there’s a simple and scalable fix.
news.stanford.edu
December 12, 2025 at 1:58 PM
⭐️✨🔭Please help us get the message out about the 7th annual international ASPIRE program at @api.uva.nl. This summer 2026 school provides astronomy research experience for talented MSc students from countries where opportunities to move into a PhD program are limited. Applications are due 17 Dec! ⭐️✨🔭
ASPIRE
aspire.science.uva.nl
December 11, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Reposted by Sera Markoff
. @profsera.bsky.social has been appointed Plumian Professor of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy at @cambridgeastro.bsky.social 🔭 🌟

Explore more about her work with @ehtelescope.bsky.social and her new Fellowship role at @newnhamcollege.bsky.social 👇
www.cam.ac.uk/stories/sera...
Sera Markoff appointed 17th Plumian Professor of Astronomy at University of Cambridge
Black hole expert follows in footsteps of Sir Arthur Eddington, Sir Fred Hoyle, and Lord Martin Rees in one of world's oldest named professorships.
www.cam.ac.uk
December 10, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Reposted by Sera Markoff
How timely! Looks like EHT has just decided on an acronym for their upcoming run:
Just finished our winter (online) @ehtelescope.bsky.social Collaboration meeting today, and someone came up with the awesome acronym for our Spring 2026 first ever #blackhole MOVIE campaign = "Multi-epoch Observations with VLBI of the Intensity Evolution of M87*"!! 🧪🔭⚫🎬
December 10, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Just finished our winter (online) @ehtelescope.bsky.social Collaboration meeting today, and someone came up with the awesome acronym for our Spring 2026 first ever #blackhole MOVIE campaign = "Multi-epoch Observations with VLBI of the Intensity Evolution of M87*"!! 🧪🔭⚫🎬
December 10, 2025 at 5:28 PM
I am going to demand a huge feather for my medieval cap 😂
December 10, 2025 at 10:37 AM
But wait, there's more! Here's a somewhat longer article about my new position at the @cambridgeastro.bsky.social 🧪🔭 and @kavlifoundation.org Institute of Cosmology, at the University of Cambridge, from their communications team: www.cam.ac.uk/stories/sera...
Sera Markoff appointed 17th Plumian Professor of Astronomy at University of Cambridge
Black hole expert follows in footsteps of Sir Arthur Eddington, Sir Fred Hoyle, and Lord Martin Rees in one of world's oldest named professorships.
www.cam.ac.uk
December 10, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Thanks! I've already been inside the building and sat on the cool ladder-chair but I haven't actually used it yet! The Observatory there has such great facilities!
December 9, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Thanks so much Jonathan! And as you know I wouldn't be here today if you hadn't been a big mentor of mine back when I was a pesky undergrad, and during rougher seas while a grad student 💕
December 9, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Wow just saw this via a post on LinkedIn from Dr Anna Barnacka, I need this book!! Also alchemy is a great word to describe us 😂
In less than a century, the idea of black holes has gone from a concept so radical that even Einstein dismissed it to a cornerstone of modern astrophysics, shaping our understanding of spacetime and… ...
In less than a century, the idea of black holes has gone from a concept so radical that even Einstein dismissed it to a cornerstone of modern astrophysics, shaping our understanding of spacetime and i...
www.linkedin.com
December 9, 2025 at 9:02 AM
Hopefully a "force for good" 😂
December 8, 2025 at 5:24 PM
tja mijn titel komt uit de 18e eeuw en ik weet niet precies wat "experimental philosphy" bedoelt maar ik neem aan dat ik een beetje Harry Potter magie doe en een officiële toverstaf krijg 😂 Maar eerlijk gezegd doe ik altijd veel wetenschapscommunicatie en daar zijn er ook zeer veel mogelijkheden!
December 8, 2025 at 1:49 PM