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
Just watched Marty Supreme and this more or less sums up how we feel #caturday
February 14, 2026 at 11:04 PM
Kudos to @hogg.bsky.social for his new paper on arXiv that is stimulating a lot of discussion around the value of astrophysics and also the discourse around #LLMs. I think even non astro people will find this interesting! 🔭🧪

arxiv.org/pdf/2602.10181
arxiv.org
February 12, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Happy #InternationalDayofWomenandGirlsinScience! 🧪🔭Here's a nice highlight using a photo from our collaboration meeting last summer in Berlin.
Today we mark the International Day of Women and Girls in Science by acknowledging the invaluable work of the many women in the EHT - some of them highlighted in this recent conference photo.

Contributions cover all aspects needed to advance our understanding of black holes.

#WomanInSTEM
February 11, 2026 at 10:44 PM
Glad to see pushback picking up in the media about the proposed massive cuts to UK particle/astro/nuclear physics 🧪🔭. Everyone understands that tough choices have to be made, but not investing in your future is a surefire way of, well, not having much of one 🤷‍♀️

www.theguardian.com/science/2026...
UK ‘could lose generation of scientists’ with cuts to projects and research facilities
Researchers say best scientists are taking posts overseas because of lack of job stability at home
www.theguardian.com
February 8, 2026 at 4:47 PM
I have officially transitioned from Dutch to British!
February 7, 2026 at 2:18 PM
Great commentary on the recently announced budget cuts to physics and astronomy in the UK, by @chrislintott.bsky.social

www.ox.ac.uk/news/2026-02...
Expert Comment: Cuts to fundamental research will hurt the UK’s
Chris Lintott, Professor of Astrophysics at Oxford’s Department of Physics, responds to the news that University funding for astronomy and physics research will be cut by almost a third.
www.ox.ac.uk
February 2, 2026 at 10:12 PM
In a dark world at least there’s Ezra Fuhrman #secretlivesofscientists
January 28, 2026 at 9:45 AM
Meanwhile just returned from a fantastic conference at NYU Abu Dhabi on Cosmic Collisions. And I return bearing gifts. These are for my next group meeting, where we will be conducting a serious taste test of #Dubaichocolate to put the original Fix brand to the test!!
January 18, 2026 at 4:02 PM
Reposted by Sera Markoff
I had never thought of black holes in terms of 'evil vacuum cleaners' but that image is now stuck in my head.
January 18, 2026 at 2:30 PM
Thanks to @hannahdevlin.bsky.social from @theguardian.com for the article about our first ever #BlackHole 🔭🧪 movie campaign 🎬 with the @ehtelescope.bsky.social, coming soon to a telescope near you!

www.theguardian.com/science/2026...
Revolutionary imaging of black hole aims to prove they are not ‘evil vacuum cleaners’
Newly appointed Cambridge professor says feat would accelerate scientific knowledge by an order of magnitude
www.theguardian.com
January 18, 2026 at 1:53 PM
Reposted by Sera Markoff
The main bank account holding revenue from the Venezuelan oil sales is located in Qatar.

“There is no basis in law for a president to set up an offshore account that he controls so that he can sell assets seized by the American military,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

www.semafor.com/article/01/1...
Exclusive: US gets first $500 million Venezuelan oil deal, holding some proceeds in Qatar
The details shared with Semafor mark an initial milestone in the administration’s plan following the ouster of Nicolás Maduro.
www.semafor.com
January 15, 2026 at 4:42 AM
Reposted by Sera Markoff
The National Science Foundation sign on our Eisenhower Av building is now gone.

The NSF mural in the foyer is removed and torn off in sheets.

We were supposed to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the agency in May 2025. That never happened.
January 18, 2026 at 2:00 AM
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
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
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
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