Dr. A. (Alessandra) Candian
Faculty of Science
Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy
Visiting address
- Science Park 904
- Room number: C4.111
Postal address
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Postbus 94249
1090 GE Amsterdam
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Biography
Profile
Alessandra Candian is an Assistant Professor (UD) in astrochemistry with special emphasis on interdisciplinary teaching. She holds a Msc in Physics at Universitá degli studi di Padova (Italy) and a PhD in Astrophysical Chemistry at the University of Nottingham (UK). In 2012 she joined the Leiden Observatory first as a postdoctoral reasearcher and then as a VENI laureate (2016). In 2019 she moved to the University of Amsterdam, where she worked as an Assistant Research Professor at the Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (HIMS). In 2021 she was hired as Open Science and Academic Skills teacher at TU Delft before joining the Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy in 2022.
Research
Alessandra is interested in the properties of carbon-containing molecules in space and other planets. She has a strongly multidisciplinary and collaborative approach involving theoretical chemistry calculations, modelling, experiments and astronomical observations. The main goal of her research is to answer key questions about the formation and evolution of carbonaceous molecules in the Interstellar medium and in the atmosphere of celestial bodies like Titan. You can read more about this in her website and in this article.
Teaching
In addition to be a Guest Lecturer for interdisciplinary course such as "How to design an alien" and "Big History", Alessandra is coordinating the Minor Origin Interspecials and the course "From Astrochemistry to Planetary Habitability" of the the Physics and Astronomy joint Master.
Keywords
Astrochemistry, Planetary sciences, Star and planet formation; Interdisciplinary Research and Education
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Publications
2025
- Esposito, V. J., Ferrari, P., Palmer, C. Z., Boersma, C., Candian, A., Fortenberry, R. C., Buma, W. J., & Tielens, A. G. G. M. (2025). Pinpointing the CN Stretch Frequency of Neutral Cyano-Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons: A Laboratory and Quantum Chemical Spectroscopic Study of 9-Cyanoanthracene. Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters, 16(5), 1296-1304. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpclett.4c03396
- Sundararajan, P., Ferrari, P., Brünken, S., Buma, W. J., Candian, A., & Tielens, A. (2025). Infrared Spectroscopy of Neutral and Cationic Sumanene (C21H12 & C21H12+) in the Gas Phase: Implications for Interstellar Aromatic Infrared Bands (AIBs). ACS earth and space chemistry, 9(4), 898-910. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsearthspacechem.4c00393
2024
Berné, O., Tielens, A. G. G. M., & PDRs4All Team (2024). A far-ultraviolet-driven photoevaporation flow observed in a protoplanetary disk. Science, 383(6686), 988-992. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adh2861 [details]- Candian, A. (2024). Exploring the photodissociation behaviour of PAHs in the JWST era. In EAS2024 (pp. 2217)
- Chown, R., Tielens, A. G. G. M., Candian, A., Petrignani, A., & PDRs4All program (2024). PDRs4All: IV. An embarrassment of riches: Aromatic infrared bands in Orion Bar. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 685, Article A75. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202346662 [details]
- Esposito, V. J., Ferrari, P., Buma, W. J., Boersma, C., Mackie, C. J., Candian, A., Fortenberry, R. C., & Tielens, A. G. G. M. (2024). Anharmonicity and deuteration in the IR absorption and emission spectrum of phenylacetylene. Molecular Physics, 122(7-8), Article e2261570. https://doi.org/10.1080/00268976.2023.2261570 [details]
- Esposito, V. J., Ferrari, P., Buma, W. J., Fortenberry, R. C., Boersma, C., Candian, A., & Tielens, A. G. G. M. (2024). The infrared absorption spectrum of phenylacetylene and its deuterated isotopologue in the mid- to far-IR. Journal of Chemical Physics, 160(11), Article 114312. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0191404 [details]
- Habart, E., Tielens, A. G. G. M., Candian, A., Lee, T. J., Petrignani, A., & PDRs4All program (2024). PDRs4All: II: JWST's NIR and MIR imaging view of the Orion Nebula. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 685, Article A73. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202346747 [details]
- Panchagnula, S., Kamer, J., Candian, A., Hrodmarsson, H. R., Linnartz, H., Bouwman, J., & Tielens, A. G. G. M. (2024). Laser-induced fragmentation of coronene cations. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 26(27), 18557-18570. https://doi.org/10.1039/d4cp01301h [details]
- Pasquini, S., Peeters, E., Schefter, B., Khan, B., Sidhu, A., Chown, R., Cami, J., Tielens, A., Alarcón, F., Canin, A., Schroetter, I., Trahin, B., Van De Putte, D., Boersma, C., Dartois, E., Onaka, T., Candian, A., Hartigan, P., Lai, T. S. Y., ... PDRs4All program (2024). PDRs4All. VI: Probing the photochemical evolution of PAHs in the Orion Bar using machine learning techniques. Astronomy and Astrophysics, 685, Article A77. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202348465 [details]
- Peeters, E., Tielens, A. G. G. M., Candian, A., Cox, N. L. J., Lee, T. J., Petrignani, A., & PDRs4All program (2024). PDRs4All III: JWST's NIR spectroscopic view of the Orion Bar. Astronomy and Astrophysics, 685, Article A74. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202348244 [details]
- Schroetter, I., Berné, O., Joblin, C., Canin, A., Chown, R., Sidhu, A., Habart, E., Peeters, E., Lai, T. S. Y., Candian, A., Chakraborty, S., Petrignani, A., Trahin, B., Van De Putte, D., Alarcón, F., & PDRs4All program (2024). PDRs4All VII: The 3.3 µm aromatic infrared band as a tracer of physical properties of the interstellar medium in galaxies. Astronomy and Astrophysics, 685, Article A78. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202348974 [details]
- Sundararajan, P., Candian, A., Kamer, J., Linnartz, H., & Tielens, A. G. G. M. (2024). Photofragmentation of corannulene (C20H10) and sumanene (C21H12) cations in the gas phase and their astrophysical implications. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 26(28), 19332-19348. https://doi.org/10.1039/D4CP01247J [details]
- Van De Putte, D., Tielens, A. G. G. M., Candian, A., Cox, N. L. J., Petrignani, A., & PDRs4All program (2024). PDRs4All VIII: Mid-IR emission line inventory of the Orion Bar. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 687, Article A86. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202449295 [details]
2023
- Candian, A., Rachid, M. G., MacIsaac, H., Staroverov, V. N., Peeters, E., & Cami, J. (2023). Searching for Stable Fullerenes in Space with Computational Chemistry. In V. Mennella, & C. Joblin (Eds.), European Conference on Laboratory Astrophysics ECLA2020: The Interplay of Dust, Ice, and Gas in Space (pp. 177-181). (Astrophysics and Space Science Proceedings; Vol. 59). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-29003-9_19 [details]
- Lemmens, A. K., Mackie, C. J., Candian, A., Lee, T. M. J., Tielens, A. G. G. M., Rijs, A. M., & Buma, W. J. (2023). Size distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in space: an old new light on the 11.2/3.3 μm intensity ratio. Faraday Discussions, 245, 380-390. https://doi.org/10.1039/d2fd00180b [details]
2022
- Mackie, C. J., Candian, A., Lee, T. J., & Tielens, A. G. G. M. (2022). Anharmonicity and the IR Emission Spectrum of Neutral Interstellar PAH Molecules. Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 126(20), 3198-3209. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpca.2c01849 [details]
- PI Team, Berné, O., Habart, É., Peeters, E., Tielens, A. G. G. M., Candian, A., Cox, N. L. J., Lee, T. J., Petrignani, A., & PDRs4All program (2022). PDRs4All: A JWST Early Release Science Program on Radiative Feedback from Massive Stars. Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 134(1035), Article 054301. https://doi.org/10.1088/1538-3873/ac604c [details]
- Petrignani, A., & Candian, A. (2022). Astrochemistry: Ingredients of life in space. In R. Thombre, & P. Vaishampayan (Eds.), New Frontiers in Astrobiology (pp. 49-66). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-824162-2.00007-5 [details]
- Wiersma, S. D., Candian, A., Bakker, J. . M., & Petrignani, A. (2022). Gas-phase spectroscopy of photostable PAH ions from the mid- to far-infrared. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 516(4), 5216–5226. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stac2627 [details]
2021
- Mackie, C. J., Candian, A., Lee, T. J., & Tielens, A. G. G. M. (2021). Modeling the infrared cascade spectra of small PAHs: the 11.2 mu m band. Theoretical Chemistry Accounts, 140(9), Article 124. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00214-021-02807-z [details]
- Peeters, E., Mackie, C., Candian, A., & Tielens, A. G. G. M. (2021). A Spectroscopic View on Cosmic PAH Emission. Accounts of Chemical Research, 54(8), 1921-1933. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.accounts.0c00747 [details]
- Wiersma, S. D., Candian, A., Bakker, J. M., Berden, G., Eyler, J. R., Oomens, J., Tielens, A. G. G. M., & Petrignani, A. (2021). IR photofragmentation of the phenyl cation: spectroscopy and fragmentation pathways. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 23(7), 4334-4343. https://doi.org/10.1039/d0cp05554a [details]
- Wiersma, S. D., Candian, A., Rapacioli, M., & Petrignani, A. (2021). IRMPD spectroscopy of a PAH cation using FELICE: The infrared spectrum and photodissociation of dibenzo[a,l]pyrene. Journal of Molecular Spectroscopy, 382, Article 111545. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jms.2021.111545 [details]
- Zettergren, H., Domaracka, A., Schlathölter, T., Bolognesi, P., Díaz-Tendero, S., Łabuda, M., Tosic, S., Maclot, S., Johnsson, P., Steber, A., Tikhonov, D., Castrovilli, M. C., Avaldi, L., Bari, S., Milosavljević, A. R., Palacios, A., Faraji, S., Piekarski, D. G., Rousseau, P., ... Petrignani, A. (2021). Roadmap on dynamics of molecules and clusters in the gas phase. European Physical Journal D, 75(5), Article 152. https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/s10053-021-00155-y [details]
2020
- Campisi, D., & Candian, A. (2020). Do defects in PAHs promote catalytic activity in space? Stone-Wales pyrene as a test case. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 22(12), 6738-6748. https://doi.org/10.1039/c9cp06523g [details]
- Panchagnula, S., Bouwman, J., Rap, D. B., Castellanos, P., Candian, A., Mackie, C., Banhatti, S., Brünken, S., Linnartz, H., & Tielens, A. G. G. M. (2020). Structural investigation of doubly-dehydrogenated pyrene cations. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 22(38), 21651-21663. https://doi.org/10.1039/d0cp02272a [details]
- Wiersma, S. D., Candian, A., Bakker, J. M., Martens, J., Berden, G., Oomens, J., Buma, W. J., & Petrignani, A. (2020). Photolysis-induced scrambling of PAHs as a mechanism for deuterium storage. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 635, Article A9. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201936982 [details]
2019
- Lemmens, A. K., Rap, D. B., Thunnissen, J. M. M., Mackie, C. J., Candian, A., Tielens, A. G. G. M., Rijs, A. M., & Buma, W. J. (2019). Anharmonicity in the mid-infrared spectra of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: molecular beam spectroscopy and calculations. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 628, Article A130. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201935631 [details]
2018
- Mackie, C. J., Candian, A., Huang, X., Maltseva, E., Petrignani, A., Oomens, J., Buma, W. J., Lee, T. J., & Tielens, A. G. G. M. (2018). The anharmonic quartic force field infrared spectra of hydrogenated and methylated PAHs. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 20(2), 1189-1197. https://doi.org/10.1039/c7cp06546a [details]
- Maltseva, E., Mackie, C. J., Candian, A., Petrignani, A., Huang, X., Lee, T. J., Tielens, A. G. G. M., Oomens, J., & Buma, W. J. (2018). High-resolution IR absorption spectroscopy of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the 3 μm region: role of hydrogenation and alkylation. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 610, Article A65. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201732102 [details]
2016
- Mackie, C. J., Candian, A., Huang, X., Maltseva, E., Petrignani-Taube, A., Oomens, J., Mattioda, A. L., Buma, W. J., Lee, T. J., & Tielens, A. G. G. M. (2016). The anharmonic quartic force field infrared spectra of five non-linear polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: Benz[a]anthracene, chrysene, phenanthrene, pyrene, and triphenylene. Journal of Chemical Physics, 145(8). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4961438
- Maltseva, E., Petrignani, A., Candian, A., Mackie, C. J., Huang, X., Lee, T. J., Tielens, A. G. G. M., Oomens, J., & Buma, W. J. (2016). High-resolution IR absorption spectroscopy of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the 3 μm region: role of periphery. Astrophysical Journal, 831(1), Article 58. https://doi.org/10.3847/0004-637X/831/1/58 [details]
- Maltseva, E., Petrignani-Taube, A., Candian, A., Mackie, C. J., Huang, X., Lee, T. J., Tielens, A. G. G. M., Oomens, J., & Buma, W. J. (2016). Erratum: HIGH-RESOLUTION IR ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY OF POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS: THE REALM OF ANHARMONICITY (vol 814, 23, 2015). Astrophysical Journal, 820(1). https://doi.org/10.3847/0004-637X/820/1/81
2015
- Mackie, C. J., Candian, A., Huang, X., Maltseva, E., Petrignani, A., Oomens, J., Buma, W. J., Lee, T., & Tielens, A. G. G. M. (2015). The anharmonic quartic force field infrared spectra of three polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: naphthalene, anthracene, and tetracene. Journal of Chemical Physics, 143, Article 224314. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4936779 [details]
- Maltseva, E., Petrignani, A., Candian, A., Mackie, C. J., Huang, X., Lee, T. J., Tielens, A. G. G. M., Oomens, J., & Buma, W. J. (2015). High-resolution IR absorption spectroscopy of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: the realm of anharmonicity. Astrophysical Journal, 814(1), Article 23. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/814/1/23 [details]
2019
- Candian, A. (2019). The origins of buckyballs in space. Nature, 574(7779), 490-491. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-019-03139-6 [details]
Prize / grant
- Ellis-Monaghan, J., Bolhuis, P. & Candian, A. (2024). MMD hub grant: MMD Theoretical and Technical Supports Workshops. https://hims.uva.nl/shared/faculteiten/en/faculteit-der-natuurwetenschappen-wiskunde-en-informatica/news/2024/07/nine-research-projects-chos…
- Candian, A. & Buma, W. (2023). Funding for astrochemistry research with James Webb Space Telescope. https://hims.uva.nl/content/news/2023/07/funding-for-astrochemistry-research-with-james-webb-space-telescope.html?origin=4zNaIwCsT1iMc%2FL4U9Sh2Q
Others
- Petrignani, A. (organiser), Candian, A. (organiser), Van de Sande, M. (organiser), Viti, S. (organiser), Millar, T. J. (organiser) & Fontani, F. (participant) (29-6-2020 - 3-7-2020). EAS Special Session 11. The Molecular Journey from stars to disks, ONLINE! (organising a conference, workshop, ...).
2022
- Wiersma, S., Candian, A., Bakker, J. M. & Petrignani, A. (13-9-2022). RDM data for paper on Gas-phase spectroscopy of photostable PAH ions from the mid- to far-infrared. Universiteit van Amsterdam. https://doi.org/10.21942/uva.17023880.v1
- Wiersma, S., Candian, A., Rapacioli, M. & Petrignani, A. (4-4-2022). RDM data for paper on IRMPD spectroscopy of dibenzo[a,l]pyrene using FELICE. Universiteit van Amsterdam. https://doi.org/10.21942/uva.16873834.v4
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Ancillary activities
No ancillary activities
Berné, O., Tielens, A. G. G. M., & PDRs4All Team (2024). A far-ultraviolet-driven photoevaporation flow observed in a protoplanetary disk. Science, 383(6686), 988-992.