Cristina Lofaro

I am a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Kentucky. My research focuses on understanding the physical conditions of the interstellar medium and the interplay between star formation and active galactic nuclei in galaxies.

I received my Ph.D. in Astrophysics from the University of Crete, where I studied the extended interstellar medium of luminous infrared galaxies using mid- and far-infrared spectroscopic diagnostics. My work combines observations from facilities including the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), Spitzer, Herschel, and ALMA with spectral modeling and photoionization calculations.

A major focus of my research is the use of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission and infrared fine-structure lines to investigate star formation, gas excitation, dust properties, and AGN activity in galaxies both in the nearby Universe and at cosmic noon. I am particularly interested in exploiting JWST/MIRI spectroscopy to understand how the properties of the interstellar medium and the star formation–AGN connection evolve across cosmic time.