Short introduction:
I am Žofia Chrobáková, currently a postdoc at the Comenius University in Bratislava. I obtained my PhD at the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) in 2021, where I worked on the structure of the outer Galactic disc with Gaia DR2 with Dr. Martín López-Corredoira. Afterwards, I spent one more year at the IAC as a postdoc. During this time, I also took part in the ERASMUS project and visited Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia for two weeks, where I collaborated with Dr. Roman Nagy on the warp and flare of the Galactic disc. Last year, I moved to the research group of Dr. Nagy as a postdoc with a one-year fellowship for foreign researchers coming to Slovakia. In November 2023, I will start a new postdoc position at the University College London, working on Galactic astrophysics with Dr. Ralph Schoenrich.
How did your career benefit from the ERASMUS project?
The ERASMUS project had a great benefit on my career, as I could grow my collaboration with Dr. Roman Nagy and deepen our work on the structure of the Galactic disc with the new Gaia DR3 data. Shortly after, we published the results of our research in a paper in A&A.
Moreover, as a result of this ERASMUS, I decided to pursue a position at the Comenius University and last year I joined the research group of Dr. Nagy as a postdoc.
How did the ERASMUS program support your personal development?
As somebody who worked abroad and went for an ERASMUS program to their home country, I gained a unique experience. This has been important for my personal development, as I got the opportunity to reconnect with my home country and find the motivation to return to Slovakia after completing my postdoc and contribute to the development of Slovak science.
Can you share some experience from your ERASMUS exchange?
The best experience of my ERASMUS was to interact with the students and being able to share my knowledge with them. I also enjoyed seeing my friends after a long time and visiting the beautiful historical centre of Bratislava.
25.8.2023