Doctor Aannestads’ research involves computer modeling of processes involving gas and dust in the interstellar medium. Currently he is working on modeling the observed infrared emission from several ionized regions of star formation. The data have been obtained by the European Space Agency’s Infrared Space Observatory (ISO). This emission is due to dust grains absorbing the ultraviolet and visible radiation from the newly formed stars, and re-emitting the energy at infrared wavelengths. Of particular interest is the spatial distrubution of the dust and the dust composition and size distribution.

He is also working on the infrared fine structure line emission due to ions and neutrals, both in the ionized region surrounding the hot stars and in the molecular region away from the stars. The photodissociation region that separates the atomic and the molecular region is of special interest, and detailed modeling of the formation and destruction of molecular hydrogen is included in this work. Since molecular hydrogen forms on the surfaces of the dust grains, the properties of the molecular region are intimately linked to the infrared emission of the dust grains.

By combining data from the ultraviolet to the radio regime, and modeling the detailed physical properties of gas and dust, he hopes to better understand the conditions of star formation and the nature and evolution of the interstellar matter out of which new stars form.

Rolf Jansen's research focuses on ground- and space-based ultraviolet–near-infrared and Hα surface photometry and spectroscopy of nearby galaxies. His aim is to study their content and to unravel their formation and assembly histories as a function of galaxy type, luminosity, and cosmic environment, and to track the hierarchical assembly of galaxies and emergence of the Hubble sequence by z ~ 1. He serves as Instrument Scientist for a NASA concept study into a next-generation UV–optical space telescope. He also provides computer and astronomical data analysis support within the SESE Cosmology Group.

For 12 years, starting in 1979, Rik operated Warner & Swasey's Burrell Schmidt telescope located on Kitt Peak. From 1992 to 1999 he worked for the UofA's Lunar & Planetary Lab after which he joined The Catalina Star Survey (CSS) a Near Earth Asteroid research project. His CSS work has led to the discovery of many asteroids that passed closer than the Moon and 21 comets.