Dr. Kasia Dutkowska
IPA: /'kaʃa du'tkɔfska/
Astrophysicist | Postdoctoral Researcher at Leiden Observatory
Astrochemistry ・ Star Formation ・ ISM & Chemical Modeling ・Feedback
Research
Overview
I'm an astrochemist, which means that in my work I use molecules as messengers, revealing the physical and chemical conditions and histories of different cosmic environments. I am especially drawn to chaotic, extreme regions like the Galactic Center of the Milky Way or distant galaxies with active galactic nuclei and intense star formation.Current work
I'm a postdoctoral researcher at Leiden Observatory in Prof. Serena Viti's group, where I am one of the developers and maintainers of UCLCHEM, a time-dependent gas-grain chemical code. My current work focuses on two main areas. First is the Milky Way's Central Molecular Zone, a turbulent, molecule-rich region that constantly challenges our understanding of interstellar chemistry. The second involves modeling complex extragalactic regions (currently focused on NGC 253 and Arp 220), where I revisit the "why" and "how" of our methods, and how to make them better. Specifically, I go after problems that require creative approaches, multi-scenario views, and often defy easy categorizations.PhD work
During my PhD, I built "galaxy-in-a-box", a Python-based model that predicts molecular emissions from active star formation in galaxies. Ultimately, I wanted to explore the era when the Universe formed most of its stars (Cosmic Noon, ~10-11 billion years ago), understand how star formation contributes to galactic emission, and see if we could identify new tracers of these processes. The project bridges theory and observations without relying on heavy simulations, offering a more direct way to interpret molecular feedback.
Publications
FIRST AUTHOR
4. The curious case of HCO⁺: extreme abundances under extreme condtions
Dutkowska, K.M., Jia, B., Viti, S., et al.
In preparation (soon to be submitted)3. Chemical templates of the Central Molecular Zone. Shock and protostellar object signatures under Galactic Center conditions
Dutkowska, K.M., Vermariën, G., Viti, S., et al. 2025
Astronomy & Astrophysics, Volume 703, A462. Star-formation-rate estimates from water emission
Dutkowska, K.M. & Kristensen, L.E. 2023
Astronomy & Astrophysics, Volume 674, A951. Water emission tracing active star formation from the Milky Way to high-z galaxies
Dutkowska, K.M. & Kristensen, L.E. 2022
Astronomy & Astrophysics, Volume 667, A135
CO-AUTHOR
4. A novel one-dimensional and time-dependent model for complex organic molecules in molecular cores
Tram, L. N., Viti, S., Dutkowska, K.M., et al. 2026
In press, Astronomy & Astrophysics3. Circumnuclear eccentric gas flow in the Galactic Center revealed by ALMA CMZ Exploration Survey (ACES)
Sofue, Y., et al. (incl. Dutkowska, K.M.) 2025
Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan, psaf0722. The Galactic Center arms inferred from the ALMA CMZ Exploration Survey (ACES)
Sofue, Y., et al. (incl. Dutkowska, K.M.) 2025
Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan, psaf0341. A Broad Line-width, Compact, Millimeter-bright Molecular Emission Line Source near the Galactic Center1
Ginsburg, et al. (incl. Dutkowska, K.M.) 2024
The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Volume 968, Issue 1, L11
OTHER
1. The Leiden/ESA Astrophysics Program for Summer Students (LEAPS)
Bellotti S., Sellek A., Sharda, P., Dutkowska K.M., Chrimes A., and Röttgering H. 2025
Under review
1The article was chosen for a Research highlight in Nature:
An object in space is emitting microwaves — and baffling scientists
Nature, Volume 630, 533 (2024)
All personal information is limited to publicly available professional data.
Pop-science writing
I’ve recently started dabbling in science communication by writing short, accessible pieces on astrochemistry. Each one highlights a different aspect of the molecular Universe.Current articles:
・The Galactic Cocktail You Never Knew Existed
Beyond work
When I'm not wearing my scientist hat, I'm generally drawn to activities that demand presence and attention. I like things that slow time down rather than speed it up.I’ve been a street photographer for years now (a remnant of my earlier life studying filmmaking in London), with work featured by Samsung, Polaroid, the Danish Architecture Centre, and BuzzFeed. I’m especially interested in the quieter, more architectural side of street photography, the kind that reveals how a place feels rather than what happens in it.I'm also deep into curating music, which basically means I spend hours building playlists and discovering records. As a part of this, I run a seasonal playlist called "street photography fm," which is basically meant to accompany you during your photo walks and inspire you to see different things. One day, I’d love to host a show on an independent online radio station and share this side of me more openly.I'm also a runner. I find it meditative and freeing. It's also grounding in a way few other things are. By the way, it is a fantastic way to (re)discover music, as I often assign one run to one music album.Coffee became a serious love affair around 2024. I was always a coffee drinker, but now it's a genuine passion. I’m always on the lookout for local roasters wherever I am. The funkier the taste, the better. Though, let's be clear, I'd never judge anyone else's cup because coffee snobbery isn't the point.I also love baking, particularly bread. There’s something grounding about working with dough, learning to read fermentation, and producing something simple and nourishing with your hands. There's nothing quite like breakfast from your own oven.Underlying many of these interests is mindfulness. I’ve been practicing meditation for over a decade, and it has deeply shaped how I work, think, and relate to the world. Maybe you can sense that already in the way I write about bread, coffee, and photography. And, because of that, I'm a fierce advocate for mental health.