Decoding Our Colourful Universe:

Rainbow fingerprints, spectroscopy, and data curation

  Host: Nuria Lorente

  Wednesday 23 July 2025, 6.15pm – 7.30pm 

  Macquarie University

Overview

Spectacular images of the Universe are everywhere, from fashion and music videos to advertisements selling everything from shoes to cars. They appear on our clothes, walls and screens as posters and wallpapers. Beyond their beauty these colourful images hold scientific meaning: they tell us how far away celestial objects are, what they're made of, and how they've evolved over time.

In this talk we'll explore how scientists use spectroscopy, the study of light's "rainbow fingerprints", to decode the cosmos. We'll also discover how this same technique is used here on Earth to detect fraud in food systems, and to test the claims made about your favourite astronomy-themed t-shirt.

Along the way, we'll take a behind-the-scenes look at how these spectral fingerprints are curated, preserved, and shared with astronomers around the world using powerful tools for comparing data and running analyses, all through Australia’s national astronomy data platform. 

Biography

Nuria Lorente is joint Head of Research Data & Software at Australian Astronomical Optics (AAO). 

With wide experience in algorithms and software for optical and radio astronomy, Nuria sspecialises in data processing, object and path finding, data simulation and modelling, intelligent instrument monitoring, and fostering collaborative engineering and research communities.  

Her projects include contributions to ALMA telescope’s systems, James Webb Space Telescope data simulations, and leading Australian data processing pipelines for the ESO VLT telescopes.  

Nuria's active involvement in the international astronomy software and data engineering community includes a stellar global career history, from the UK to Germany, the USA and CSIRO. Nuria champions collaborative and inclusive teams, and she's committed to shaping organisations to support diverse perspectives to advance scientific discovery. 

Contact Us

For more details about the series, contact us at fse.outreach@mq.edu.au.