Gabi Wenzel

Research Scientist
Department of Chemistry | MIT
Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian

Hi! I’m Gabi, an experimental physicist navigating life between the laboratory and space. My interest is in laboratory astrophysics and astrochemistry, meaning I work with molecules that are present in the interstellar medium, the space between the stars. Even though all molecules are beautiful, I have a favorite family called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). While I’m trying to understand their photophysics, relaxation channels, and possible formation pathways, I am especially excited about contributing to the efforts of detecting PAHs in space using high-resolution rotational spectroscopy in the lab and radio telescopes such as the Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia!

Recent News

After 1,400+ hours on the NSF Green Bank Telescope, scientists unveil the largest, most sensitive dataset of molecules from deep space’s TMC-1 cloud.

Oct 23, 2025

Gabi Wenzel wins 2026 Laboratory Astrophysics Division Early Career Award

2026 LAD Early Career Award Goes to Gabi Wenzel

Astronomers share largest molecular survey to-date