With his new research group, Dr. Ksoll is pursuing the goal of developing evaluation algorithms for the study of star formation on the basis of machine learning. The Carl Zeiss Foundation is funding his project with 1.8 million euros as part of the CZS Nexus program. The group will start at the Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics in early 2026.
With funding from the Carl Zeiss Foundation (CZS), a new astrophysical research group led by Dr. Victor Ksoll will start in January 2026. The group will be established at the Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics (ITA), which is part of the Centre for Astronomy at Heidelberg University (ZAH). The CZS is funding Dr. Ksoll's Group for five years as part of the CZS Nexus program with a total of 1.8 million euros.
Dr. Ksoll completed a bachelor's degree in physics at Heidelberg University between 2012 and 2015, followed by a master's degree in the same subject from 2015 to 2017. He then pursued his doctorate at the Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics (ITA), which he successfully completed in July 2021 under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Ralf Klessen. He then worked as a postdoctoral researcher at ITA from 2021 to 2025. From 2026 on, he will take on leadership of his new research group at the ITA of Heidelberg University, funded by the Carl Zeiss Nexus Program.
With his research group, Dr. Ksoll is pursuing the goal of developing highly efficient evaluation algorithms for observational data in astrophysics for the study of star formation based on machine learning. This is urgently needed, because modern astronomy generates enormous amounts of observational data, the evaluation of which reaches the limits of conventional statistical approaches. As part of his "Machine Learning Solutions for Star Formation" (StarForML) project, the scientist wants to provide robust tools for determining the age, mass and chemical composition of young stars, for example. In this, Dr. Ksoll also plans to introduce transfer learning techniques to astrophysics in order to close gaps between real observational data and corresponding astrophysical simulations. The applications of his methods range from the characterization of stars by photometry to the 3D reconstruction of dust distributions in star-forming cores based on dust emission observations.
The Carl Zeiss Foundation has set itself the goal of creating space for scientific breakthroughs. In doing so, it supports both basic and application-oriented research in the STEM disciplines, i.e. in mathematics, computer science, natural sciences and technology.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Carl Zeiss Foundation
https://www.carl-zeiss-stiftung.de/
https://www.carl-zeiss-stiftung.de/uebersicht-projekte/detail/machine-learning-solutions-for-star-formationstarforml
Press release of Heidelberg University
https://www.uni-heidelberg.de/de/newsroom/akustofluidik-und-astrophysik-zwei-neue-forschungsgruppen-an-der-universitaet-heidelberg
SCIENTIFIC CONTACT
Dr. Victor Ksoll
Centre for Astronomy at Heidelberg University (ZAH)
Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics (ITA)
v.ksoll@uni-heidelberg.de
CONTACT FOR THE MEDIA
Dr. Guido Thimm
Centre for Astronomy of Heidelberg University (ZAH)
thimm@uni-heidelberg.de
