Steffani Grondin

Contact me: sgrondin[at]ucsd.edu

Hi! I'm an NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California San Diego studying binary and star cluster evolution. I received my PhD in Astronomy & Astrophysics from the University of Toronto in 2025 (Advisors: Dr. Maria Drout & Dr. Jeremy Webb) and my BSc in Physics & Astronomy at the University of British Columbia in 2020 (Advisor: Dr. Harvey Richer).

I’m an observational astronomer who studies binary stars in star clusters to constrain the common envelope phase of binary evolution—a critical but poorly understood process that shapes Type Ia supernovae, gravitational-wave sources and UV-bright galaxies. Specifically, I use a variety of ground-based (e.g. Gemini, Lick) and space-based (e.g. Swift, Hubble) telescopes to discover and characterize new white dwarf+main-sequence post-common envelope binaries to develop an observational picture of this highly uncertain evolutionary phase. I'm also a developer of Corespray, a Python code for quickly simulating stellar and binary dynamical interactions in star cluster cores.

I’m passionate about making astronomy and STEM education accessible to rural communities across Canada and the U.S. Through my work as a 2025 IAU NA-ROAD Women & Girls in Astronomy Fellow and as a 2026 AAS Shapley Lecturer, I lead astronomy programs (career panels, hands-on astronomy tutorials, STEM education workshops, star parties and public lectures) tailored directly for girls, educators and the public in remote areas.

In my free time, you can find me racing in triathlons, exploring the outdoors, adding to my ever-expanding vinyl record collection or learning to surf (mostly falling off, occasionally standing up).

Check out my publications on the NASA ADS here!

Here is my CV.