After completing his doctorate at Chalmers, Jonas Flygare has established himself at the forefront of radio astronomy. For this, he receives the distinction Alumnus of the Year – Rising Star.
When this year’s Rising Star alumnus – with both a fitting name and research field – was announced, the jury’s motivation read in part:
“Jonas Flygare (F16) is awarded the title Alumnus of the Year – Rising Star 2025 for his academic career and his contributions to the development of future radio astronomy. As a postdoctoral researcher at Caltech, one of the world’s most prestigious universities, he has quickly established himself at the cutting edge of research. To reach this level in a highly specialised and globally competitive field so early in his career demonstrates exceptional skill and great dedication. Jonas Flygare embodies the academic excellence and scientific curiosity that define Chalmers and shows how engineering can help expand humanity’s understanding of the universe.”
A little over three years after earning his PhD from Chalmers, Jonas Flygare secured a postdoctoral position at Caltech under Professor Gregg Hallinan. His main project is the Deep Synoptic Array, DSA-2000, which aims to become the world’s most sensitive radio telescope. He tests his instruments at an observatory in the Californian desert.
“I’m the lead designer for the feed antenna that will be mounted on the thousands of reflector telescopes we plan to build,” says Jonas Flygare.
The many reflectors will form a system capable of mapping the radio sky quickly and efficiently – unlike traditional telescopes, which are more expensive and take much longer to survey the whole sky. A key factor is low-cost, efficient antennas – precisely what Flygare is working on.
“The feed antenna I’m responsible for converts radio waves into electrical signals with minimal loss, and the design enables mass production. We hope DSA-2000 will revolutionise radio astronomy and contribute to research on galaxies, black holes and much more.”
Summer job lead to a new path
Despite now being at the centre of world-leading space research, this was not an obvious career path.
“When I started at Chalmers, radio astronomy wasn’t on my radar – I mostly liked maths and physics. But during my master’s, I discovered how exciting practical applications like modelling and simulation could be.”
A summer job at Onsala Space Observatory sparked the interest for real and was followed by doctoral studies at the observatory – which in turn led to work on antenna design for the Square Kilometre Array project.
“That project combined technology, construction and testing with exploring the universe billions of years back in time. I was immediately drawn in. Through the SKA project, I got in touch with Caltech, which led to my current position.”
Chalmers has meant a great deal to this year’s Rising Star:
“It’s a fantastic environment that enables success, both as a student and a researcher. Chalmers laid the foundation for all my work – it’s where I learned how to study, conduct research and build networks. The education gave me the courage to tackle unfamiliar problems, and the connections I made there are invaluable.”
What advice would you give current students at Chalmers?
“Take advantage of the opportunities you’re given! Go on exchange, send that email you’re thinking about, and dare to try things in practice, no matter how small the step.
Motivation – Alumnus of the Year, Rising Star
Jonas Flygare (F16) – a leading researcher with his sights set on the universe’s unknown phenomena
Jonas Flygare is awarded Alumnus of the Year – Rising Star 2025 for his academic career and his contributions to the development of future radio astronomy. As a postdoctoral researcher at Caltech, one of the world’s most prestigious universities, Jonas has quickly established himself at the forefront of science.
In the major international project Deep Synoptic Array-2000, he plays a key role in developing advanced, extremely wideband receiver systems. This technology is crucial for enabling real-time mapping of the entire sky and opens doors to the discovery of yet unexplored cosmic phenomena. His earlier work within the Square Kilometre Array project reflects a researcher with deep technical insight and strong international collaborations.
Reaching this level in a highly specialised and globally competitive field so early in his career demonstrates exceptional skill and great commitment. Jonas Flygare represents the academic excellence and scientific curiosity that characterise Chalmers and shows how engineering can help expand humanity’s understanding of the universe.
Facts / Radio astronomy
Radio astronomy is the branch of astronomy that studies radio waves reaching Earth from processes occurring in the universe.
One of the most famous examples of radio astronomy is the discovery of the cosmic background radiation coming from all directions in the universe — an observation that provided strong support for the Big Bang theory.
Source: Wikipedia