Life

Dr. Marie Korsaga was born in 1984 in Méguet, Burkina Faso. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and physics, a master’s degree in applied physics with a concentration in astrophysics (2012) from Joseph Ki-Zerbo University, and a doctorate in astronomy and astrophysics from Aix-Marseille Université and the University of Cape Town (2019). 

Dr. Korsaga is the first female astrophysicist in West Africa and holds a position as Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics at Université Joseph KI-ZERBO in Burkina Faso and is affiliated with Laboratoire de Physique et de Chimie de l’Environnement (Environmental Physics and Chemistry Laboratory). Currently, she is a visiting fellow at the University of Oxford’s Department of Astrophysics through the Africa Oxford Initiative (AfOx).¹

Dr. Korsaga is a founding member and editor at “L’Astronomie Afrique”, the first francophone astronomy magazine that seeks to further African involvement in astronomy and astrophysics. Along with her innovative scientific research, Dr. Korsaga works to promote gender equality in the scientific community and developing countries. 

During her childhood, she developed a keen interest in the universe and the possibility of life beyond Earth. Given that astrophysics was an uncommon field in Burkina Faso, Dr. Korsaga initially wanted to become a civil engineer. However, during her master’s studies at Joseph Ki-Zerbo University, astronomy courses were introduced, allowing her to explore the discipline. Her research on brown dwarfs and dark matter ultimately inspired the focus of her Ph.D. studies. Her thesis studied the distribution of baryonic matter and how it influences the formation of galaxies. Between her degrees, Dr. Korsaga interned at Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Marseille (LAM) in France where she applied Fabry-Perot observations to galaxy formation.² 

As a woman pursuing STEM fields in university, Dr. Korsaga faced negative criticism. “It’ll be much too hard for you, you’ll struggle to make it and you’ll never make a career out of it.”³ She realized that many young women gave up on scientific career paths because of gender stereotypes and the hostility they faced in university. 

“To encourage more women to take up science, first we need to promote parental awareness to support their daughters when they want to study science. It’ll help girls develop self-confidence and confront the obstacles they will encounter during their careers. We have to create opportunities to promote access for girls and women in science subjects, via study and research grants. We have to create a positive environment for female researchers and for women in the sciences in general.”⁴

After completing her Ph.D., Dr. Korsaga was a fellow at the International Astronomical Union (IAU) Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD). After, she held a postdoctoral position at the Instituto Astrofísica Andalucía (IAA) Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) under Dr. Lourdes Verdes-Montenegro, a widely cited female Spanish astrophysicist, where she studied pseudobulges and galaxy formation.⁵ In 2024, Dr. Korsaga was a postdoc in the Humboldt Research Fellowship Programme under Dr. Fabian Walter at Observatoire astronomique de Strasbourg in France.⁶

Dr. Korsaga also noted that astrophysics infrastructure has improved since her childhood, with the Cape Town-based Astronomy for Development Office and the current South African SKA radio-telescope project. These developments will provide more opportunities for training and research in astrophysics, expand employment opportunities, and supplement the local economy.⁷

Research

“My PhD research focused on investigating the distribution of baryonic and dark matter in nearby galaxies. Using state-of-the-art multi-wavelength spectral and photometric data – including infrared, optical, and HI observations, we discovered that the relations between Dark Matter halo parameters and galaxy luminosities are not standard as previously thought, but are functions of the galaxy morphological type.”⁸

Dr. Korsaga’s research focuses on galaxy formation and dark matter, investigating dark matter distribution using rotation curves and stellar mass observations. Her current project at the University of Oxford, “Mass Distributions of Spiral Galaxies with MeerKAT and ALMA Surveys”, investigates dark matter and its involvement with galaxy structure and evolution.⁹ 

Honors & Awards

• African Women in Astronomy Early Career Award

Bibliography

“Dr. Marie Korsaga.” Accessed February 15, 2025. https://www.humboldt-foundation.de/en/connect/explore-the-humboldt-network/singleview/1241829/dr-marie-korsaga.

“Dr Marie Korsaga | Afox.” Accessed February 15, 2025. https://www.afox.ox.ac.uk/person/dr-marie-korsaga.

“Marie Korsaga – AMIGA.” Accessed February 15, 2025. https://amiga.iaa.csic.es/who-we-are/marie-korsaga/.

“Parents Must Encourage Their Daughters to Become Interested in the Phenomena of the Universe and Help Us Shed Light on Their Mysteries – Space for Our Planet.” Accessed February 15, 2025. https://www.space4ourplanet.org/story/parents-must-encourage-their-daughters-to-become-interested-in-the-phenomena-of-the-universe-and-help-us-shed-light-on-their-mysteries/.