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What Are Astronomers Doing?
Sarah Salviander
"I've always wanted to run a Scandinavian restaurant." 
Sarah Salviander
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"I’ve always wanted to run a Scandinavian restaurant," says University of Texas research fellow Sarah Salviander. In fact, that’s what she would do if she wasn’t already a professional astronomer. "I am really project-oriented," she says, "and I absolutely love Scandinavian food." According to Sarah, Scandinavian food includes lots of fish, and "things like sausages, dark breads, and anything pickled."
A Finnish influence
Fortunately, Sarah’s husband Sami is just the right person to have around in case she ever does open a Scandinavian restaurant -- he’s from Finland! Sarah and Sami met at Eastern Oregon University, and they were married in December 2001. Sami, a software tester, now lives with Sarah in Texas.
"They’re bonkers!"
Sarah and Sami have two beloved cats. One, Beata, is a Norwegian forest cat, and the other, Freyja, is a domestic longhair cat. "We’ve had them ever since Christmas," Sarah says, "and they are so much fun!" During the spring, though, the cats tend to go a little wild. "They’re bonkers!" she exclaims. "Early in the morning they just run back and forth through the apartment."
What’s more, they recently discovered that Beata and Freyja like to play with bubbles. Sarah says, "When we blow bubbles, they stand up on their hind legs, and it’s so cute. It freaks them out that the bubbles disappear, and when the bubbles land on them, they jump."
"Whatever strikes my fancy."
Sarah likes studying Viking folklore, as well as crocheting, painting, and drawing. Her painting and drawing is mainly done in watercolor, pen and ink, or charcoal, and the subjects of her art vary according to "whatever strikes my fancy," she says.
The Force is with her.
While she has never been a loyal amateur astronomer, Sarah says, "I had a complete and total fascination with space ever since I was six years old -- which coincided with my first seeing Star Wars in 1977."
"I actually got to see a galaxy!"
Sarah says she had the thrill of her astronomical career when first she got to use the 2.7-meter Harlan J. Smith Telescope. "I actually got to see a galaxy with my own eyes," she says. "It was on the screen, and it was in real time."
Sarah Salviander
Research Fellow, University of Texas at Austin
Ph. D., Astronomy, University of Texas at Austin
B.A., Physics, Eastern Oregon University
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