Photographer: Samuel Avraham.

Starting in September 2025, Andrews will join INAF OAS Bologna under the supervision of Fabio Finelli. His project will take full advantage of data soon to be released from ESA’s Euclid mission—one of the most ambitious cosmology surveys of our time.

“Honestly, for me, the biggest thing is that it gives me the chance to analyze the Euclid data that’s about to come out,” Andrews says. “It’s really exciting because this is the first time we’ll have a dataset of this size and pristine quality. Professionally, it’s a huge step—it gives me the independence to really push my own research program right at the forefront of large-scale structure cosmology.”

Cracking the code of cosmic inflation

At the heart of Andrews’ research lies a question that has fascinated cosmologists for decades: how did the Universe begin? The theory of cosmic inflation proposes that the Universe underwent a brief but dramatic expansion in its first fractions of a second. Detecting the subtle fingerprints of inflation in today’s Universe could reveal new physics beyond the Standard Model.

One such fingerprint is “primordial non-Gaussianity”, quantified by the parameter fNL. Detecting a nonzero value of fNL would provide the first direct evidence that inflation was driven not by a single field, but by multiple interacting fields. That would open a window onto new physics operating at energy scales far beyond what particle accelerators can reach.

During his PhD at OKC, Andrews continued the development of a cutting-edge approach called field-level inference to test early-universe physics. Unlike traditional methods that compress survey data into summary statistics, this technique reconstructs the full three-dimensional initial conditions of the Universe. Early tests suggest it could deliver constraints on fNL up to three times tighter than current approaches.

“What excites me most is applying this to real data from ESA’s Euclid mission, which will soon give us an unprecedented view of the large-scale structure of the Universe,” he explains. “It’s a rare opportunity where new methodology, new data, and a fundamental physics question all come together.”

Representing Sweden in Euclid

The timing is fortuitous: Euclid’s first high-quality data releases are expected during the fellowship period. With access to proprietary data through the Bologna group, Andrews will be positioned at the leading edge of discovery.

“With this project, I hope to set a new benchmark for precision cosmology,” he says. “I’m also really excited to personally represent Sweden in the Euclid collaboration. It’s an incredible opportunity to play an active role in a major international project while bringing a unique local perspective to the conversation.”

“It’s also a big boost personally,” he reflects. “It’s a clear confirmation that the work I’ve been doing so far is recognized and valuable, and it gives me the confidence and freedom to take on ambitious projects and new ideas going forward. It tells me that I’m on the right path.”

At a broader level, his work also speaks to timeless human curiosity.

“By searching for subtle imprints from inflation, we have the potential to reveal new aspects of fundamental physics that go beyond our current models,” he says. “But it’s also about exploring deep questions of our origins and inspiring future generations of scientists.”