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About

B. van Soelen is an observational astrophysicist whose research focuses on high-energy transients, including gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), blazars, and neutrino progenitors. Their major contributions involve rapid-response optical and polarimetric follow-up of cosmic events, using robotic telescope networks like MASTER and the Watcher telescope. Van Soelen led the earliest optical observations of a high-energy neutrino error box, providing strong evidence for the neutrino’s progenitor (28 citations). They also conducted comprehensive spectropolarimetry and photometry of the early afterglow of GRB 191221B, combining data from SALT, VLT, and MASTER stations in South Africa and Argentina (19 citations). Additionally, van Soelen has carried out long-term blazar monitoring campaigns to study optical variability in southern-hemisphere gamma-ray sources. Their work is critical for understanding the multi-messenger nature of extreme astrophysical phenomena, linking electromagnetic and neutrino signals. With a growing citation impact, van Soelen’s contributions are advancing real-time transient astronomy and the robotic telescope infrastructure that enables it.