She studies the giant black holes at the centre of distant galaxies. The active black holes are called quasars and they expand at a breakneck speed by ‘eating’ the surrounding gas. Marianne Vestergaard studies the physical processes in the quasars – their structure and evolution and how the quasars affect their surroundings. Marianne Vestergaard teaches courses for both undergraduate and graduate students and she places great emphasis on engaging the students and involving them in the teaching. She makes sure there is a good atmosphere in the classroom, but the students are also kept busy.