Rolf Jansen's research focuses on ground- and space-based ultraviolet–near-infrared and Hα surface photometry and spectroscopy of nearby galaxies. His aim is to study their content and to unravel their formation and assembly histories as a function of galaxy type, luminosity, and cosmic environment, and to track the hierarchical assembly of galaxies and emergence of the Hubble sequence by z ~ 1. He serves as Instrument Scientist for a NASA concept study into a next-generation UV–optical space telescope.
He also provides computer and astronomical data analysis support within the SESE Cosmology Group.